TOM JOHNSTON ... our Canadian friend

Tom Johnston was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1941 and grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan. He began racing in 1962, at the age of 20. Over the years, he participated in well over 300 race events at tracks across North America, as a driver, car designer and manufacturer and team owner. He has designed, built and then raced ten different cars, as well as racing 15 others. In 1969 he left the prairies and moved to the North Shore of Vancouver. In addition to his many and varied racing experiences, Johnston built a career in engineering and founded Thomas E. Johnston Engineering Inc. He was also employed by Keen Engineering, one of Canada’s largest mechanical engineering consulting firms, from 1972 tto 1999, starting as a student draftsman and finishing as President and CEO. He was awarded the Government of Canada’s Award for Business Excellence in 1990. In 1998, Johnston was honoured by being inducted into the Canadian Motor Sport Hall of Fame.

Tekst taken from "Granville Island Publishing"

Quoted: Norris McDonald, The Toronto Star Dec. 11, 2004
But Tom Johnston was good at something else: he was also one of Canada's best, all-round motorsports personalities. Over a 35-year-period, he drove, designed, built, did the mechanical work and entered race cars in more than 300 events across North America. When he wasn't in the cockpit himself, he prepared and entered cars for drivers of the stature of Ross Bentley and Frank Allers. In fact, Allers won the 1990 Canadian Formula Atlantic championship in one of Johnston's cars.

Tom Johnston wrote a first book Sports Car Road Racing in Western Canada , which will soon be followed by a second one Road Racing Circuits of Canada.

We are very honoured that Mr Johnston was so willing to offer us a helping hand in tracking down the Canadian tracks !

687. Abbotsford Airport (Abbotsford, BC - Canada)

First race was held in 1950 when the airport was still under military command by what was later to be known as the Sports Car Club of British Columbia or SCCBC.
The last race known as Swan Song was held in 1958 when the airport was turned over to civilian authorities.
Lenght: 2 miles

688. Westwood Motorsports Park (Westwood Racing Circuit) (Coquitlam, BC - Canada)

Built and owned by the SCCBC this track was the first purpose built racetrack in Canada and functioned for 32 seasons.
It was especially known for the Formula Atlantic races.
Due to the expansion of Vancouver the track had to give way for a Golf course and housing development.

Picture 2 : apparently there is still a trace left from one of the turns ... just a print between the trees...

689. River's Edge Racing or Mission Raceway Park (Mission, BC - Canada)

1990 saw the end of Westwood and SCCBC struck a deal with British Columbia Custom Car Association to develop a track next to their already existing Drag Strip (red on picture).
A flat 1.38 mile track was constructed and has been in good use since 1994.
An increase in lenght has been planned in the future.
The yellow indicates a MX circuit.
The whole complex carries the name “Mission Raceway Park”.
The road course also is referred to as “River’s Edge Racing”

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Montreal, QC - Canada) => staat reeds op nr 617

Permanent home of the Canadian Grand Prix F1 but also the only track in the world where F1 and Champ Car raced.
Originally called Circuit de Ile Notre Dame but renamed after the death of Gilles Villeneuve at Zolder in 1982.

It seems there were plans already in 1963 to build a track for the Canadian GP on the sister island Ile St. Helene.

690. Exhibition Place or Grand Prix Toronto (Toronto, ON - Canada)

A 1.75 mile street circuit at the site of the Canadian National Exhibition since 1986.
There are traces that as early as 1900 races with tricycles were held here.
There also are traces of an oval in the 1950's and 1960's.

691. Grand Prix of Edmonton (Edmonton, AB - Canada)

A 1.96 mile track at Edmonton's City Centre Airport (formerly military Blatchford Field) where since 2005 Champ Car visits.
Castrol CASCAR Super Series already passed by in the 1990's.

I also found traces for the track being called Jagflo Speedway and Rexall Speedway after their respective sponsors..

692. Edmonton International Speedway (Edmonton, AB - Canada)

Built on the site of an old oval known as Breckenridge Speedway the track was 2.5 mile long and surrounded a 1/4 mile paved oval.
There also was a Drag Strip.
This track was in use from 1968 until 1982 when it was demolished for development.
The track was visited by Trans-Am, Continental Formula A, Pro Atlantic and so on ...

The perspectif of the drawing probably spoils the exact location but it is based on the remains I found of the old oval. These remains can be seen in the pictures. They were confirmed by Canadian journalist Lawrence Herzog who happens to live in the neighbourhood.

693. Stratotech Park (Fort Saskatchewan, AB - Canada)

This track is mainly used by Karts, Sport Bikes and Formula cars.
They use the Arcobaleno Formula, which is a Formula type car powered by a 148 hp Yamaha YZF 1000 cc bike engine.
Longest configuration is 1.765 m.

694. Cassidy Speedway (Cassidy, BC - Canada)

Complex consisting of a 300 foot Sand Drag (1996), a paved Kart sprint track (1994) and a 1/4 mile Dirt Oval (1972).
The facility was closed in september 1999 but might reopen.

695. Grandview Bowl (Nanaimo, BC - Canada)

Grandview Bowl is located in Beban Park in Nanaimo, British Columbia. It ran super modifieds, stock cars and the occasional sports car race. Grandview Bowl was open from 1958 until 1985. The track was visited by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip in 1959 during the Royal visit to Nanaimo. As can be seen from the photos below, the remains of Grandview Bowl have almost been destroyed by a new soccer field build sometime between early 2006 and early 2008.
(Source: Canadian Racer - Ghost Tracks)

696. Stampede Speedway (Calgary, AB - Canada)

Built in 1981 by Jody McLeod and named after the original Stampede Speedway which became Circle 8 Speedway in 1971 (closed about 1980).
Closed in 1985.
Some remains like fences and tire walls can still be found on the inside.
(Foto courtesy: Canadian Racer - Mark Thompson)

697. False Creek Speedway (Vancouver, BC - Canada)

A 1/4 mile oval that opened in 1957 as Dirt Oval.
Paved in 1959 and closed in 1962.
The oval still exists and is in fairly good shape.
(Foto courtesy: Canadian Racer - Eugene Gervais)

698. Langley Speedway (Langley, BC - Canada)

With its 3/8 mile this track is legendary in Canada and opened in 1965.
In 1969 the Vancouver-Fraser Park District started to buy land to create a park and the Speedway lying on this land came under pressure.
The lease periods became shorter and the track got more and more restrictions.
In 1980 operations were taken over and the name became Action Raceway.
In 1984 the lease was not renewed...
The track was used by a wide variety of cars ... Early Late Models, "A" Modifeds, "B" Modifieds and "C" Modifieds, Limited Super Stocks, Claimers, Open Competition and Modified Sportsman, Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks and Bombers.
And for Touring Cars ... NASCAR Winston West Series, NASCAR Late Model Sportsman series, Canadian American Modified Racing Association (CAMRA) events and the International Drivers' Challenge (IDC).

The track still exists and is in great shape as can be seen on the picture.
(Foto courtesy: Canadian Racer - Bud Bussiere)

699. Mustang Speedway (Pike River, QC - Canada)

A special one to mark the MileStone ...

A Dirt Oval dating from 1964 with a length of about 1/3 mile.

If you cannot see him ... have a closer look !

Wat een werk dat je hier insteekt Patje!:eek:
indrukwekkend!!!

Thanks mate !

Je steekt er wat tijd in, maar het is wel plezant.
Vooral als je in "het grote niets" mag gaan zoeken naar wat er ooit geweest is ...