Figure 8 Racing is set to make its big return to the grandstand at the Park County Fair on Friday night, after a nine year hiatus with the last race taking place in 2014.

In charge of this year’s event will be Dustin Short, who has already had the opportunity to put on a show on June 17 that saw strong support from the community in addition to requests for the fair event.

“We are building a bigger track for the fair one,” Short said. “It will be a longer, faster track. That’s what everybody wanted to see.”

Figure 8 racing is a form of stock car racing where cars race in a Figure 8 course that intersects in the middle which is likely to increase collisions.

Short said that he wanted to bring back a cheap, affordable racing option for both builders and families as building a car to compete in Figure 8 Racing is cheaper compared to other motorsport options.

“We wanted to bring something back for the community,” Short said. “Some of the other motor sports are getting expensive… People seem to love it and it’s inexpensive to do.”

He said that the opportunity to compete in Figure 8 Racing has had a draw for recent graduates from Powell High School, who have been working on cars at DSE Enterprises, which Short owns, to enter into the fair races.

“Some of the cars the young kids are in were given to them,” Short said. “It’s really fun and is a good experience for these younger kids that are wanting to do it but don’t have the money to derby.”

This year’s classes will include four-cylinder, six-cylinder, eight-cylinder and a truck class.

Most counties offer a four-cylinder class in Wyoming, but Short said that Park County will be the only county offering six and eight-cylinder racing options.

“There will be no built motors just to keep it fun and not extremely competitive,” Short said. “We want to bring racing back into our county. Figure 8 is the easiest way to do an event.”

He said he would be open to the idea of building motors and expanding classes in the future to accommodate those who want to race, as well as expanding the amount of Figure 8 races held each year.

He said that it will be a double elimination platform at the fair this year so that everybody will get the opportunity to race.

Drivers will be accepted before and on the day of the races; they are asked to check in between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. so that they can draft races with plenty of time before the event starts at 6 p.m. with the gates opening to the public an hour before.

After the main heats there will be a winner take all powder puff race with a $25 entry.

Entrants are asked to use the Hamilton Street entry gate in order to enter the pit area.

Top prizes offered will be $4,500 to the winner of a combined four and six-cylinder class, with no all-wheel drive vehicles allowed. There will be a $1,200 prize for the winners of both the eight-cylinder and truck classes.

All classes will have first, second and third place awards, while winning a heat will earn a driver $100.

Drivers must pay a $100 entry fee that will cover the driver in addition to two pit crew members, and drivers can buy two more pit passes for $15 each.

Drivers may be as young as 16 with parent’s permission.

For more information on the event please contact Short at 307-202-3086. 

Tickets for the event can be purchased through the Park County events and fair website.