They brave distance and ornery customs guards to take part in the action at Mission this weekend.

About 450 racers from the western U.S. and B.C. began pulling in to Mission Raceway Park Wednesday, driving coaches and campers, and hauling trailers full of high-tech cars and machinery for the Lordco B.C. Nationals, the second points race of six in the National Hot Rod Association's Northwest Division.

"Everything about Mission is great," said Mike Ferderer of Buckley, Washington, a six-time divisional champ and 1985 world champ in the Super Gas category. "The people are nice, the setting is pretty, there are good restaurants in Mission and Abbotsford, the track surface and (sea-level) air are good for racing. This is the most popular track in the division. People go out of their way to come here."

If only the weather co-operates. Races last year dragged on until after midnight Sunday (after the high-end heats were over) because of rain delays. Wednesday, racers waited impatiently for the track to dry for testing. "I just got the first pass of the day in," Ferderer said around 4 p.m.

There are eight categories in this weekend's Federal-Mogul points series: Dragster, Funny Car, Competition, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street.

Melanie Troxel, Northwest champ and runner-up overall in 1999, headlines the dragster drivers. Record-setting Pat Austin leads the funny car category, while Gary Rouse in super stock and Don Little in stock are other defending divsional champs in the field.

Gates open at 7 a.m. and qualifying starts at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Final eliminations go at 9 a.m. Sunday.