ABOUT
(Hometown: Kohler, Ontario)
The Mehlenbacher family’s drag racing journey began in 1948 when L. Bruce Mehlenbacher purchased land in Kohler, Ontario, initially for farming. Instead, the land was turned into a drag racing track and by 1955 it was officially fully operational. The facility received NASCAR and NHRA sanctioning, solidifying its prominence in Canadian drag racing.
In the late ’60s and early ’70s, the track was leased and became one of Canada’s premier drag racing venues and, in 1971, the first NHRA Division 1 Winston World Championship Series Event was held there. Shortly after, the Mehlenbacher family assumed full control.
Dragway Park continued to grow, hosting NHRA class racing annually, attracting legendary names in the sport and winning numerous awards, including the NHRA Management Excellence Award in 1983 and Bruce A. Mehlenbacher was named NHRA Northeast Division Man of the Year in 1973. Although the Mehlenbacher family era of Dragway Park concluded in 1984, the track lives on as Toronto Motorsports Park.