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Mission Foods will serve as the title sponsor for the 60th Anniversary Celebration of the Trans Am and Can Am series, an event produced by the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) to honor two of North America’s most influential racing championships. The celebration will take place February 21–22, 2026 at the historic Mission Inn in Riverside, California.
Both series launched in 1966 and quickly became global showcases for innovation, driver talent, and manufacturer rivalry. The Mission Inn was historically tied to the Riverside rounds of both series — serving as race headquarters for the Trans Am’s Mission Bell 250 and a hub during the final rounds of the Can Am championship, which often concluded at Stardust Raceway in Las Vegas.
The centerpiece of the anniversary weekend will be a ticketed Anniversary Gala on Saturday, February 21. Guests will enjoy a welcome cocktail reception and dinner, with invited VIPs from both series — including drivers, team owners, designers, and crew members — sharing stories in on-stage interviews before and after dinner. A limited number of tickets will be made available to the public.
Historic racing icons will also be on display. The Mission Bell Trophy, awarded at Riverside from 1967–1971 and now on permanent display in the Mission Inn lobby, will be joined by the famed Can Am Satellite Trophy, uniting two of American racing’s most revered awards.
On Sunday, February 22, the event opens to the public with Cars at the Mission — a free outdoor showcase featuring authentic Can Am and Trans Am cars representing every season. Many of the cars on display have not been seen in California for years, and the lineup will include the majority of Can Am championship-winning cars, as well as additional period exotics. All entries will be original, in-period competition cars — no replicas allowed.
“This is more than a tribute — it’s a living museum of the greatest era of American road racing,” said HMSA President Cris Vandagriff. “With Mission Foods’ support, we’re giving fans, historians, and the legends themselves a weekend worthy of the Trans Am and Can Am legacy.”
More details on the full schedule, guest list, and ticketing information will be released later this year.
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