Edmonton Racing History

Edmonton International Speedway

• Edmonton’s first raceway was originally built in the late 40's as a dirt oval and named Breckenridge Oval.
• In 1952 brothers Percy and Russell Booth, along with friend Wilf Nottleman, converted the dirt track into a quarter-mile asphalt oval they re-named Speedway Park.
• Speedway Park began operation in 1953.
• By 1957 the track had seating for 8000. Total attendance for the year reached 50,000 making it the third largest attended sporting event in Edmonton.
• In 1966 an expansion was planned to transform the track into the most complete auto racing complex in North America. To finance the project the directors launched a public offering of 1.5 million shares at $1.15 a share.
• In 1967 the drag strip opened and in 1968 the full road course was opened in time for the first Can-Am race.
• From 1968 until 1982 Edmonton International Speedway Park hosted Can-Am, Player's Formula Atlantic, Formula 1600, Formula 5000, Trans-Am and NHRA drag racing.

Can-Am Racing in Edmonton (1968 – 1973 & 1981)

• From 1968 -1973 the race was known as the Klondike 200. The 1981 race was called the Lethbridge Brewery Can-Am Challenge.
• Primary sponsor from 1968 - 1973 was Molson.
• The race was dominated by two drivers: Denny Hulme won the first four events while Mark Donahue won the 1972 and 1973 races.  The 1981 race was won by Geoff Brabham.
• Other notable drivers that raced in Edmonton where Bruce McLaren, Jackie Stewart, Pete Revson, Jacky Ickx and Danny Sullivan.
• During the 1970 season the City of Edmonton sponsored a Can-Am car.  The car was driven by Greame Lawrence and was called "Sprit of Edmonton".
• Can-Am cars from the early 1970's were known to have as much as 1400 horsepower.
• The last ever Can-Am race was held at Mosport (outside Toronto) in Sept. 1986.  The winner was a young man from West Hill, ON named Paul Tracy.
• Current Champ Car owners Carl Haas and Paul Newman both owned Can-Am teams that raced in Edmonton.

Player’s Atlantic Racing (1973 – 1977)

• EIS brought in the Player's Atlantic series to replace the Can-Am race as the year’s major attraction.
• Canadian Bill Brack won the first race in Edmonton as well as the 1973, 1974 and 1975 Championships.
• Edmontonian David Morris raced in the Atlantic's series but is better known as an engine builder and car owner for Canadian racing legend Gilles Villeneuve.
• The Player's series featured some future Formula 1 drivers as well as other up and coming stars.  Drivers that competed include Bertil Roos, Bobby Rahal, Keke Rosberg, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Price Cobb, Howdy Holmes and Gilles Villeneuve.

Trans-Am Racing  (1971 & 1973)

• The true "Trans-Am" series only raced at Speedway Park twice, 1971 and 1973.  However, sports cars were raced on a very regular basis under the Northern Alberta Sportscar Club banner.
• The 1971 race was contested by most of the factory based teams and the winner was Mark Donahue driver a Roger Penske AMC Javlin.  Donahue went on the win the Championship that season.
• The 1973 Trans-Am race was much smaller and by then most of the factory teams had left the series.  The race was won by John Greenwood in a Corvette.