RUMFORD – Dozens of souped-up cars from all over the country and the world will be roaring down Rumford’s River Street Friday afternoon. The annual Maine Forest Pro Rally is back.

The event, part of a Sports Car Club of America rally, begins at 3:45 p.m. following a two-hour chance for auto fans to study the cars parked along River and Exchange streets and talk to their drivers. This “Parc Expose” starts at 1 p.m.

Racers will be clocked from a ramp to be built in front of the Rumford Police Department. From there, they will advance to the Mexico Recreation Park off Route 17.

Spectators can watch the beginning of the race from River Street, or they must be at the Mexico Recreation Park by 3:30 p.m. to watch the cars from there, said River Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Secretary Tammi Lyons.

Over the two-day event, cars will cover 11 sections of paper company roads ranging from a half mile in length to 22 miles for a total of 124 miles. All stages of the event are on gravel roads owned by MeadWestvaco, International Paper and Seven Islands. The SCCA is based in Topeka, Kan.

Competitors race one car at a time against the clock, usually at one-minute intervals.

The real racing is done on limited access roads so that there is no danger of meeting regular traffic. Each of these limited-access roads is blocked off. Racers travel on regular roads between stages.

Each race car has a driver and a navigator who follows a book describing the course and any obstacles that may be in the way.

Spectators on both days of the race can watch from several protected areas including the Mexico Recreation Park on Route 17, a spot about 19 miles north on Route 17, and several others scattered throughout the racing region in the River Valley and Rangeley areas. A detailed description of spectator sites is available at the River Valley Chamber of Commerce on River Street and on computer at www.maineforestrally.com

The Maine Forest Rally leg of the race is the sixth round of nine events. Racers have already competed in Pennsylvania, Colorado and Oregon.

Teams will end Friday’s leg of the race about 9 p.m. in Rumford, then start again at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, also in Rumford at the Linnell Rest Inn parking lot when cars will race to the Magalloway and Parmachenee areas in northern Oxford County to Oquossoc at noon.

The Maine Forest Rally will end at about 4 p.m., also in Oquossoc.

Race results will be posted at the Sunday River Ski Resort about 9 p.m., followed by an awards assembly at the ski resort Grand Ballroom at 10 p.m. Saturday.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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