HMSA sets date for 60th Anniversary Celebration of Can-Am and Trans-Am

Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) has announced the 60th Anniversary Celebration of the Can-Am and Trans-Am racing series, taking place February 21 and 22, 2026, at the historic Mission Inn in Riverside, California. Presented by Mission Foods. This once-in-a-generation gathering will honor two of the most influential racing series in American motorsport history.

Launched in 1966, both CanAm and Trans-Am series became global symbols of speed, engineering innovation, and competition, where the world’s best drivers and manufacturers pushed the limits of performance. For years these series helped define the golden era of American road racing, creating legends that continue to inspire new generations of fans and racers alike.

The Mission Inn Resort and Spa holds special significance for the celebration. Once serving as race headquarters for the Can-Am series as well as the title sponsor at the Riverside International Raceway, Trans-Am Mission Bell 250.The venue stands just miles from the former Riverside International Raceway, one of the most iconic circuits in North American motorsport history.

Weekend Highlights

Saturday, February 21, 2026 – 60th Anniversary Gala

The centerpiece of the weekend is the Anniversary Gala, a formal evening uniting the legends who built Can-Am and Trans-Am Guests will enjoy a formal dinner and conversations with renowned drivers, team owners, and engineers who helped shape the sport’s legacy. A limited number of tickets are available to the public and can be purchased at www.hmsausa.com.

Sunday, February 22, 2026 – Cars at the Mission

On Sunday, the celebration continues with “Cars at the Mission”, to be held on the Mission Inn Avenue street in front of the iconic hotel. This outdoor exhibition will feature authentic, in-period Can-Am and Trans-Am race cars, including championship winners and rarely seen prototypes, many returning to Southern California for the first time in decades. The “Cars at the Mission event” will be free to the public.

The “Cars at the Mission” event is offering spectators a rare, up close experience with the machines that defined racing’s most daring era.

The Mission Bell Trophy, awarded during Trans Am events at Riverside from 1967 through 1971, will be displayed alongside the Can-Am Satellite Trophy, symbolizing the enduring connection between these two storied series.

“This celebration is more than a tribute. It is a living museum of one of the greatest eras in American road racing,” said Cris Vandagriff, President of the Historic Motor Sports Association. “We are inviting fans, historians, and racing legends to relive the excitement of CanAm and TransAm in the very place where so much history was made.”