Feel the Heat at the 50th Annual Portland Rose Festival Rose Cup Races.

2010 marks the tenth year that Temp-Control Mechanical Corp. has joined forces with the Rose Festival as presenting sponsor of this premier event. As the 2nd oldest amateur race event in the country it is a regular stop for over 400 entrants from all over the country.

During the three day event 25 national and over 50 regional classes compete in 16 races throughout the weekend, of which certain races are considered featured attractions. The first of the featured races is the The Wemme Trophy Race presented by AAA Oregon/Idaho. This race commemorates the 1909 Wemme Trophy race from Portland to Gresham and features the Vintage run group in honor of the first cars that raced in Portland. This year the Festival Trophy Race will be a Pirelli Drivers Cup USA series race consisting of Porsche 996 and 997 GT3 Cup Cars. After the race there are formal winners activities including a winners podium complete with Champagne for the top 3 in each class. The weekend also fatures two races as part of the Porsche Club of America's "Porsche Cup" sponsored by Carrera Motors. The final featured race of the weekend is the Rose Cup Race. In honor of the 50th year the event is an invitational race limited to the 50 fastest qualifiers in SCCA Race Group 3: GT1, GT2, GT3, SPO, SPM, ITE, ST, GTA.

Along with the traditional on track racing excitement the Portland Rose Festival is excited to offer the following editional event:

The Rose Cup Races Cruise-In presented by Williams Controls happens Sunday, June 13th, from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. The Cruise-In is a fun way for entrants to show off their Hot Rods, Customs or Cool Rides and compete for Prizes and Trophies. As part of the event their will be Live Music, Food and a Show & Shine viewing. Those interested in participating in the event as an entrant need only show up at the gate and pay the $10 entry fee.

Throughout the summer, Friday and Saturday Night Drag Racing is a staple at PIR and the Rose Festival is pleased to once again make this fun event a part of the Rose Cup Races. Friday and Saturday Night Drags will be held after racing & qualifying by Rose Cup race groups on Friday, June 12th and Saturday, June 13th. Due to safety reasons, drag racing will only take place weather-permitting

Jerry Grant and Dick Hahn in the car that won the first Rose Cup. (Photographer unknown)

An Annual Racing Tradition for 50 Years.

Following the construction of Portland International Raceway (PIR) on the abandoned site of the old World War II city of Vanport, the Portland Jaycees convinced the Rose Festival Association to include an auto racing event in their annual celebration as a way to commemmorate the new track. The first Rose Cup Races were then held in June, 1961. To this day PIR continues to be owned and operated by the City of Portland using the revenues generated by the various year round track events. To learn more about Portland International Raceway please visit their website at: www.portlandraceway.com