T-Rex World Championship Races
The T-Rex World Championship Races are a fun yearly event at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington. Runners wear inflatable Tyrannosaurus rex costumes and race about 100 yards on the straight track.
Races are held in heats and split by age and gender: children 16 and under; adults 17–49 (open and women’s divisions); and a senior group for ages 50 and over. The costumes are powered by battery packs, and winners in each category receive plaques or trophies.
The event began in 2017 as a team-building activity for TriGuard Pest Control and soon grew into a public event. It paused in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, then came back in 2022. In 2025, the race was featured on ESPN8 The Ocho, increasing its reach.
Recent highlights:
- 2024: held on August 17 with about 6,000 spectators and 200 participants. Winners were Cheyn Tam-Switzer (men) and Paislie Thompson (women).
- 2023: held on August 20. Ocean Kim from Kauai, Hawaii won the 100-yard dash, narrowly beating Colton Winegar and Seth Hirschi in a photo finish.
- 2025: on June 29, more than 300 participants took part. The day included preliminary heats and adult/open finals. This year marked the first time the event was shown on ESPN8 The Ocho, and it later aired on ESPN2 on July 31 at 11 p.m. ET.
The T-Rex Races have grown into a quirky local tradition that attracts visitors and media interest, helping to highlight Emerald Downs as a unique destination.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 21:10 (CET).