A world record was broken at Mission Raceway on Saturday (June 14) at the NHRA Northwest National Open.
Shawn Cowie made history in his blown alcohol dragster, clocking a record-breaking 5.115-second pass during qualifying.
According to a news release from Mission Raceway, Cowie’s run not only shattered the existing world record for blown alcohol dragsters, but also
came with a blistering top speed of 281.25 MPH.
“The achievement marks a milestone for both Cowie and Mission Raceway, reinforcing the track's reputation as one of the premier drag racing venues in North America,” the new release reads.
The qualifying run took place under optimal track conditions and in front of the Mission Raceway crowd. Per the release, Cowie has been a dominant force on the track but the record represents a significant milestone in his racing career.
“I knew it was a pretty quick run when I pulled the 'chutes, but I didn’t think it was a 5.11; it’s so hard to tell,” said Cowie. “We tested there a couple of weeks ago, and we mustered up 11 runs from a 5.19 to that 5.11, so we've just been kind of rubbing on the car. The conditions were really good, so we saw the opportunity to go for it — and it ended up working out for us.” Cowie said in a news release.
Cowie began a title defence this year with a win at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. He credited both his team and the Mission Raceway staff for creating the perfect environment for the record-setting run.
“It was a combination of us rubbing on the car and the conditions being really good,” he said. “Mission Raceway has a fantastic race surface, so everything all
came together and the dots all lined up. I give all the credit to the guys at Mission. They’ve ground the track, and it’s a real flat race surface.”
The Raceway hosted the NHRA Northwest National Open from June 13–15, 2025, attracting competitors from across the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada.
More events are around the corner at Mission Raceway with Doorwarz 13 set for June 26 to 29, and Smoke, Fire & Thunder from August 21 to 24.
