35 years ago today
- Thread starter MikeysZ06
- Start date
Black 03 Z06
Power User
Moderator
RIP
1
You're 10
Completionist Award
You're a Regular
King of the Post
You're Celebrated
You're Liked
Hot Chilli
Ontario
C5
Rest In Peace Gilles.
A sad day indeed.
A sad day indeed.
12cents
Power User
Wow! Has it really been that long? It sure doesn't seem like it.
Y
YFCvii
This day of remembrance 
... I remember it well along with the economy and being a sophomore in college at that time.I just finished building a 4x8ft scale model of Race City in Calgary for Imperial Tobacco and the Players 500 promotions ... meeting Geoff Bodine at the time too
( and ... who would have known that Canada would still be Governed under "Trudeau" 35 years later )
Last edited by a moderator:
I just finished building a 4x8ft scale model of Race City in Calgary for Imperial Tobacco and the Players 500 promotions ... meeting Geoff Bodine at the time too
( and ... who would have known that Canada would still be Governed under "Trudeau" 35 years later )
Gilles Villeneuve's accident and the Trudeaus.... Three very sad occurrences we wish had never happened...
- Thread starter
- #6
Race City Speedway !! Now,that's going back a ways !! Lol. I worked there for a week,lol. The idea was good. The place turned out to be a dump,literally and figuratively. It was built next to a landfill as well. It's really too bad someone wouldn't step up and build a " Mosport " type facility here. West of the city with the mountains as a back drop !! Perfect setting for a big time race during the 10 days of Stampede...... go back to my lottery objectives,if I ever win. I'd have the land !!
I just finished building a 4x8ft scale model of Race City in Calgary for Imperial Tobacco and the Players 500 promotions ... meeting Geoff Bodine at the time too
( and ... who would have known that Canada would still be Governed under "Trudeau" 35 years later )
Last edited:
Y
YFCvii
I got to know some of the thick and thin of Race City as I completed a major promotional display model starting in about 1982 through to the Spring of 1985 for the Imperial Tobacco Players 500. I think the first Players 500 (Canada 500) was in 1986 with the likes of Dick Trickle, Butch Miller, Mike Eddy, Chad Little & Ted Musgrave. Then There was big plans for the land which included a much needed year-round motor-home park. A big problem, if I remember it correctly, was that they struggled to make it easily accessible for people to get there and the City and County never followed through with promises for better vehicular access. The City was all for approving Race City in the beginning because it meant they could cease operations of the Drag Strip that was once where the Flying-J now sits along Barlow Trail & Deerfoot Trail. Boy do I ever remember the jet cars and the jet truck events there. Race City worked well until the continuing struggle of getting nothing done for the fans to get there .. and so many stopped going. Sad but now its the site for the City of Calgary's Gold Mine for the soon-to-be Compost Collection & Production Facility ... Gosh! Race City would now be right tight with the Ring Road if it still existed today ... exactly what it needed. (OK I see that I am getting old) ...
Sad day today and definitely a lot of reflection from 1982
Last edited by a moderator:
Black 03 Z06
Power User
Moderator
RIP
1
You're 10
Completionist Award
You're a Regular
King of the Post
You're Celebrated
You're Liked
Hot Chilli
Ontario
C5
Sadly we have lost many race tracks in Canada. I have never understood the crowd that would build a house backing on to a drag strip then complain of the noise.
Thanks for the history of Race City, interesting story that is all too familiar to those who enjoy motorsport of all kinds.
Thanks for the history of Race City, interesting story that is all too familiar to those who enjoy motorsport of all kinds.
Hopefully Badlands Motorsports can get things going and finish development.
Badlands Motorsports Resort
Badlands Motorsports Resort
Y
YFCvii
Agreed ... with road course configurations that people can track their Corvettes on.
I notice advocating that has begun for this facility along with design/location does mention the importance of public access/proximity.
- Thread starter
- #11
SNIII, Wasn't that " Calgary international raceway " ? I remember those jet cars as well!! Les Shockley and his Shockwave car !! And,the Alberta Jam concerts for a couple of summers. They used to use a segment of Rush's 2112 in their radio ads. Yup !! Going back.
Y
YFCvii
ABSOLUTELY
I was a young racing enthusiast and here is a photo that I took and it's in the theme of 35 years ago.
Calgary International Raceway - June 1982
I think it was called Shepard Raceway too
attended sooo many Fox Hunts
(Alberta Jam Concerts too and I remember going - but sure can't remember much during
LOL)
Just look how close the crowd is to this - how did we ever live to see another day !
ENJOY !!!
here's a 1985 ad for CIR Fox Hunt
I was a young racing enthusiast and here is a photo that I took and it's in the theme of 35 years ago.
Calgary International Raceway - June 1982
I think it was called Shepard Raceway too
attended sooo many Fox Hunts
(Alberta Jam Concerts too and I remember going - but sure can't remember much during
LOL)Just look how close the crowd is to this - how did we ever live to see another day !
ENJOY !!!here's a 1985 ad for CIR Fox Hunt
Y
YFCvii
So not really in the theme of 35 years ago ... but my work as a young Entrepreneur started in 1982
and was fueled as a Racing Enthusiast of Gilles Villeneuve & Dale Earnhardt (part reason for my being SN-III)
I designed and constructed a Promotional Model for Imperial Tobacco Players 500
the model started showings in 1985
(there were plans for Canadian Driver Autograph Sessions too - Villeneuve included)
(many likely recall Jacques Villeneuve had Players Sponsorship)
1st Photo is in South Centre Mall Center Court with IROC Pace Cars
2nd Photo is in Stampede Grounds Roundup Center (this one is Corvette themed)
3rd Photo is a close-up of the scale model I built 48"x96" display
- I had unlimited Race City access and it was a lot of fun -
I tracked my 1984 Z28 on the Road Course and scared the crap out of myself - I was so green
(I just wish I had kept my VHS live recordings of Villeneuve's Races - I've got over 70 of Dale's transferred to DVD)
- hope not to bore too many this as it does root my early Dreams of Corvette Ownership -
and was fueled as a Racing Enthusiast of Gilles Villeneuve & Dale Earnhardt (part reason for my being SN-III)
I designed and constructed a Promotional Model for Imperial Tobacco Players 500
the model started showings in 1985
(there were plans for Canadian Driver Autograph Sessions too - Villeneuve included)
(many likely recall Jacques Villeneuve had Players Sponsorship)
1st Photo is in South Centre Mall Center Court with IROC Pace Cars
2nd Photo is in Stampede Grounds Roundup Center (this one is Corvette themed)
3rd Photo is a close-up of the scale model I built 48"x96" display
- I had unlimited Race City access and it was a lot of fun -
I tracked my 1984 Z28 on the Road Course and scared the crap out of myself - I was so green
(I just wish I had kept my VHS live recordings of Villeneuve's Races - I've got over 70 of Dale's transferred to DVD)
- hope not to bore too many this as it does root my early Dreams of Corvette Ownership -
Last edited by a moderator:
- Thread starter
- #14
I think I saw that display back then !! That mall pic looks so familiar.
- Thread starter
- #15
Presented by KIK fm 107 !! Lol. Ohhhh,I'm getting old !!