October 18, 2005

They started the concrete work today and were expected to be complete late tonight. Photos here.

October 15, 2005

Work has come to a rather damp halt on the new track surfacing. All the prep and rebar is complete, now all we need are some dry days to begin the pouring of the concrete.

October 3, 2005

Track improvements commence today! Check out the track webcams this morning and you'll see work has started on an extension of the concrete pads from the end of the present pads out to half track. BCCCA member Bob Behnke is coordinating the effort utilizing some of the same people who did such an awesome job on the original track surface work. If the weather holds, this could all be done in just a few short weeks. Photo feature here

This past weekend's drag racing program was rained out, the King of the Track will be rescheduled to early next season.

Please stay tuned to this website's off-season posting that will include many new items of interest including some past race photo coverage as well as a major update on the MRP history section. The drag racing season may be over, but there will be plenty to see here over the next few months.

September 25, 2005

FINAL Track Points now posted, weekend race results NOW POSTED

CONGRATULATIONS to the 2005 Track Champions:

• Super Pro - Ron MacKenzie
• Pro - Ted Miller
• Sportsman - Chris Brandt
• Bike - Dan Tempel
• Hot Rod - Don Wilson
• Junior Dragster - Sean Ferguson

September 19, 2005

CMDRA results now posted here.

September 18, 2005

History making 2005 CMDRA season comes to a close at MRP

Houniet wins tenth straight Top Fuel championship

Gartman puts rear-motored Top Fueler back in winner's circle

all this and more on cmdra.com forum speedzonemagazine.com and on horsepowerheaven.com after Monday night's awards banquet.

September 17, 2005

CMDRA records in jeopardy, Houniet a whisper away, Gartman makes history....again!

Defending nine-time CMDRA Top Fuel champion Ron Houniet needs but to break the beams tomorrow in round one to claim his tenth title. The Maple Ridge rider is the number one qualifier and has a leg on a new ET record with a track record 6.54 today. Mike Scott (the guy we saw go boom at Ashcroft last month) is number two at 6.81. In other TF action, Langley rider Chris Gartman broke into the six second zone with a spectacular 6.83, the first sub-seven second pass ever by a rear-engine drag bike.

Pro Mod is looking wild with Len Darnell in the top spot with a 7.32 a leg on that club mark. Gord Smith, the PM points leader changed motors late tonight and in Street Bike Shoot-out Barkley leads with an 8.67 while Tom Tournad is also under nine seconds.

Tomorrow promises to be perhaps the greatest day of motorcycle drag racing this country has ever seen. Gates open at 8:00 a.m. with a Test n Tune at 9:30, and first round of Top Fuel is at 11:30.

September 15, 2005

Canadian Motorcycle Drag Racing Association closes season this weekend at MRP

The seven race CMDRA season comes to a dramtic close this weekend at Mission Raceway Park and thanks to racer/stat man Ken Froese we have full details on all the points battles making for a very exciting event. Here is Ken's report followed by the weekend schedule and admission prices:

Who to watch in Mission
by Ken Froese
Photos courtesy Northern Exposures

We all anticipate 7th and final race of the 2005 Canadian Motorcycle Drag Racing Association at Mission Raceway. Sept 17-18.

The rain threatened a few times, but never stop us from completing all six scheduled races to date. The points standings going into the final race are closer than we have seen them for a number of years. Five of the nine classes have racers in the top three separated by less than one round of racing. The trophy supplier will have to wait until Sunday night before they can start the engraving for the Monday night year end banquet.

Screamin' Eagle / Image Racing Top Fuel Series Ron Houniet has a 101 point, five round lead over Brian Hall. Although mathematically possible, it’s not likely Hall will be able to catch Houniet. The race here will be for second. Hall, Ken Kent and Rob Smith are all within 18 points, or one round of each other. With Hall and Kent only one point apart, it could be decided by who qualifies better.

Ainsworth Lumber / Core Pipelines Pro Modified Series Last years number one and two finishers are current in that same position. Gord Smith is still holding on to his #1 plate, but Len Darnell has gained 65 points on Smith at the last two races and is now only 15 points behind. It’s possible we won’t know who will be the season Champion till the final round. Although too far back to challenge Smith and Darnell, Tony Clizbe and Clint Rabb are only separated by 19 points. Clizbe will want to qualify two spots higher than Rabb. A 21 point lead gong into elimination on Sunday would mean Rabb will need to go rounds farther than Clizbe.

