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Edmonton International Speedway

Coordinates: 53°36′25″N 113°33′25″W / 53.607°N 113.557°W / 53.607; -113.557
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Edmonton International Speedway
Can-Am at Edmonton International Speedway 1973.
LocationEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
Coordinates53°36′25″N 113°33′25″W / 53.607°N 113.557°W / 53.607; -113.557
Capacity30,000
Opened1966
Closed1982
Former namesSpeedway Park
Major eventsCan-Am, Formula Atlantic, Formula 1600, Formula 5000, Trans-Am, NHRA
Road course (1966-1982)
Length4.067 km (2.527 miles)
Turns14
Race lap record1:20.403 (United States Mark Donohue, Porsche 917/30 TC, 1973, Group 7)
Short oval
Length0.4 km (14 miles)
Dragstrip
Length0.4 km (14 miles)

Edmonton International Speedway, also known as Speedway Park, was a 251-acre (1.02 km2) multi-track auto racing facility located in the present Cumberland and Hudson neighbourhoods[1] of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The facility featured a 14-mile (400 m) dragstrip, a 2.53-mile (4.07 km) 14-turn road course, and a 14-mile short oval. At its peak, it had capacity for over 30,000 fans.

History

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In the late 1940s, the dirt-surfaced Breckenridge Oval opened on the site. In 1952, the oval was shortened and paved as a 14-mile asphalt oval, and the 8,000-seat facility was renamed Speedway Park.

May 1970 Formula A race at the Edmonton International Speedway

In 1967, the 14-mile drag strip opened and had a full length of 4,350 feet (1,330 m). In 1968, the road course opened in time for the first Can-Am race. Over the years, the facility also hosted Formula Atlantic, Formula 1600, Formula 5000, Trans-Am, as well as NHRA-sanctioned drag racing.

Qualico Developments was the land owner in the latter years. The track closed in 1982, after the area was annexed by the City of Edmonton. Qualico then converted the land to housing. Edmonton would be without any form of professional racing until Capital City Raceway Park opened in 1991.

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David Cronenberg's movie, Fast Company (1979), was primarily filmed at Edmonton International Speedway.

Major Series

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Can-Am

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Formula 5000

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  • The Canadian Road Racing Championship raced F5000 cars twice at EIS:
  • The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) raced F5000 cars three times at EIS:
    • May 24, 1970 (Winner: Ron Grable, Lola)
    • August 1, 1971 (Winner: David Hobbs, McLaren)
    • June 4, 1972 (Winner: David Hobbs, Lola)
  • When the SCCA put full-bodies on F5000 cars and called them Can Am cars, this series raced once at EIS:
Gilles Villeneuve and Keke Rosberg at Edmonton International Speedway Formula Atlantic race, 1977.

Formula Atlantic

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Trans-Am

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Lap records

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The fastest official race lap records at Edmonton International Speedway are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Date
Road Course: 4.067 km (1966–1982)
Group 7 1:20.403[2] Mark Donohue Porsche 917/30 TC 1973 Molson Cup Can-Am
Can-Am 1:22.106[3] Teo Fabi March 817 1981 Letheridge Brewery Can-Am Edmonton
F5000 1:23.900[4] Brett Lunger Lola T300 1972 Player's Continental
Trans-Am (TO) 1:35.869[5] John Greenwood Chevrolet Corvette 1973 Edmonton Trans-Am round
Trans-Am (TU) 1:47.400[6] John Morton Datsun 510 1971 Edmonton Trans-Am round
Group 5 1:49.100[7] Bob Stevens Chevrolet Camaro 1968 Edmonton Main Race
Sports car 1:53.000[8] Mike Atkin Merlyn-Ford 1968 Edmonton Preliminary
Group 3 1:58.700[9][10] Bruce Berry
Jake Rempel
Lotus Elan
Sunbeam Tiger
1968 Edmonton Production race
(identical lap times)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hudson Neighborhood Structure Plan" (PDF). Planning and Policy Services Branch, Planning and Development Department, City of Edmonton. September 2007. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  2. ^ "Can-Am Edmonton 1973". Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Can-Am Edmonton 1981". Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  4. ^ "1972 Edmonton F5000". Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Trans-Am Edmonton 1973". Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Trans-Am Edmonton [Two-Five] 1971". Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Edmonton [Main] 1968". Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Preliminary Edmonton [ASR+BSR+CSR+FL+AP+BP+CP+DP+EP] 1968". RacingSportsCars.com. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Edmonton [Production] 1968". Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Consolation Edmonton 1968". Retrieved 31 May 2022.
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