Mission Raceway Park, Mission

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 dragstrip, a 2km 9-turn road course, and a 3km 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.Drag Strip HistoryThe BCCCA originally drag raced on unused runways at Abbotsford Airport 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 14, 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.Road Course HistoryThe 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.