Screamin' Eagle Pro Dragster Series Rod Anderson and John Breckenridge have both had an excellent year. Anderson started with back to back wins at the beginning of the year. And Breckenridge was won the three races he attended. Missing the two Edmonton races has left Breckenridge 132 points behind Anderson, to far to catch up with only one race. Dave Stickle will not be able to catch either, and will have to work hard to keep his 3rd place standing with John Black just 16 points back in 4th.

Godoy's Insurance Only Modified Series We know who the top three riders will be in Modified, we just don’t know what the order is going to be. John Fyvie is just 1 point ahead of Jeff Knowles, who is just 16 points ahead of Kim Beauchemin. Beauchemin is the only rider of the three that has run in the 8s this year, but Fyvie and Knowles and both season racers that are able to make up on a slight horsepower disadvantage with excellent reaction times and consistent passes. Everyone’s heart is with Kim, but it’s hard to beat experience.

Street Bike Shootout Series Also know as the Ethan Barkley show, guest staring Tom Tourand. Barkley’s eight second street legal GSXR 1000 has dominated that class all year. With a 208 point lead, Barkley had his 2nd season championship wrapped up. Tourand has shown steady improvement all year and make Barkley blink for the 1st time when Tourand qualified #1 at the last race. I expect to see side by side eight second street legal passes in Mission. Leigh Gallant 26 point lead should be safe for 3rd on the year, he’s been quicker than 4th place Ken Froese at every race but one this year.

Core Pipelines / Ainsworth Lumber Supergas Series Everyone likes to see a tie for first going into the last race, except maybe for the guys tied. Kerry Lockhart has been in 1st place all year until Jeff Knowles caught him in Ashcroft. The four week wait to the final race has be hard on their nerves. Don’t rule out Terry Brown either. Last years champion is in 3rd only 36 points back.

McNeney & McNeney Superbike Series Len Darnell will keep his #1 plate. He was won four of the six races completed this year and enjoys a 204 point lead. Three other racers will be hoping they don’t pair up with Darnell as they battle for 2nd and 3rd place. Don Fergin is in 2nd but has only a 2 point lead over Burke Forster. Greg Westling in 4th is will be watching closely looking for a chance to make up the 39 points he needs.

Honda Canada Street Series Making the switch from Superbike to Street class was worked out for Ken Froese. Two wins and a runner up has kept him is 1st place all year. But Tom Tourand has the momentum gaining 66 points over Froese in the last two races. Tourand has moved into 2nd past last years champion Dave Galbiati who has a solid lock on 3rd. Tourand will need to go three rounds farther than Froese to earn the #1 spot.

Screamin' Eagle Stock XL (883) Series Patti Brandle has 23 point lead over Katie Breckenridge has they head to the last race. Needing two rounds in what is typically a two round class will make it next to impossible for Breckenridge to catch Brandle. Brandle need only to show up at Mission to secure her second championship. We hope to Jeramie Stables and Christine Sweder in Mission for the final race, both joined the XL class in Edmonton. But will not be eligible for year end points standings with the new four race minimum rule this year.

SCHEDULE
There will be a Test N Tune at Mission Raceway Park Friday September 16th during the day only. If you are interested this must be pre-arranged with the track it’s self. Gates will be open Friday, if you need to know what time they are open until please call the track (604) 826-6315. Rain Date Monday September 19th. This race weekend Biker T.V. will be onsite filming the “Biker T.V. Challenge” and doing interviews.

ADMISSION

• $21.00 incl. GST for 1 day (Sat. or Sun.) or $32.00 incl. GST for two days
• Children 12 and under are free.
• Racer's gate will be open from 8:00am until 10:00pm on Fri. and open at 8:00am Sat/ Sun.
  

Run Order

SATURDAY QUALIFYING

• 8:00am Gates open
  
• 8:00am Registration table opens Tech opens for roll thru tech
  
• 9:00am Race School Sign Up
  
• 9:30am Race School & Test & Tune Start
  
• 11:30am Racers meeting - bikes and cars & lunch
  
• 12:30pm 1st Round Qualifying, Exhibition cars, licensing passes, TF, PM, PF, PS, PD, M, Biker T.V. Challenge,PG, SBS, SG, SB, XL, S
  
• 2:00pm 2nd Round Qualifying, Exhibition cars, licensing passes, TF, PM, PF, PS, PD, M, Biker T.V. Challenge, PG, SBS, SG, SB, XL, S
  
• 3:30pm 3rd Round Qualifying, Exhibition cars, licensing passes, TF, PM, PF, PS, PD, M, Biker T.V. Challenge, PG, SBS, SG, SB, XL, S
  
• 4:30pm King of the Hill Dial in must be to the CMDRA booth no later than 3:45pm

SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS

• 8:00am Gates open
  
• 9:00am Chapel - everyone welcome
  
• 9:30am Test n' Tune for ET bikes & non-qualified bikes
  
• 10:30am All Dial-ins for ET bikes to the trailer
  
• 10:45am Racers meeting - bikes & cars
  
• 11:15am Opening Ceremonies
  
• 11:30am 1st Round Eliminations TF, PM, PF, PS, PD, M, Biker T.V. Challenge, PG, SBS, SG
  SB, XL, S, licensing passes
  
• 1:00pm Lunch
  
• 1:30pm 2nd Round Eliminations Exhibition cars, TF, PM, PF, PS, PD, M, Biker T.V. Challenge, PG,
  SBS, SG, SB, XL, S, licensing passes
  
• 3:00pm 3rd Round Eliminations Exhibition cars, TF, Image Racing Fuel shootout, PM, PowerTwins Gas Shootout, PF, PS, PD, M, Biker T.V. Challenge, PG, SBS SG, SB, XL, S licensing passes
  
• 4:30pm 4th Round Eliminations Exhibition cars, S, XL, SB, SG, SBS, PG, M, Biker T.V. Challenge, PD, PS, PF, PowerTwins Gas Shootout, PM, Image Racing Shootout, TF
  

Awards will be 1 hour after the final run
*Schedule subject to change due to weather

Monday September 19th CMDRA Year End Awards call to reserve tickets (604) 580-9008 or 1-877-580-9008

September 13, 2005

Team on a Mission puts in SPECTACULAR performances at NHRA Summit Racing Series Northwest Division Finals!

Mission Raceway Park team members had a great weekend at Pacific Raceway in Seattle, the team coming in second a mere two points behind Woodburn Dragstrip, who won a fourth straight title. Some tremendous individual performances came from a number of MRP racers with three making it to Race of Champions final rounds, and one moving on the the world championships later this fall in Pomona California at the NHRA World Finals.

Phil Marvetz

Bellingham resident Phil Marvetz took the Race of Champions title in Sportsman driving his lime green Duster to the big win. In the motorcycle class Stewart Kienas went to both finals winning the team portion of the event and just falling short in the ROC race. In Super Pro Mission's Vicki Strell went a number of rounds in the team race then the finals of the ROC where she too came very close to claiming victory.

Stewart Kienas

In the overall track vs track portion of the race, Mission entered Monday's rain/curfew delayed event ten points behind Woodburn, then closed to within two points, but were unable to make up any more ground. There were many other great showings by our racers, but while our coverage here is done, there will be more on a number of other sites soon.

Strell in Super Pro ROC final

It was a great race for the entire team, thanks to everyone one of them along with the many supporting family and friends who all had a hand in our team's success. For more check Speedzone Magazine, NHRA.com teammission.com and coming later, Horsepowerheaven.com.

September 7, 2005

The 2005 Team on a Mission has been finalized and GOOD LUCK IN SEATTLE THIS WEEKEND to every single one of them! Thanks to team captains Kelly Ridley, Lorna Kienas, Monisha Brandt and Shellie Rachel for all their hard work and awesome dedication to this huge job, and special thanks to Kelly Ridley for sending us a fully formatted list so it was easy for us to post. We'll see you all at Pacific Raceways this weekend, and look here next week for full results and photos.

August 28, 2005

Weekend action at MRP came to a halt mid-afternoon Sunday after a lengthy rain-delay became a rain-out after one round of Junior Dragster and a couple of pairings for the NHDRA competitors. As a result the Junior points have been updated as well as the Super Pro points corrected.

For West Coast Pro Mod qualifying and final points please check their site at http://www.westcoastpromods.com and for the Canada West Doorslammers their site can be loaded here: http://www.canadawestdoorslammers.com

If possible we will try to sort out who exactly will be representing Team Mission and post here. Because of some racers running for other tracks, it may not be possible for a while, but we will make the attempt as best we can.

Congratulations to all who made the 2005 team, and special congrats to those who have made the Race of Champions.

Thanks to everyone who came out this weekend, especially everyone who took part in the Team on a Mission silent auction which went over very well. For more info please check the TeamMission.com site, for as usual, the racers have a much better handle on all this than your webmaster.

July/August 2005 postings from this page

May/June 2005 posting from this page

March April 2005 postings from this page