Mission Raceway Park
Encyclopedia
Mission Raceway Park, also known as MRP, is an auto racing
facility located in Mission
, British Columbia
, Canada
. The facility features a ¼ mile NHRA-sanctioned drag strip
, a 1.4 miles (2 km) 9-turn road course
, and a 2 miles (3 km) motocross
track. It is owned and operated by the B.C. Custom Car Association, and the BCCCA operates the drag strip directly. The road course and motocross tracks are operated independently by the Sports Car Club of British Columbia
(SCCBC) and the Lower Mainland Motocross Club (LMMC) respectively.
from 1952 to 1957. The original Mission Raceway Park opened in 1965, and the facility operated until 1978 (a motocross track was added in 1973). However, MRP was shut down when the District of Mission wanted to establish an industrial park on the site. After years of negotiating and legal wrangling, the new MRP was opened on March 14th, 1992 on land near the Fraser River
. The drag strip was awarded a National Open by the NHRA in 1993.
MRP won the NHRA Division 6 Track Of The Year Award five years in a row, from 1994 to 1998. It then won the same award three years in a row from 2005 to 2007.
The road course was changed for 2008 with lefthand turn 7 becoming a left-right combination (7A-7B) leading into a new lefthand turn 8 (previously a right) and a longer, wider turn 9. This caused higher exit speed onto the straight, and may have contributed to the trackday death of Suzuki TLR-1000 rider Cam Gillispie, 33, on 12 June 2009 when he struck the outside concrete wall after exiting turn 9. The track was reconfigured for 2010, returning to a lefthand turn 7 followed by a righthand turn 8 leading into the original turn 9 feeding onto the straight.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
facility located in Mission
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The facility features a ¼ mile NHRA-sanctioned drag strip
Drag strip
Drag strip may refer to:*Dragstrip, track used for drag racing*Drag Strip , Transformer character who is one of the Stunticons*Videocart-9: Drag Strip, drag racing videogame released in 1976-See also:*Dover Drag Strip...
, a 1.4 miles (2 km) 9-turn road course
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
, and a 2 miles (3 km) motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
track. It is owned and operated by the B.C. Custom Car Association, and the BCCCA operates the drag strip directly. The road course and motocross tracks are operated independently by the Sports Car Club of British Columbia
Sports Car Club of British Columbia
Sports Car Club of British Columbia is a motorsport club based in British Columbia, Canada. The club was founded in 1951 as a non-profit society and is currently active at Mission Raceway Park....
(SCCBC) and the Lower Mainland Motocross Club (LMMC) respectively.
Drag Strip History
The BCCCA originally drag raced on unused runways at Abbotsford AirportAbbotsford International Airport
Abbotsford International Airport is located in the City of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, southwest of the city centre.The airport is classified as an airport of entry by NAV CANADA and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency...
from 1952 to 1957. The original Mission Raceway Park opened in 1965, and the facility operated until 1978 (a motocross track was added in 1973). However, MRP was shut down when the District of Mission wanted to establish an industrial park on the site. After years of negotiating and legal wrangling, the new MRP was opened on March 14th, 1992 on land near the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
. The drag strip was awarded a National Open by the NHRA in 1993.
MRP won the NHRA Division 6 Track Of The Year Award five years in a row, from 1994 to 1998. It then won the same award three years in a row from 2005 to 2007.
Road Course History
The SCCBC originally road raced on unused runways at Abbotsford Airport. In 1958, the SCCBC opened the Westwood Racing Circuit, which operated until the club lost their lease in 1990. The SCCBC worked out an arrangement with the BCCCA, and in 1992 opened the River’s Edge Road Course at Mission Raceway Park. The road course was used for driver training classes during the first two years, and began full road racing operations in 1994.The road course was changed for 2008 with lefthand turn 7 becoming a left-right combination (7A-7B) leading into a new lefthand turn 8 (previously a right) and a longer, wider turn 9. This caused higher exit speed onto the straight, and may have contributed to the trackday death of Suzuki TLR-1000 rider Cam Gillispie, 33, on 12 June 2009 when he struck the outside concrete wall after exiting turn 9. The track was reconfigured for 2010, returning to a lefthand turn 7 followed by a righthand turn 8 leading into the original turn 9 feeding onto the straight.
