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Yes...Race City in Calgary is a racing enthusiast’s dream come true.
Visitors can watch drivers racing around a track, or they can put themselves behind the wheels to test their own driving skills.
Built in 1987 and located at 11550 68th Street SE in Race City,it a sanctioned NASCAR weekly series track on the oval and an IHRA drag strip and is western Canada’s only racecourse.
It’s a mere twenty minutes from downtown Calgary and thirty minutes from the Calgary International Airport, but once you get to there, it’s easy to leave thoughts of traffic congestion behind you as you enjoy the sight of fast cars racing freely down wide-open spaces.
The modern facility features a half-mile, high-banked oval course for stock car racing, a quarter-mile NHRA drag racing strip, and a two-mile paved course for sports car and motorcycle racing.
Events take place almost every day of the seven-month-long operating season, although schedules are subject to the whims of Mother Nature.
In the oval racecourse, the banking varies from a gentle 4 degrees on the front straight to a steeper 11-15 degrees around the curves, making races tricky for the drivers but exciting for the fans.
Late Model races highlight familiar-looking cars with souped-up engines and revved-up horsepower, all racing around the track in fender-scraping proximity.
Big Rigs races take place only twice a year and usually feature a dozen or so large and heavy turbo-charged diesels trying to negotiate the curves at the same time.
In Legends Car racing, rules of the game impose strict restrictions on the modifications that drivers can perform on their sedans and coupes, leveling the playing field somewhat and making driver skill the greatest determinant of outcome.
IMCA Modifieds represent the other end of the spectrum, where racers have considerable leeway in making mechanical modifications to passenger car chassis and stock-based engines.
With a similar focus on attracting the less experienced drivers, IMCA Stock Car racing is tailored to the amateur racer who competes as a hobby, and Mini Stocks racing emphasizes safety and economy by pitting smaller, lighter cars against each other.
Race City’s drag racing venue is a quarter-mile strip where two vehicles engage in a straight-line acceleration contest from a standing start.
Top Alcohol Funny Cars and Dragsters, Blown Alcohol Funny Cars, and Jet Cars hit speeds over 300 miles per hour and give spectators impressive burnouts to witness.
Drag racing includes professional racing and Quick Rod, Super Rod, and Hot Rod sportsman racing classes.
The two-mile paved course at Race City is much harder to maneuver than the oval track, and it has been the site of the Parts Canada Superbike Championships, the Canadian GT Championships, the Vintage on the Prairies races, and many other events.
On this track you can see a multitude of sports cars competing, including grand touring cars, improved touring cars, challenge cars, and open-wheel cars.
For a closer perspective, you can put your own pedal to the metal during Friday Night Secret Streets, testing your drag racing skills on the strip with other racing hopefuls.
If you’re not ready for that, you can race in one of the “Grassroots” (beginner) classes in the oval track.
Or simply volunteer and get a view that’s up close and personal, second only to the one from the driver’s seat.
Special weekend rates, group discounts, and gift certificates are available, and Race City hosts special events throughout the season.
Visit the Race City website for more information and learn how you can get your motor running on fun at Race City.
If you have specific questions, use the form and send them to me and I will try to find you the answers you need or connect you with the proper source of information.
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