Jeep races used to be a near weekly event during the summer back in the 1970s. Below are examples of Pacific Northwest 4Wheel Drive Association (PNW4WDA) races held between 1967 and 1970 near my local Eastern Washington community.

It’s hard to believe gived the growth in the Tri Cities (an area consisting of three cities–Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, all separate by rivers) in southeast Washington that races were held near Columbia Point. Now, that area is either wetlands, parks, or homes. Here are several articles with names I’m familiar with. These races were held in conjunction with the annual Water Follies celebration, an event still being held, though without jeep races, though the unlimited hydros still run.

From the June 4, 1967, issue of the Tri Cities herald:

An article later in the year contained some great images (July 16, 1967 Tri City Herald):

The results of the race were reported in the July 24, 1967 issue of the Tri City herald:

The July 20, 1969, issue included this pic from the racing:

Two days later, the July 22, 1969, issue of the Tri City Herald published the results:

The results of the racing were shared in the July 21, 1968, issue of the Tri City Herald:

From the July 19, 1970, issue of the Tri City Herald:

And, finally, the towns of Granger and Sunnyside, Washington, are 20 minutes west of us. The May 09, 1968, issue of the Daily Sunnyside newspaper shared photos from the town’s Cherry Festival, including pics of a jeep race: