In 1953, 80 cars lined up at the Cumberland Municipal Airport to see which driver, and his high-powered machine, was superior around a course designed out of road cones. Today, the tradition continues as the Cumberland Airport Autocross Series (http://www.nationalroadrally.com) races seven weekends a year with roughly 80 cars, from Chevrolet Corvettes to 1965 Cobras, rushing on the cone-lined road courses. Drivers from all over the tri-state area, and as far away as New Jersey, vie for victory that only a few can claim. For seven weekends, to which given names such as Summer Sizzler and Harvest Moon, drivers steer on the edge of insanity in the name of victory.

“Drivers like Roger Penske have raced here,” organizer Dave Williams said. “Originally, World War Two veterans, stationed on British airfields, brought the sport back home with them. They drove around the British sports cars on the fields for excitement.” Cars divided into professional and amateur divisions, providing furious competition for all competitors. “A Ferrari that raced here in the 1960s recently sold for $10 million,” Williams explained. Porsches, BMWs, and Mustangs are all well represented.

The race is determined on lap times. The turns range in difficulty from long and swooping to sharp “U” turns, also known as hairpins. The difficulty of the track does not seem hard, but if the track was truly easy, a minivan would win the contest. It takes the precision of a Picasso brush stroke to have a quick time. Sliding bullet-shaped missiles like Corvettes requires the hand-eye coordination of a military sniper and the poise of a Super Bowl quarterback.

Tires squeal as rubber wears into the asphalt. The crowd, a few hundred ranging from children to seniors, surrounds the parked supercharged and modified machines to get a peek. Wild-eyed children tug on their parents arms yelling, “See, see.”

Showcasing the race are lighter forms of traditional “Indy” cars. A front wing on the nose, and a rear wing above the rear tires, adds stability. The unique, almost aircraft-esque design, is not street legal. These cars are built for racing and provide the crowd with an authentic experience not seen outside of race tracks. Many of these cars sport decals and logos, providing the cars with a more professional look, similar to the cars in NASCAR and Formula One. Some of the engines in these mechanical dragons take up the space of a subcompact car. Their tires, pressured to perfection, allow for maximum grip.

Small, single-engine aircraft usually land at the airport, but for fourteen days, exotic and supercharged cars take to the runway as drivers from across the Mid-Atlantic strive for speed. The fiercest of competitors on the tarmac are the best of friends afterwards. A picnic closes out the festivities as the memories of the year’s past meld with the soldiers who brought this sport to this country.

Note:  There is one other event on Polish Mountain in August. Drivers take turns traveling up a section of US 40 near Flintstone ( http://www.polishmtnhillclimb.com). I also created a Wikipedia page for the hillclimb a few years back that houses some links to youtube videos of the event including a first person view of a crash from the 2007 event: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Mountain_Hillclimb