Days of mud and racing

 
Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
The fifth annual Racing, Power and Mud Days, better known as RPM Days, will return this weekend, June 7-9, at the Weston County Fairgrounds. 
According to Garrett Borton, one of the founding members of RPM Days, the excitement will kick off Friday evening, with a Calcutta at 6 p.m. The regular event begins at 7 p.m., as in previous years with an evening of truck tug-of-war. No admission fee for spectators is charged for this event. Borton said the free Friday gives locals a chance to check out the fun for free. 
On Saturday, the festivities begin with a parade and pancake feed on Main Street. The parade begins at 9 a.m., with the lineup starting at 8:30 a.m. in the Shopko parking lot. 
“In previous years, we have had people thinking that during the parade, it is limited to mud trucks, and this is not the case,” Borton said. “We want everything, whether it is classic cars, four-wheelers or side-by-sides. Whatever it is, as long as it is motorized is what we are hoping for on parade day.”
He said that anyone interested in showing off their motorized vehicles in the parade should just show up for the lineup at Shopko. No pre-registration is required. 
At 11 a.m., after the parade and pancake feed, registration for the drag races begins at the fairgrounds, with the races kicking off at 1 p.m. During intermissions, kids will take to their power wheels for the power wheel mud drags. 
According to Borton, the kid races, previously held on Sunday, were moved to Saturday this year. 
Two new classes have been added to the Saturday drag races, allowing for four wheelers and side-by-sides, also known as UTVs, to race, Borton said. 
For those who may not have a drag-ready vehicle but still want a chance to race, Borton said they may still get a chance. 
RPM will have its biggest-fan truck raffle, with tickets for $5 a piece. The winner of the raffle will have the chance to participate in the stock class of the drag races. 
“We provide the vehicle, safety equipment and entry fee so the winner can race in the stock class,” Borton said. 
He said that tickets will go on sale Friday night at the truck tug-of-war and be available through Saturday morning, up until the drawing. 
Also up for grabs this weekend is an H2 Hummer Power Wheel for the kids. Tickets will go on sale Friday evening for $1 a piece. 
Saturday night will close out with a 35th and Taylor concert, with Brock Finn warming up the crowd. 
Registration for the Sunday mud bogs will begin at 10 a.m. at the fairgrounds, with the mud-flinging event kicking off at 10:30 a.m.
Tickets will be available at the gate of the fairgrounds Saturday morning with weekend passes, including the concert, costing $25. Tickets for Saturday events only will cost spectators $20. Sunday tickets are $10, and children 12 and under get into the festivities for free. 
Borton said that RPM asks that spectators not bring coolers because food and drink vendors will be onsite.