ROUGH RIDERS CONVERGE FOR RALLY DRIVERSBRAVE RUGGED ROADS FOR GOOD TIMES.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Nearly 50 auto racers from across the United States showed up for the 17th annual Rim of the World Pro Rally this weekend in the Angeles National Forest.

Running on nearly 200 miles of dirt fire roads in the mountains between Palmdale and Santa Clarita, the race is the third round of the Sports Car Club of America's Championship as well as being part of the California Rally Series, officials said.

``Overall, this is just great fun,'' said event organizer Paula Gibeault. ``These are serious cars and they're a blast to watch. It's a race of endurance.''

The race, which began at 7 p.m. Friday, is completed in 12 stages over two days with today's racing beginning at 1 p.m. from the Holiday Inn on Palmdale Boulevard at Fifth Street West.

Cars from five different classifications will be competing - ranging from fast and highly modified four-wheel-drive sports sedans to nearly stock compact cars to four-wheel-drive trucks. All of the cars must be ``street legal,'' which means licensed by the state or country they are from.

The winner of the race will be the driver with the fastest combined total time for both days.

``To win you need to be on the edge of control at all times,'' said Ralph Kosmides, who drives a twin-turbocharged Toyota Supra on one of the nation's top-ranked teams. ``You have to know what you and your car can do and then push it just a bit more.''

Driving on courses that most of those racing have never been on before, at speeds that range from 40 to 130 miles per hour, the drivers spend as much as 11 hours behind the wheel at one time.

Today's events will include the chance for adults and children age 12 and up to ride in the navigator's seat of one of the race cars for a donation, which goes to South Antelope Valley Emergency Services food bank and Healthy Homes, a program for families through the Antelope Valley.

The charity rally sprint will begin at 9:45 a.m. at the Holiday Inn with a $20 donation for each ride in the race car. The cars make a circuit around a dirt course created in an open field near the hotel.

Rally vehicles will be on display as their crews work on them, starting at 9:30 a.m. today outside the hotel.

The racers will halt for dinner this afternoon at the Lake Hughes Community Club on Elizabeth Lake Road. From 4 to 9:30 p.m., visitors can buy a hamburger dinner for $5. The cars will leave at 8:15 p.m. for the last legs of the racing.

The first racers are expected to finish around 10:15 tonight at the Holiday Inn.

Sunday, there will be an awards breakfast at the Holiday Inn from 8 to 10 a.m., followed by a town hall meeting.

Most of the course is closed to the public, but a spectator area has been set up near Green Valley, off Spunky Canyon Road north of Bouquet Canyon Road. Visitors must have an Angeles National Forest Adventure Pass, which costs $5 per car and will be sold in the parking area.

The first car is expected to pass through around 3:45 p.m. today.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) Clouds of dust billow up in the racer's wake, above, during Friday's leg of the Rim of the World Pro Rally through back roads of the Angeles National Forest. At left, Ralph Kosmides guides his Toyota Supra through the rugged terrain. The endurance contest will continue today.

(3 -- ran in AV edition only) Pete Lahm drives the Lancer Evo IV along a dusty mountain trail in the Angeles National Forest, aiming for the best time on Friday's leg of the two-day Rim of the World Pro Rally.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer