Drag racing, road racing to provide the fireworks at Brainerd International Raceway July 4th weekend

The Fourth of July is right around the corner and Brainerd International Raceway will celebrate the same way it has since the 1980s, by serving up a hefty serving of giant horsepower and incredible speed.

BIR’s PleasureLand RV Show & Go, scheduled for July 2-4, will feature the second leg of the Muscle Car Series on the dragstrip, the Sports Car Club of America’s (SCCA) Mid Summer Classic on the road course, fireworks, live music, camping and much more.

Submitted Photo: Jake Delmonico and his ’68 Camaro, racing in the Outlaw class.

It all starts on the dragstrip, where more than 400 cars are expected to battle it out in 13 classes for series points and hardware. These aren’t just any cars, though. Most of the cars are show-ready American Muscle Cars that are just as gorgeous as they are fast. This race is for door-slammers – no dragsters, bikes or sleds.

The weekend starts with qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday, followed by elimination rounds all day Sunday. All eyes will be on the seven Heads-Up Classes, most of which are the fastest classes and feature heads-up racing, where both cars start at the same time and the first one to the finish line wins. Some of the fastest cars push 5-second times and top 200 mph. The Heads-Up Classes have two qualifying sessions per day on Friday and Saturday.

While drag racers are competing a quarter mile at a time, the SCCA racers will be on BIR’s 2.5-mile Competition Road Course, with its highly technical 13-turn design. Fans will be treated to a wide variety of race cars, including open-wheel racers, sports cars and more. Practice, qualifying sessions and racing are on the schedules for Saturday and Sunday.

“Show & Go has a really long, rich history at BIR because it’s always been a really fun family event, with something for everyone,” BIR Owner Kristi Copham said. “It always attracts a lot of racers and some really fast cars, so that makes it really fun for the fans and the race teams. And those who camp are in for a real treat with our fireworks display and live music Saturday by Legacy of the Loud.”

Daily admission is $30; kids 12 and under are free. Camping is free with the purchase of a multi-day ticket, and parking is free. The pits are always open to fans, so you can check out the cars and talk to the drivers.

Now in its 53rd season, BIR is one of North America’s largest race tracks, featuring a world-class quarter-mile drag strip, two road courses, 300 acres for rustic camping, 164 full-service RV sites and 12 on-site condos. BIR is about 120 miles north of the Twin Cities. For more information, visit www.BIRMN.com, or call 1-866-444-4455.