It began over 50 years ago, with John Evans putting together a team to compete in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Working out of his speed shop,Street and Strip Engineering in Burnaby , John started with a ’51 Meteor, and has never looked back. John constantly improved the cars, getting faster and more technical. In 1978, John was forced to sell his racecar to tend to his business. This was not the last that anyone would see of Evans Racing.

In 1984 The Canadian rock legends Loverboy were looking for a way to get their name in front of the teenage public along the west coast. Evans Racing contacted Bruce Allen, the bands infamous manager, and walked away with a large sponsorship and a new beginning for the team. This opportunity catapulted Evans Racing into the world of professional sponsorships and they quickly rose to the occasion. Knowing it was going to take more than just racing, the team’s ingenuity kicked into high gear. Promotion became the buzzword of every activity.Then, in 1993, one of the biggest names in motor-sports saw the potential of Evans Racing, and signed them to a contract. The partnership which would last over 5 years, was a great success. The cars and team participated in countless races, events and promotions on behalf of their sponsors. Sometimes they just appeared at the track, even if their class wasn’t running.In 1995 the team said goodbye to the old dragster after 21 years of racing. The new dragster made its debut at the Vancouver Motorsports Show in March, to almost 25,000 people. Once again, it took first place for best appearing racecar.

1995 also saw a tremendous performance improvement for the team. Winning over 60% of its races, Evans Racing was becoming a major force in NHRA Division 6. With that success on its side, our sponsor stepped up with even more support to send the team south of the border in an effort to win the Division Six Championship.Preparation + Opportunity + Teamwork = Success. A new statement to guide the team through the 1996 season and beyond. 28 races later, John is named the Coca-Cola / Lordco Super Quick Champion.At the 1997 Vancouver Molson Indy, our Corporate Marketing Parner took advantage of the team’s professional image and put them front and center in the Motorsport Expo. Over 50,000 people came through BC Place Stadium to view the entire setup, including the dragster and the custom transporter.

The team grew in 1998, with the addition of a Chevy II Super Gas car, owned by Rick Chappell. Brother Bill also traded in his tool belt for a seat belt this season, and saw his first victory in a Federal Mogul Drag Racing Series. Unfortunately, at the end of the 1998 season, a corporate amalgamation meant our sponsor would no longer be able to partner with Evans Racing. Personnel changes and the economy closed the book on this chapter of the Evans Racing Team History. However, this was not the end, but just a new beginning.

Bill Evans purchased the Chevy II from teammate Rick Chappell.