Season Ending – Shootout Summary

by editor on Oct.02, 2025, under ACE MFG Northern Exposure

A take on Mission Raceway’s final feature race of the season…..

The 2025 edition of the West Coast Shootout happened this past weekend — Mission Raceway’s last major drag racing event of the year.

Just like 2024, the race was under threat of rain but other than a brief delay on the Saturday, we had fantastic racing conditions. The race featured headliner class Pro Mod as well as support act Outlaw 275 among many other classes. Also, the Canadian Motorcycle Drag Racing Association was partnered with this race with 8 classes.

Let’s start with the headliner Pro Mod. Last year’s event featured 12 in the Pro Mod class, this year we saw only 8 in competition at this edition. No doubt it’s a tough time to make this event with mechanical issues in some cars, threat of rain, and budget for running such a program. Unfortunately this is a class that is not exactly booming with large car counts in this division area at this time. Will it recover? — hard to say.

We didn’t see any big budget teams here so this race was basically wide open for any of these competitors. For eliminations there was 7 Pro Mods that made the call, in the semi final, it was to feature a Lower Mainland show down with Jake Skocylas (C7)) vs Nick Duda (Corvette), however Nick could not make it to the line from a previous mechanical issue in the ¼ finals, so Jake had a solo run down the track. With the other side of the bracket we had Rick Barnhart 71’ Mach I and Steve Goddard in his copper Pontiac. Barnhart almost loses into the left wall (107.76mph 4.8367) and Steve Goddard took the win at the 1/8 mile (175.64mph 4.0446).

BC Lower Mainland-based Jake Skocylas drove his supercharged Corvette C7 to an upset Pro Mod win at Mission Raceway.

That means a showdown between Skocylas and Goddard in the final. The final did not disappoint with a close race with Jake Skocylas (185.11mph 4.0547) driving to glory to take the West Coast Shootout “Wally” over Steve Goddard (178.57mph 4.0937).

I hate to say it — but I think the next class 275 Outlaw has overtaken Pro Mod for excitement, close racing and emotional endings. And not only at this West Coast Shootout, I will mention the entire year of racing a Mission Raceway.

The class continues to get faster and faster by the year, and including this year we saw Mission Raceway record in the Test & Tune with Chris Gould achieving at ET of 4.1588 and speed of 176.33 mph in his Camaro at 1/8 mile finish line.

Top qualifier was Chilliwack BC native Justin Gallant, as he was hitting consistent runs within 4.19 to 4.24 in Friday qualifying. With 14 cars battling in the eliminations bracket, the semi final was basically a group of death on each side with Justin Gallant vs Tyler Stamler and Chris Gould vs Jordan Brandon. Justin Gallant (173mph 4.2446 made it by Stamler (170.52mph 4.2849) and other side Jordan Brandon (175.78mph 4.2209) beating Chris Gould by inches (175.92mph 4.2349).

X275 class hitter & Chilliwack BC native, Justin Gallant qualified #1 but then endured a rather rare final round defeat.

That setup for a thrilling final, but did we see that? Well…queue in the word “Anti-climax” here. Fate would have the big BC vs Alberta showdown going flat. Justin Gallant’s 85’ Mustang uncharacteristically jumps the line prior to the green light, thus Jordan Brandon and his 2000 Camaro will take the Trophy and cash prize back to Alberta.

Alberta’s Jordan Brandon took the top prize for X275 class racing with his 2000 Camaro.

Limited Street class also continues to get faster with cars broaching the 5 second zone. The final we saw had a over minute “burndown” at the line on the final with Brad Thomas in the Ford Mustang against Matt Robert in his GMC truck , and probably would’ve went longer had Race Director Wally Duperon not stepped in and “encouraged” the race. At the end, Brad Thomas just nipped him for a Wally trophy at the 1/8 finish (142.95 5.0007) against Matt Robert (142.45 4.9936).

For Doorslammers — we saw 13 vehicles in the eliminations ¼ mile racing bracket. At the end, we saw Marysville Washington racer Mike Bedsworth (188.36 mph 7.0830) got the better of Scott Robinson (177.03mph 7.6741). Mike takes a Wally on that one.

The Western Canadian Top Fuel Nitro (Top Fuel Harley) series concluded at the West Coast Shootout with round #4. In that final, Austin Christopher had overpowered for a Wally (212.36mph 6.5736) Jim Schellenberg (110.78mph 10.5068). Austin Christopher dominated the 2025 series and winning the Championship for the 2nd consecutive season.

Non Electronic class had no stranger to winning this year with Langley BC native Craig Johnson (113.52mph 10.6706) over Randy Kuryk (121.82mph 10.8445. Electronic Class had another often said winner with Terrace BC’s Jeremy Soares in his dragster (154.59mph 7.5835) past Jeevan Brar (121.75 10.7305). Add a Wally to Jeremy’s mantle for that win!

Terrace BC’s Jeremy Soares enjoyed a success filled racing weekend.

Not to be outdone by his son however, Paul Soares in his Chevy took a Wally (144.46mph 4.7752 over his spawn Jeremy in his dragster (144.65mph 4.7480). There are not team orders on that one — Jeremy told me “they not related during competition”! (LOL)

Paul Soares had nice event score with his cool scaled-down ’55 Chevy.

New Class this year with No Time Index, and that is always a mystery to watch as you see no times or speed but a winner. In the final it was Rob Munro from Surrey BC (60.24 mph 7.5619) over Abbotsford BC’s Joel Smith.

No Box Shootout class it was a couple front end wheel flyers. Craig Johnson (112.61mph 10.5902) getting more hardware with a win over Dave Jung (122.82mph 10.6145).

Craig Johnson collected a No Box Shootout victory with his popular high-flyer Malibu Wagon.

Box Class had Jeremy Soares seeking more win treasure against Langley’s Andy Hatton. However, the Andy ‘Grinch’ Hatton (146.20mph 8.5027) would take Soares’s toys this round (59.77mph 12.3809).

CMDRA Winners:

Logan Boyes won the CMDRA Super Bike event title.

HOT TWIN – Cody Minor (111.22mph 11.5927) over Nick Gregga
STREET – Neil Church Hill (129.12mph 9.8184) beats Mark Hall
SUPER GAS – Neil Church (140.06mph 9.442) wins over Kris Spence
SUPER BIKE – Logan Boyes (129.09 9.9664) over Jay Emms
V PRO – Garrett Price (140.41mph 8.9662) beating Kris Spence
PRO EXTREME – Gary Christopher (203.53mph 6.4838) sped by Matt Mackay Smith
PRO FUEL – Winner was Quinn Olson (165.02mph 7.7149) over Craig Pelrine
HARLY GRUDGE – Cody Minor won (116.94mph 11.4722) over Tiffany Mayne