The Vergas Community Club, in conjunction with the NWDRA, (National Wiener Dog Racing Association,) has announced that Dachshund racing will return to Vergas on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 9 a.m., during the annual Looney Days celebration.

This fun family activity is returning to Looney Days again this year, and organizers are honored to be named this year’s host of the “2024 Wiener Dog Nationals.” 

Vergas last hosted this national event in 2021. Last year’s Nationals were held in Los Alamitos, Calif.

The races will be held on the turf at the Vergas baseball field beginning at 9 a.m., with registration and practice beginning an hour earlier. 

It is recommended that people pre-register their wiener dog by mailing the form available on the Facebook page “2024 Wiener Dog Nationals at Looney Days,” or at www.cityofvergas.com.

The races will conclude by 11 a.m., to enable everyone to participate in all of the other fun events at Looney Daze.

Many new track improvements have been made this year. As the local race has grown in popularity, organizers have been asked to improve the seating and viewing areas. In response, organizers have greatly increased the seating area. New this year is a ground seating area around the perimeter of the track. This area will allow kids of all ages to sit on the ground (blankets suggested) without chairs blocking the view. Behind the ground seating area organizers are providing folding chair seating, which means people can leave their lawn chairs at home. In addition to the regular bleacher seating, organizers have added two new sets of huge bleachers, each of them being 45-feet long and 9 rows high.

Standing room only areas are still available, but Vergas can now provide comfortable seating for over 1,000 spectators.

Wiener Dog Nationals volunteers expect up to 75 racers from as far away as Florida, Texas, and Nevada to participate.

No racing experience is necessary, as the racers often decide that socializing is more important than speed. The race will be less than 100-feet long, and each racer will need 2 human “pit crew” members; 1 each at the start and finish lines. 

Complete rules are provided on race day. Spectator admission is free. Racer entry fee is $15, or $25 per race family.

For more information visit our Facebook page “2024 Wiener Dog Nationals at Looney Days,” or contact Digger Anderson at 763-370-9796 or digsisme@gmail.com.