The Alberni Valley Drag Racing Association is ramping up for the second year of Thunder in the Valley on Stamp Avenue.
Crews have been working for months on improving one of the spectator areas at the top end of the street-based, eighth-mile track.
To get the rest of the track ready for competition, Stamp Avenue will be closed to all vehicle traffic from Thursday, Aug. 10 at about noon until Sunday, Aug.13.
The annual drag races were moved to Stamp Avenue last year, from their original venue at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport, due to construction taking place at the airport.
The races were historically run on a quarter-mile-long track on the airport runway, but have been changed to an eighth of a mile with the new Stamp Avenue location.
Bill Surry, Alberni Valley Drag Racing Association president, says although he noticed more spectators at the airport for previous years’ races, people are generally happy with the new Stamp Avenue location.
The road will reopen on Sunday evening after everything is cleaned up from the races, which Surry believes will be about 10 p.m.
The event officially kicks off for the public on Friday, Aug. 11, with the Thunder in the Valley show n’ shine at Harbour Quay. The Quay will be closed to vehicle traffic except for those participating in the show from 5 – 8 p.m.
