I attended the Subaru event, Growl Fest 2019 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. It was a lot of fun and I took my built 2002 WRX Wagon and entered it in the car show.
Growl Fest 2019 is a Subaru event that features drag racing, doublecross racing, and a car show. Spectators can feast on food from local food trucks and play with dogs from the local animal shelter.
The Car Show
The turnout for the car show was pretty solid. There were models both new and old and several really nice custom builds.
I was hoping to take home a trophy for the class of older generation Subarus with my WRX wagon, but two really clean and lowered bugeyes stole the show. I need to clean up my engine bay a little more and I don’t think my 1-inch lift impressed the judges. I like it lifted for extra ground clearance on gravel and dirt roads. It also gives more of a real rally vibe, but it’s not really popular in the show scene.
I enjoyed cleaning up the car and showing off the build. And while I didn’t take home a physical sign of recognition, several spectators and fellow car show competitors complimented the build.
You can read more about the different modifications and specs on my built 2002 WRX Wagon under the category ” Will’s Built WRX“.
The Growl Fest Subaru had some awesome graphics and was running a similar and bigger Blouch Performance Turbo as my own build. By looking under the hood I estimate the build is pushing just over 500 horsepower.
Double Cross Racing
Double cross racing is a form of autocross where two drivers compete on the same course but have different starting and endpoints. Autocross or “auto x” is a timed competition in which drivers navigate (usually one at a time) through a defined course on pavement.
The double cross racing was really fun to watch. The top two contenders were a heavily modified BRZ with a huge wing and a mean sounding 2011 STI hatchback. The hatchback took 1st place, likely due to the all-wheel-drive that the BRZ was lacking.
There was a minor accident on the double-cross track. A crispy hawkeye sedan got squirrely and hit the concrete barrier on the side of the track. The guys running the car took off the front bumper, checked the car over and sent it back on the course. It was pretty cool to see it go out for another lap.
Drag Racing
Subaru’s are not really known for being drag cars, but it can be fun to see how fast they go in a straight line.
Personally, I liked hearing all the variations of engine builds haul ass down the straightaway. You can tell what kind of headers they are running. (Unequal length headers produce the classic “boxer rumble” while equal length headers sound more like a crazy beehive.) It’s also fun to listen for the turbo and external wastegate sounds.
I would have liked to participate in the racing events, but it was super hot out and I don’t have a trailer for my WRX just yet. I want to be able to push the car to its absolute limits and not worry if it will make it home. Less worry equals more fun.
Growl Fest 2019 Video
I took some footage of the car show and racing events and made a short video for my Youtube channel.
The Growl Fest Subaru event was one of the only Subaru only events in Colorado this year. Typically there is a larger Subaru event at the Denver Bronco’s Stadium called Rocky Mountain Subaru Festival. For whatever reason, the event did not happen this year. We hope they host it in 2020 and you can stay tuned on Motor Speed News for updates on both Rocky Mountain Subaru Festival and Growl Fest for 2020.
More Info:
Growl Fest: growlfest.com
Rocky Mountain Subaru Festival: rockymountainsubarufestival.com
For more photos from Growl Fest 2019, check out our Instagram!
Founder and Executive Editor for Motor Speed News.
Current Garage:
2002 Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon (302 whp)
2005 Toyota Tundra Limited
1986 Yamaha Virago XV1100