Basin comes out for 'Amazing' tryouts

Fairgrounds fill, but every team gets their two minutes

MOSES LAKE — Many came early, some waited overnight, all got a chance to audition for something "Amazing."

About 150 people lined up outside the gate to the Grant County Fairgrounds Wednesday for tryouts of CBS' "The Amazing Race." Two-by-two with matching T-shirts, signs and even tiaras; the potential contestants were given two minutes to catch the impressions of network judges casting for the show's 11th season.

Racers came from as far away as Seattle and Georgia to tryout for the show, part of a four-day, four-city casting call in the Inland Northwest by KREM 2 television. Some came to Moses Lake after not being one of the 75 teams selected to try out in Spokane Monday. All reality show fanatics were given the chance to go before the cameras Wednesday, as attendance slid just under the 75-team cap.

"We have watched it forever, and always thought it would be great," said Connie Mianecki, who with husband Rick donned matching "The Incredibles" T-shirts and joked about how they'd be perfect contestants, bickering and yelling but always making up.

"We'll fight, we'll make up and we'll make your race amazing," the two said to one another in line, practicing before their turn in front of the cameras.

They weren't the only ones who came in matching clothes for the occasion. Lori Baker and Vicki Lawson wore matching tiaras belonging to their daughters, who were recently crowned Miss Moses Lake and Miss Outstanding Teen Moses Lake.

"They say we can't do it," Baker said of her and Lawson's daughters. "We say we can."

Determination proved a key factor for many teams. Steve Carlton and Cara Coon of Spokane were so determined to get on the show that they camped out at the fairgrounds Tuesday night, and made an additional audition video they called a mix of "The Blair Witch Project" meets "The Amazing Race."

The casting call does not give anyone a guaranteed shot on the show, but that didn't stop the jokes between teams hoping to beat each other out. Teammates practiced, prior to auditions, ready to tell CBS why they would be the perfect team.

"She's the bungee jumper, she's the thrill seeker of the group, so I'm kind of hoping she's going to help me out," said Laura Happer said about teammate Wendy Hunsaker.

The two Moses Lake registered nurses said before tryouts began that they'd pitch off the cuff in their interview. But Happer said their experience in nursing school gives them the advantage of teamwork for the show.

"We went through nursing school together, and it was almost like boot camp, so we figured if we can do that together we can do anything together," Happer said

Most in the tryout line have been longtime fans of the show, including former Moses Lake resident Polly Garza of Seattle who said she was in love with "The Amazing Race" host Phil Keoghan.

"At every leg I plan to kiss Phil," Garza said. "Win or lose."

Garza came to tryout with her sister, Lilly Garcia of Moses Lake. The two came with matching shirts calling themselves the "Garza Girls." Garcia said the two aren't shy, and said the two will show their determination on the show, and do whatever needs to be done to win each leg of the race, and get on the race. Garza cited the routes of Amazing Race contestants as another of her top reasons for trying out.

"For me it's the travel, it's the free travel, it's getting to see the world," Garza said.

Audition recordings from Wednesday's casting call will be sent to CBS, which will dwindle down contestants for further interviews.