History Canadian Drag Racing History

Westwood Sports Car Circuit, was on leased land, it was not privately owned.
The sports car club now races on a track constructed on Mission Raceway property. There is also a Motocross track and the latest trend, Drifting on a portion of the pit area and the sports car track.
Mission Raceway is privately owned by the British Columbia Custom Car Association.

 

HemiDeuce, There was also a sand drag course at the current Mission track years ago. You know Roger Manson ran there and Paul Lasanski. Not sure on the spelling???

 

I was sure you knew the backstory on Westwood, I was fortunate to get to race there one time in the early 80's with my shifterkart, a very cool track and beautiful countryside.

 

The Sand Drag racing was during the time that we were building the drag strip and it helped raise money for the construction.

Yes I know Roger and Marlene Manson quite well, they are great people and are trying to get to 200 MPH at Bonneville with the car that they raced at Mission.

 

Here is an update on Roger. Be careful out there.
https://driving.ca/column/collector...acer-learns-a-hard-lesson-about-garage-safety

Also, The Canuck was Dale Armstrong's Nova out of Alberta.
A great guy. Fuelers would not go as fast as there are without his ingenuity.

 

No. Canadian II was an entirely different car with a Valiant body. I don't recall the guy's name, but somebody here will know... Jim Grant?


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I have a quick question. Was the topless body type racecars a Canadian thing? I've seen a lot of them on this thread and remember them from car magazines in the 60's. Thanks.

 

We Canadians LOVE to go topless.... Sorry couldn't resist!

 

Mission Raceway


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Jim Grant built this body and it was fibreglass.

 

Where’s all the western Canada boys with your pics? Some guy named Norwell keeps posting great pics swingin this thread east! Here’s a west coast Willys from Mission Raceway. It’s winter, it’s Covid lockdown, let’s see some more pics!



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Good morning,

The late 240 Gordie.

 

Saskatoon


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I have a customer here who's name escapes me but he and Gordie were good pals, he was part of the pit crew for many years and he told me some pretty fantastic stories. If he comes in again and I think of it I will try to mention the forums to him and see if we can get him in here.

 

A very well run facility, great place for racers and spectators alike!

 

Stu Clutton out of London Ontario..... one of the early dragster pioneers that started to use other types of power...here in around 1958/59 Stu was running a airplane motor in his "Speed Sport Special" at Kohler Dragway flying the colors of his car club... London Auto Modifiers. Stu just passed away this year.... God Speed old friend.

 

Don McArthur .... one of the early dragster greats out of Ontario .... running the his car club "The Satans" dragster they built in a old barn in Chippawa outside of Niagara Falls. Don went on to be a hired gun (driver) for some of the American race teams through out the 1960's...... another great one that left us to soon.

 

Now that is a hell (get it) of a car club name. Love it.

 

That is a Ranger aircraft engine turned upside down (the jugs hung down below the crankcase in an aircraft.) I think about 440 cu in.

 

Good eyes "The Frenchtown Flyer"....your spot on....here's another picture of the "Speed Sport Special ..... named after Stu's speed Shop in east London.

 

George Gray local grasser match race great is still going strong at 80...... just lives down the road from me and has recreated his 33 Willys a few years back. Great guy who still gets out to make passes down at the old St. Thomas track.

 

Here are some of my father's old race cars that he built and raced when he was 15 - 20 years old... they were the first in Western Canada to run a blown 392 in the Messerschmidt...

 

man that Messerschmidt is super cool! What a great pic!