In the fall of 1981, a non-profit association of racers and fans was formed to promote the growing sport of Drag Racing in Saskatchewan - The Saskatchewan Drag Racing Association (SDRA). In January 1986, the SDRA took over full operation of the Saskatoon International Raceway, an NHRA sanctioned race track that has been in operation for over 45 years. After a name change to "SASKATCHEWAN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY", to reflect the broader scope of our membership (200 to 250 members each year), the SDRA set out to achieve it's goal of operating and promoting a first class race facility, for racers and fans alike.

Determination, and a lot of hard work, proved to be very rewarding for the SDRA membership by the fall of 1993. That is when members, racers and fans gathered their funds together and became the 'proud owners of the only drag racing facility in Saskatchewan.

History

The 1960s – The Beginning
Drag racing arrived in Saskatoon in 1966 when Les Howard built Southwinds Dragway just south of Saskatoon. The first car down the track was a dragster pilot by Saskatoon racer Ken Achs, who campaigned both top fuel dragsters and funny cars in the early years of Southwinds.

At the time, organized drag racing was still growing across Canada and the new quarter-mile strip quickly became a gathering place for local racers looking for a safe place to run their cars.

Early events were simple but exciting and often drew large crowds. Racers from Saskatoon and surrounding communities brought everything from street machines to purpose-built drag cars, and the track quickly developed a reputation for fast racing and enthusiastic crowds.

The 1970s – The Match Race Era
The 1970s brought some of the biggest names in drag racing to the Prairies. Touring match-race teams made regular stops at the track, thrilling fans with wheel-standing launches and nitro-powered machines.

Among the racers who appeared were legends such as Jerry “The King” Ruth, “240 Gordie” Bonin, Rob Bruins in the “Green Elephant,” Jeb Allen and the “Praying Mantis,” Terry Capp in the “Wheeler Dealer,” and Hank Johnson.

These events helped establish Southwinds Dragway as a major motorsports destination in Western Canada.

The 1980s – Private Operators, the Birth of the Saskatchewan Drag Racing Association & New Programs
In the early the 1980s, longtime Super Stock racer Vic Halabura took over as track operator. In 1984, operators Dave and Charlotte Collins introduced the popular Ultimate Weekends, combining drag racing with truck and tractor pulling events beside the strip. These events featured everything from alcohol dragsters to heavy pulling machines and became some of the most memorable race weekends in the track’s history.

In 1986, the racers formed the Saskatchewan Drag Racing Association (the “SDRA”) and took over the operation of the race track themselves.

One of the unique programs introduced during this time was a high school racing program, giving young racers the chance to compete in a controlled environment. The track also hosted feature events showcasing Pro Stock cars, Pro Mods, Jet Dragsters and other professional classes.

The 1990s – Members Purchase the Race Track
The 1990s marked one of the most important chapters in the track’s history. In 1993, the SDRA, which was already operating the race track, purchased the facility from Les Howard, which had recently been renamed “Saskatchewan International Raceway,” and also known as “SIR”.

With racers now owning the track, volunteers and members invested countless hours improving the facility. Track upgrades included resurfacing the original asphalt that covered the ¼ mile.

The 1990s were a time when track’s current identity as a community-driven racing facility supported by racers, families and fans strengthened. This is still a real source of pride today.

The SDRA also introduced a Street Legal racing program which has been a volunteer-run staple in the track’s schedule for decades, giving the community a place to drag race in a safe, legal environment.

The 2000s – Growing the Racing Community
Throughout the 2000s, Saskatchewan International Raceway continued to build on its strong grassroots racing base. Bracket racing programs expanded and the Points Series became the backbone of the racing season. The track also continued hosting special events that attracted racers from across Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.

The Jr. Dragster program, whereby half-scale dragsters powered by gasoline or alcohol-fueled engines and driven by youth aged 8 to 17 was introduced to expand the family-oriented mindset of the SDRA. The Jr. Dragster program has graduated many Jr. Dragster racers into adult racers, later piloting Street Legal, Sportsman, Pro and Super Pro vehicles.

Volunteer support remained one of the facility’s greatest strengths, allowing ongoing improvements to the track and race operations. In 2008 the track’s asphalt start line was replaced with 160’ of concrete.

The track celebrated “40 years of Fury” in 2006 with a large feature race in August, drawing a modern record of over 4,500 attendees.

The 2010s – Reinvesting in the Future
In 2010, SIR was awarded the “Track of the Year” by the NHRA for its Northwest Division.

During the 2010s, the focus continued to be on upgrades to the facility and growing participation and welcoming new racers into the sport.

The Jr. Street program was introduced, whereby a new racing class allowed youth aged 13 to 17 to pilot full-sized vehicles over 1/8th mile, side-by-side with a parent or guardian in the passenger seat. Like the Jr. Dragster class, the Jr. Street program has served as a conduit to bring new families to the track and introduce racers that have gone on to in the traditional bracket racing classes.

Over the 2010s, the aesthetic of SIR changed. The pits were significantly expanded, the concrete at the start line was lengthened, and a new main building, now named the Heiber Building, after former SDRA President Stan Heiber, was constructed to house upgraded washrooms, concession, souvenir sales and storage for track equipment. Fans that hadn’t visited SIR in decades were constantly impressed at the upgrades performed by the SDRA.

In 2016, the track celebrated its 50th anniversary with a major event that drew racers and fans from across Western Canada and produced one of the largest crowds in the track’s history. The weekend featured nostalgia race cars, Pro Mod competition, historic displays and a memorable father-versus-daughter Funny Car matchup between Jay and Courtney Mageau. The anniversary weekend was dubbed the “Southwinds Showdown,”, a moniker that now adorns the annual August feature weekend and is a highlight of the Saskatchewan summer for many.

The 2020s – Continuing the Tradition
In 2020 and 2021, the track opened with restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic with support from the racers and other SDRA members. In 2022, the track resumed traditional operations with a full schedule and SDRA’s strong community during and coming out of the pandemic ensured that SIR was to remain a fixture in Western Canadian motorsports for decades to come.

The SDRA continued reinvesting in SIR with the most notable recent project being a complete resurfacing of the concrete race surface in 2024, which upon its completion gave SIR the reputation as one of the best racing surfaces in North America.

Other continuous improvements to SIR include additional seating capacity, which is now double what it was in the 1990s when the SDRA purchased the track.

The racing schedule continues to include the traditional Points Series events, Street Legal nights and afternoons, as well as new events like Heads Up Havoc, the Home Quarter Drag & Drive, and the Fall Finale, which bring racers from across Western Canada and attract fans from across the province.

The 2026 season marks the 60th anniversary of drag racing at the facility and is being celebrated as “60 years of Speed”. This year’s August Southwinds Showdown may prove to be the biggest and most exciting drag racing event in the history of Saskatchewan, featuring Jet Cars, Pro Mods, Funny Cars and a plethora of other feature race vehicles.

Photos below courtesy of Garry Owen, Thanks. We think the year was 1968.

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