ub _ national _ THE SPORTS Car Club of British Columbia (SCCBC). is one of the oldest clubs in\North America dedicated to! the use and enjoyment: of sports and racing cars, ” By Gerry Frechette Contributing Writer The SCCBC .was’ founded in 1951 as a non-profit society with the goals. of organizing competitive motorsport events, fostering sports- manship, and’ encouraging and pro- moting the safe and enjoyable use of the sports car, which, at the time in North America, was an unusual sight ‘on the roads. ' Through -the = mid- 1950s, the SCCBC held the first organized rac- "ing events in Canada on‘unused run- ways at Abbotsford Airstrip, at the “ same time making plans to develop a road course of their own. In 1958 Westwood Park, carved _ from the North Coquitlam wilder- vz, Wess, opened. It was .the first pur- " pose-built race track in Canada and was financed by deventures sold to members and ‘other enthusiasts. Much of the labor’ was performed t by” those same members. For “the next: 32 years, ‘the. SCCBC ran the only club-owned "and operated road-racing facility in Canada, and it became a big part of the: Canadian racing heritage. The scenicand challenging Westwood track attracted some of the best rac- b ing’ series and. drivers to the. West - Coast. The 1970s and 80s were highlighted by the appearance of the ‘national Formula: Atlantic series, ~ then,’ as. now, one ‘of the primary “stepping stones for young drivers on _ their way. up inthe racing world. The © Jate - Gilles”. Villeneuve peared at Westwood before going ap : on to fame in Formula | racing, and cuirent IndyCar stars like Michael Andretti“ and Bobby : Rahal: ‘also raced ‘there. Westwood also hosted “many “appearances: by the major series ~ for: ‘showroom stock” race cars..and local: drivers like Frank Allers and Trevor Seibert ‘went on to race in bigger North American series on the basis of the exposure and experience gained at Westwood, : Alas, it all ended in) October 1990. Westwood closed when: the long-term -lease with the B.C. * Government expired. For three years, local drivers were forced to travel east or south to race, and the situation looked pretty. bleak for amateur road racing in these parts. By the fall of 1992, the SCCBC, with the assistance of the B.C. Custom Car Association (BCCCA), held a Driver Training School at the Mission, Raceway Park drag strip facility in the Fraser Valley. The next year would see the club working on the road course they. had set up at Mission, installing cement barriers and other improvements, and negoti- ating a contract with the BCCCA, the owners of the facility, for a per- © manent track there. By September .1993, the contract was signed. The road course: was completed by spring of the follow- ~ing year. That year saw the first complete schedule of racing and dri- ver training in the Vancouver area ~ since the closure of Westwood. The club has always recognized © the need to keep new drivers coming into the sport, and therefore, driver training has always been considered just ‘as. important.‘as~ organizing races. The Driver Training Program is. organized and operated by the SCCBC’s Race Driver's Committee, - the members of which are a group of the best and most experienced racers in the club. Those who ‘successfully com- _ plete the course are eligible to com- . “pete in three novice races. If they are _ "judged to be competent and safe dri- * vers, they may upgrade to a senior ‘ license, which allows them to corm- pete in club championship races. Of course, racing even at the club ' level costs money, and the: SCCBC has.commenced.a series of shows . » and displays at shopping malls and’ automotive businesses to help dri-.. vers promote themselves and their” “cars to potential ‘sponsors and: the ‘public. Efforts like this: will keep local - road racing healthy for years to™ come. “Saturday, Sept. 2 _+— IndyCar practice — —- IndyCar qualifying ‘—— Indy Lights qualifying — Player's Ltd./Toyota Atlantic Race _ ProFormance Sports Car Invitational Race "Sunday Sept.3 °°. . = Entrance gates and showplace open to the public : s — Indy Lights warm-up . 03 8:45 -- VIP pit walk-through Vancouver, though he has placed second twice — in ‘1997 and in 1993. You'll find it in our quality pre-owned vehicles. ‘You'll find it in our award winning service facility. _ Mercedes North Shore is commited to excellence : Ensure your “Mercedés s stays in peak condition by booki king your. 7 pre-winter inspection now at our world class service fac 4 Fall is also the prime selling season. if you are - contemplating a: change of vehicles and would like a free market evaluation or to. COMMITMENT | TO EXCELLENCE: You'll find it in ‘each and every Mercedes. in everything we do. 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