Left Coast Marquee Multiple! « DragRaceCanada.com

Left Coast Marquee Multiple!

by editor on Jun.15, 2026, under ACE MFG Northern Exposure

Top level NHRA Sportsman racers coagulate for a “first” at Mission Raceway….

In what could very well be billed as the most aggressive attempted weekend for NHRA class car racing ever seen in Canada – it was Mission Raceway who parlayed.

During a frenzied four-day period (June 11th through 14th), that famed facility, located right along the shorelines of the Fraser River, was centre stage for a double shot of NHRA Lucas Oil level Sportsman racing.

Teams from both the Pacific Northwest and also from across Western Canada traveled in for the Inaugural RAD Torque Systems-presented Canadian SPORTSnationals, which was then followed immediately by the 2nd NHRA Lucas Oil Regional race of the year.

For the Inaugual RAD Canadian SPORTSnationals, the mix was truly international with top rated teams from both the USA and Canada challenging one another in all categories.

Canadian drivers emerged victorious in three eliminator categories, including Rick McKinney (Richmond BC) taking Super Stock eliminator with his GT/NA Camaro, Josh Mellof (Maple Ridge BC) winning in Super Gas and Medicine Hat Alberta’s Riley Toth taking the Sportsman Motorcycle title.

Rick McKinney – a winner at both NHRA national and regional race levels – tamed the SPORTSnationals Super Stock field.

2nd generation driver Josh Mellof won in S/G for the Canadian SPORTSnationals event portion.

Visiting USA racers cashed in big time too, including wins by class veterans Jeff Lane (Comp eliminator) and Jody Lang (Stock eliminator). Top Sportsman and Top Dragster titles went to two Washington-state based drivers with Shawn Herbst defeating a 24-car field for TS and Jessica Juel duelling over a 25-cars entered in TD.

Long time expert racer Jeff Lane was a winner for the Canadian SPORTSnationals Comp eliminator event – in his E/SMA Chevrolet

Top Sportsman class winner – Shawn Herbst

Friday’s talent rich SPORTSnationals winners circle!

NHRA’s SPORTSNationals index race categories saw wins go to Justin Juel (Super Comp 8.90) and for Cary Huber (Super Street 10.90).

Home Field Advantage Played Perfect!

Racing then picked up the pace even more come Saturday and Sunday at Mission, as Top Alcohol class racing was added to the event’s “fight card” during the annual Lucas Oil Regional race.

As many and most expected, it was once again that very fast “black beauty” dragster – the Mundie’s Towing & Recovery TAD — which did stand out with many time and defending Mission event champion (and 2X defending NHRA Lucas Oil World Champion) Shawn Cowie prevailing.

The very hot track and atmospheric conditions present last weekend did prevent Cowie’s team from any more record smashing (fans will recall at this event last year – he ran an astounding world record quick 5.115 secs). With that being said, Shawn’s talented team most certainly utilised their vast experience and data gathered for getting down the Mission Raceway track surface. They were both consistently and the fastest for the 5 cars entered – to again pay dividends.

Defending and 2X NHRA World Champion Shawn Cowie once again protected his home track turf.

Shawn qualified #1 (5.213 secs) before opening round one of eliminations with both low ET and top speed at 5.174 secs 279.33 mph on a single. In round two he ran a 5.223 secs to defeat Mike Austin and then in the “all Canada” concluding round, he took the measure of Red Deer Alberta’s Mike Quayle by a 5.232 secs 277.61 mph to 5.336 secs 271.74 mph count.

Mike Quayle (from Red Deer AB) had a strong R/UP effort with his injected nitro car.

The victory was Cowie’s 46th within his amazingly spanned NHRA Lucas Oil level racing career.

“It felt great to win at our home track — to win at home with everyone there — it’s a totally different feeling!,” Shawn said. “On Saturday we hurt a motor so there was a lot of work to do and we landed on a good note. Sunday obviously went better and we were consistent — no carnage!”

Prior to the Lucas Oil Regional weekend racing Shawn and his team did some testing – with first runs ever for their BRAND* new TAD. (*DragRaceCanada will post more details on that – coming soon!)

“We tested the new car on the Wednesday and made a solid run to end the day — but we decided to take it home and bring out ‘ol faithful to run the race,” Shawn added with a wink.

Over on the TAFC class side of things – only two cars did show for that class competition — however both were highly formidable machines raced by Shane Westerfield and Brian Hough. Westerfield qualified #1 (5.458 secs) and then topped Hough in an exciting close final round 5.466 secs to 5.472 secs.

Oregon’s Brian Hough was one of two TAFC class cars entered at Mission. Hough reset the track record — clocking a 5.452 secs – during pre-event testing.

In Competition eliminator, Cody Lane (son to SPORTSnationals event winner Jeff Lane & the 2024 NHRA World Champion), kept his family name undefeated for the weekend by winning driving his F/EA.

Super Stock racing went to Nicholas Shepherd (from Oregon) in his GT/EA Chevy Cavalier and in Stock it was Brian Thompson (for WA) winning the title.

Washington state dominated all of the “Super” target racing classes on Sunday with winners being Mark Loftis (Super Comp), Cooper Chun (Super Gas) and Tony Hopkins (Super Street).

The Sportsman Motorcycle class saw Cody Cumpton (also from WA) deny Friday’s winner — Canadian Riley Toth a return to victory lane when he took the final round win light.

Top Sportsman did see a popular victory for Mission Raceway regular Paul Soares who raced his ’55 Chevy past Alberta’s Aaron Steinkey in that all Canada championship round. It was the first ever LODRS event win for Soares – from Terrace BC.

Paul Soares (Terrace BC) raced his ’55 Chevy to a first TS win.

NW divisional Top Dragster regular Benji Martin (Selah WA) won for the third time in his career at the NHRA divisional level topping 25 other entries for that category.

TS and TD class category racing did see it’s two #1 qualifiers – both from Canada, with Kirk Lanz (6.106 secs) and Aaron Steinkey (6.074 secs) each pacing those fields with class low ET shots.