Octane Fest kicks off summer sports season

A mainstay in the Lahontan Valley and the unofficial kickoff to the summer sports season, Octane Fest returns for another round when the motorsports weekend event returns today.

Monster trucks, dirt-track racing, demolition derby and drag racing will keep the community and its visitors busy this weekend as there will be many opportunities to catch the action. Like in previous years, there will be plenty to do this weekend with the large variety of entertainment.

The NHRA West Coast Open begins today at Top Gun Raceway, which is located south of Fallon, while the county fairgrounds welcome monster truck rides and rally. Truck and tractor pulls, a demolition derby and burning car stunt show will highlight the evening before a fireworks show and pit party/sock hop camps off the first full day of Octane Fest.

Rattlesnake Raceway enters the picture on Saturday and Sunday as the IMCA Pro Modifieds racing begins in the afternoon. Top Gun will run its normal schedule of events with the top dragster, comp, sportsman and junior dragsters competing on the quarter-mile track. Quad racing, tough trucks and another monster truck rally and stunt show headline the fairgrounds for another night.

The best of the best will be competing on the final day when Top Gun runs the elimination round of the NHRA event and Test ‘n’ Tune at noon. Rattlesnake will have the finals for the IMCA Pro Modifieds as well.

If you cannot make it out to any of the racing this weekend, then Walmart will be the best option as a motorsports show will run in the parking lot from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Basically anything with a motor will be on display during the show as well as KOZZ radio and the Stuntz brothers — “Finger” and “Camo” — will perform daring feats on twin Harley motorcycles.

Motorsports has always been a great bridge during the summer while the kids are out of school and the Greenwave season is around the corner. Fallon has some of the best venues in the area and has been able to attract many of the region’s elite competitors to race at Rattlesnake and Top Gun.

Thomas Ranson can be contacted at lvnsports@yahoo.com.