Nl'akapxm Eagle Motorplex facts for kids
| Location | Ashcroft, British Columbia |
|---|---|
| Operator | Ashcroft Indian Band |
| Opened | 1987 |
| Closed | 2016 |
| IHRA Dragstrip | |
| Length | 0.4 km (¼ mi) |
| Turns | 3 |
The Nl'akapxm Eagle Motorplex was a special place where very fast cars raced. It was a quarter-mile long track called a dragstrip. This motorplex was located near the towns of Ashcroft and Cache Creek in British Columbia, Canada.
It was a popular spot for drag racing, which is a type of car race where two cars compete to see who can go the fastest over a short, straight distance. The track was approved by the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA), a group that sets rules for drag racing.
A Look Back
The idea for the motorplex started in 1980. Les Edmonds, who was the leader of the Ashcroft Indian Band, helped to create it. They used an old airstrip from the Ashcroft/Cache Creek Aero Club to build the track.
Racing officially began at the motorplex in 1987. Over the years, different organizations approved the track for racing. This included the NHRA, then the AHRA, and finally the IHRA. These groups make sure races are fair and safe.
The name of the track, Nl'akapxm, is pronounced IN-clap-cappum. This name comes from the local language of the Nlaka'pamux people, also known as the Thompson nation. Their traditional lands stretch from Cache Creek down towards Seattle.
Awards and Recognition
The Nl'akapxm Eagle Motorplex was a very successful track. It won a special award called the NHRA Division 6 Track Of The Year Award three times. It earned this honor in 1990, 1991, and again in 2003. This award showed that it was one of the best drag racing tracks in its region.
Why the Track Closed
After more than 28 years of racing, the Nl'akapxm Eagle Motorplex closed its doors. This happened on April 27, 2016. The people who ran the track said there were a few reasons for this decision.
One reason was that fewer cars were coming to race. Also, the track had many technical problems that needed expensive repairs. It was also hard to find people who had the right skills to fix the facility. Because of these challenges, they decided to stop operations.
Track Details
The Nl'akapxm Eagle Motorplex had specific features for drag racing:
- It was located high up, at about 1,700 feet above sea level, in a dry area.
- Cars would start in a special "roll-down" area before the race.
- The first 330 feet of the track, where cars launched, was made of concrete.
- The track was 60 feet wide, giving cars plenty of space.
- The shutdown area, where cars slowed down after the race, went uphill.
- There were paved roads for cars to return to the starting area.
- The track used a special "Compulink" timing system with an auto-start feature.
- Spectators could listen to race announcements on their radios at 99.3 FM and 530 AM.
