The Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia (VRCBC) has announced that the 30th running of its annual marquee race weekend, the British Columbia Historic Motor Races (BCHMR), will be held on Aug. 19 and 20 at the Mission Raceway Park Road Course.
The race, Western Canada’s biggest vintage motorsport event, will include Agassiz resident Kiwi Bishop in his No. 63 1989 Camaro.
The BCHMR was first held in 1981 at the famous Westwood track in Coquitlam. After several years, it was moved to its current home at the multi-purpose racing complex at Mission. The BCHMR is the largest vintage race event in Western Canada and a significant one in the Pacific Northwest, with typically 100 vintage and historic racing cars and several thousand spectators in attendance.
For 2017, the BCHMR will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Formula Ford with the return of the Formula Festival featuring the very quick open wheel racing cars. The 2017 plans also include the favourite combined race for vintage sedans and sports cars of the types that many remember from their younger days.
Also returning for 2017 will be the very popular “Ride in a Real Racing Car.” For a nominal contribution to the Mission Hospice Society, fans can go for a ride on the track with a racing driver in one of the day’s cars during a dedicated period of the lunch break of each of the two race days.
The BCHMR is always popular with classic car enthusiasts. A 120-car display will be featured in a special spectator area, known as “The Field of Dreams,” creating a unique show of its own. Also adding to the overall festive atmosphere are the many sponsors’ booths offering everything from automobilia and artwork, to automotive product displays. The food concessions, informative track side commentary and excellent grandstand viewing, all make this an entertaining weekend for families as well as long time motorsports enthusiasts.