RUMFORD – Contrasting starkly with Friday’s dull gray overcast skies, packs of brightly-colored, umbrella-toting race fans and drivers ambled through the downtown area under a steady rain.

While some groups huddled under convenient roofs and newly-erected canopies lining River Street, others flocked around 95 decal-covered sports cars parked along River and Exchange streets.

Despite the wet conditions, Friday afternoon heralded the start of the 2003 Maine Forest Rally’s pre-race pageantry, a special “Parc Expose,” which gave fans a chance to chat with drivers and examine their souped-up cars.

Cars like Mitsubishis, Subarus, Hyundais, Fords, Mazdas, Saabs, BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, and their drivers gave Rumford an international ambiance for nearly three hours.

Conversations rich in a myriad of dialects and heavy accents sprang up around the diagonally parked vehicles under the pelting rain.

Race car drivers, some with their names, blood types and team country stitched onto their uniforms, chatted with friends and competitors as Sports Car Club of America rally organizers ran through last minute instructions.

Tim Chevalier of Massachusetts, a die-hard rally-goer, waited for the race to begin, watching the pageantry from a distance.

“My father and I are into sports car racing and this is one of the purest forms of motor sports,” said Chevalier, one of 250 behind-the-scenes workers. “I love it. If there’s any opportunity to come out, I do it because the first races 110 years ago were rallies.”

Others like Rumford businessman Dan Richard, a racing enthusiast of Soap Box Derbies to Winston Cup events, enjoyed having the event, the racers and their traveling entourages in town.

“It’s a great enhancement to area businesses most of the time,” said Richard, who owns Dan’s Automotive Repair on Crescent Avenue. “It’s a great thing for this area, too. There are no motel rooms to be had anywhere around. Every dollar that comes into town from this is a definite enhancement to the River Valley area and it’s helping somebody.”

Richard said that since the racers breezed into town on Wednesday and Thursday, he’s been busy doing a lot of work helping race crews swap tires on their cars.

“I’ve even gone as far as renting out bays to them so they could work on their own vehicles,” he added.

Stephanie Withey, the front desk clerk at The Madison hotel on Route 2, also enjoyed the sharp increase in business.

“We’re completely booked,” Withey said. “Things have been a little busy and chaotic, but we handle it.”

Jane DeSalle, who owns the Blue Iris Motor Inn on Route 2 with her husband, Peter, was overjoyed at the upsurge in business.

“It’s wonderful to have them in town,” she said. “It’s events like this that really truly help this community. I would be three-quarters full right now with the Andover Olde Home Days on, but this is a sure thing.”

Tammi Lyons, the executive secretary of the River Valley Chamber of Commerce, said hotels from Wilton to Bethel and eateries have been full since the racers came to town.

“This is great on the economy,” she added.

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 race take place 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.

Chevalier, however, was quick to point out hazards like rocks and trees that line the race course as potential dangers for drivers who hit speeds between 75 and 80 mph on local dirt roads here.

“This is a safe sport, but it is auto racing in harsh conditions. Things happen. The cars are going fast and there are trees and rocks and cars don’t mix with trees and rocks,” he added.

By 3:45 p.m. the rain had increased to a heavy downpour as drivers started their engines, creating a throaty, low growling rumble that reverberated through town.

A quick pass through the starting gate and they were off at local traffic speeds, driving down Congress Street, avoiding pedestrians and delivery trucks while heading for the Mexico Rec Park and the first of 11 stages.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com