Photos by Jill McCoy Burr The Corry Lawrence Airport will host another “Air Port Drag” event Sunday, Aug. 15. Money raised will benefit the airport.

In order to keep the planes flying down the runway at Corry Lawrence Airport other vehicles are doing the same.

A local effort to help fund the airport — located just south of the City of Corry about 30 miles from downtown Warren — aloft has resulted in drag racing.

“The airport is close to broke,” Ron Smith, the voice of the Air Port Drags, said. “Private aviation has taken a nose-dive. They don’t really have an income source.”

Dollars from PennDOT and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) don’t cut it.

Locals thought about what they might be able to do with about a quarter-mile of straight pavement. Drivers in pairs or by themselves take to the runway-turned-track to test out their machines.

It’s not a Top Fuel event. It’s only open to street-legal machines. And the track is a runway every other day of the year, so drivers can’t do anything that might result in damage to the surface.

Smith said there were about 60 drivers in the last event, held early this month.

Those included new cars, classic cars, muscle cars, hemi-powered cars — everything from a Pontiac GTO to an old Dodge Dart.

There are “no prizes, no trophies,” Smith said. “Mainly, they’re out there trying to beat the clock.”

“We have good timing equipment and really great volunteers,” he said.

Most entrants were getting to about 90 miles per hour. The top speeds were in the range of 111 to 113 miles per hour.

The fastest cars? Teslas, Smith said.

The cost to drive is $25. To watch is $10.

Proceeds benefit the airport.

In addition to the 60 or so participants, there were hundreds of spectators at the June event.

“It’s good entertainment,” Smith said. “Bring a lawn chair and a canopy.”

It’s good family fun and it’s thousands of dollars that the airport didn’t have before.

The next Air Port Drag will open at 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 15. “The green flag falls promptly at noon,” Smith said.

There is no pre-registration. Those who want to drive show up with their vehicle – from souped up to hooptie – and $25.