For generations now, Bisbee has celebrated Independence Day with a coaster race that winds its way through the heart of the old mining town.
Beginning at the underpass of Arizona 80, coasters driven by children 9-16 blaze their way down Tombstone Canyon Road.
Descending downhill upon Old Bisbee, the cars, which are not powered and look like miniature Formula One racers, reach a blurring speed of about 50 mph before finishing at the U.S. Post Office on Main Street.
The race is a time-honored tradition among residents. But for Bisbee resident Tim Beumler, it is also a high-speed entry point to the town's history and culture.
About four years ago Beumler, who's worked in film and television production for years, began making a documentary about the race, chronicling its changes and honoring its drivers.
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Saturday, he premiered "The Great Bisbee Coaster Race, 1914-2003" at the Bisbee Repertory Theatre. Shows will continue today and Monday.
"I was very nervous showing it," Beumler said in a telephone interview after the premiere.
His trepidation is understandable. He noted that almost every Bisbee native has either ridden in the coaster race or had a family member ride in it. Beyond that, several of the racers he featured were in the audience. Talk about pressure, but by his own account the debut went well.
"They laughed in the right places. They cried in the right places," he said of the audience. "They just really liked it because it's part of their history."
Beumler, 60, is from Southern Arizona and never rode in the race, but he found it captivating.
"It's the oldest, longest and fastest gravity-powered-vehicle race in the country," he said.
The first coaster race was held on Thanksgiving Day 1914, Beumler said.Later, it moved to the Fourth of July.
At times the race has featured adult drivers. But because of weight and safety concerns it's been limited to children in recent years. In 1980, Beumler said, two people were killed when a brake failed on a car driven by an adult. The accident stopped the race until 1992, when it was brought back with strict safety and age rules.
This year, about 22 racers are slated to descend Tombstone Canyon Road.
Undoubtedly, Beumler and all of Bisbee will be there to cheer them on.
● What: "The Great Bisbee Coaster Race, 1914-2003"
● Where: Bisbee Repertory Theatre, 94 Main St., 1-520-432-3786
● When: 2 p.m. today and Monday.
● How much: $2 and the popcorn is free.
● The Bisbee Coaster Race is on the Fourth of July and begins at 9 a.m.
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