There’s nothing like the sound of engines roaring and the smell of rubber burning in the morning for race car drivers.

This Saturday, some of the most daring drivers across the county will get their need-for- speed fix when they hit Highway 285 for a 118-mile roundtrip to Sanderson and back for the Big Bend Open Road Race 2.0.

This weekend’s race marks the second time the third Saturday of October will see the closure of Sanderson Highway for the BBORR 2.0 after last year’s inaugural event.

Longtime Big Bend Open Road Race Director Crystal Lopez said the event was derived in 2021 by the success of the spring race and from the desire of the participants and local businesses – most notably hotels.

“Our racers really enjoy it. The racers that aren’t able to make it down in April are excited that we are having one in October. We do have a lot of newbies coming in for this race,” Lopez said. “The hotel owners really like having the race and it helps generate the hotel occupancy tax.”

Eight champions from last year’s BBORR 2.0 race are set to retain their titles this upcoming weekend.

Winners from last October’s event that are scheduled to race on Saturday include: John Timann, of Austin; Doug Masters, of Hutto; Joe Laroux, of Prosper; William Varnum, of St. Louis; Blue Offutt, of Surprise, Arizona; Barbara Ashby, of Snyder; Daniel Michalak, of Kerrville; Mike Smith, of Longview.

The large number of returning champions (eight out of 15) is a good representation of the growth from last year’s entrant number to this year’s. In 2021, approximately 110 drivers signed up and according the entry sheet that Lopez shared with the Pioneer, 138 drivers from 21 states are set to compete in this year’s race. Fort Stockton will have two drivers competing on Saturday. Homar Lopez will race in the 135 miles per hour class in his 2013 Camaro while Lee Miller will drive his 1988 Firebird in the 100 miles per hour class.

Preluding the event will be the Big Bend Open Road Race 2.0 Car Show and Parade. The car show will be held at Rooney Park starting at 4 p.m. followed by the parade from 5:30-6 p.m. The parade route will replicate the route used for past events, as racers will coast from Rooney Park to Main Street before finishing on the west end of Dickinson Boulevard.

On Saturday morning, drivers and their navigators (if they have one) will start their first leg of the race at 8 a.m. and begin their return from Sanderson starting at 1 p.m.