Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers Society Spring ...

Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers Society

Newsletter

Spring 2008

Induction of Pioneers Ceremony October 14, 2007

IN THIS ISSUE Report on Induction Ceremony 2 2007 Pioneer Inductees 2 2008 Board and Officers 2 Event photo page 3 Midget Race Cars before WWII 4 BC Hot Rod Association 50th Wins Lovelace Award 5 Call for Nominations 5 Pioneers Lost 6 2007 Yearbook 7 About the GVMPS 8

2007 Yearbooks

Now Available

See page 7

If you receive this newsletter by email, please forward it to all of your friends with a cc to us.

Inducted 2007 Pioneers From left: Terry McHardy, Paul Giberson for Jim Giberson, Harold Swift for BCHRA, Dorothy Bell for Ed A’Court, Ken Finnigan, John Randall, Jack Cross Linda Rothwell for John Rothwell, Ken Klatt for Moe Vaillant, Gary Lang, George Hollinger for Frank and Dixie Carr (Gerry Frechette photo)

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Report on the Induction Ceremony

Oval Racing: Jack Cross, John Rothwell, Moe Vaillant Hot Rod, Custom Car and Drag Racing: Jim Giberson, Gary Lang, Terry McHardy

Sports Car and Road Racing: Ed A’Court, Ken Finnigan, John Randall Motorcycling: Frank and Dixie Carr

Past Inductees on Hand for 2007 Ceremony

2008 Board and Officers elected by Society

2007 Pioneer Inductees

President: Tom Johnston Vice President: Brian Pratt Secretary: Terry Rea Treasurer: Murray Chambers Director: Ken Bayko Director: Jim Greenwood Director: Dave Johnstone Director: Keith Warren

Member: Sylvia Braddick Member: Alan Cruickshank Member: Jim Greenwood Member: Doug Harder Member: John Randall Member: George Bell Associate Member: Gerry Measures Associate Member: Mitzi Braine Associate Member: Larry Braine.

ing so thank you to all who made the last Pioneers cere-mony.

A complete list is unavail-able and naming only a few wouldn’t be fair to those who might be left off the list.

Hopefully the same num-ber of previous Pioneers, and more, can attend the 2008 ceremonies. The show is about you Pioneers so your attendance is gratefully appreciated.

We’d like to thank all those Pioneers, recognized in previous Greater Vancou-ver Motorsport Pioneers So-ciety ceremonies, who re-turned to welcome the new Pioneers. Various factors can prevent many from attend-

A full house on a glorious autumn day greeted our most recent collection of Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers. A large number of show cars pulled up and were on display on the field south of the Community

Centre. We thank all who brought out a vehicle as well as thanking the friends and families of the 2007 Pioneers and all those who supported the Society by attending. Our next Greater Vancouver Motorsports Pioneer Society ceremony is

set for Sunday October 19th, 2008, at the Scandinavian Community Centre. The Pioneer committee hopes all can attend again and that the weather will co-operate for another year.

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Motorsport History in The Greater Vancouver Area Midget Race Cars before World War Two BY Brian Pratt

Midgets raced at three pre-war venues: Horse Show Building, Con Jones Park and Sumas Roundup

Bobby Rowe, a former playing hockey coach for the Portland Buckaroos, used his Vancouver contact, Guy Patrick, younger brother to the National Hockey League Patricks, to bring midget auto racing to Vancouver.

1937 had the small cars perform indoors at the Canada Pacific Exhibition (later to be the Pacific National Exhibition) in the Horse Show Building for three days. They raced five separate shows on a small one-twelfth mile oval track that probably didn’t suit their size or the drivers’ talent. The drivers included some of the best that the Pacific Northwest could offer: Art Scovell, Swede Lindskog, Chick Barbo and Mel Kenealy to name a few. Kenealy had won the 1929 Pacific Coast Southwest championship and had even started the 1930 Indianapolis 500 and the others had, or would go on to race throughout the United States.

In 1939 Rowe and Patrick found an outdoor venue, Con Jones Park, that had seating capacity to barely hold the thousands interested in what

Left: Tommy Legge Right: Swede Lindskog driver

was becoming a very popular form of racing. Over 7000 attended the first race in July on a 400 yard (1/5th mile) dirt oval scraped out on the playing field, and the capacity crowds continued well into the finale in September. It helped that the Northwest midget racing points title was a close race between the returning Lindskog and newcomer Randolph Odne. Odne ultimately won the title but Lindskog won the favour of the fans with his Nordic good looks and wholesome sportsmanship.

Con Jones Park was used again in 1940 and 1941. With war having being declared by Canada, but not the US, the bulk of the cars were American but more local lads built their own machines. Mickey McDowell, Walter Armstrong and Jim Smith, amongst others, raced against drivers like Portland’s Les Anderson and Seattle’s Allen Heath. Anderson would start two Indy 500s after the war while Heath became a legendary character in the world of open wheel racing.

During this time a few races were held east of Vancouver just south of Abbotsford in Sumas, WA, at the Sumas Roundup grounds. Another impromptu track that was advertised in the

Chilliwack Progress. Interesting to note that the price of admission was higher there than in Vancouver, possibly the due to the lack of other entertainment distractions.

By the end of 1941, with Pearl Harbour yet to happen and the end of racing mandated south of the border, a new racing association – the BC Midget Auto Racing Association – appeared on the ads for Con Jones Park. After the war, the BCMARA would be instrumental in reintroducing auto racing to the Greater Vancouver area.

BC Hot Rod Association 50th Receives 2007 Sandy Lovelace Award

From left: Harold Swift-BCHRA, Kandace Watkins daughter of Sandy Lovelace, Jim Greenwood-BCHRA (Gerry Frechette photo)

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2008 Induction Ceremony set The 2008 GVMPS

Induction Ceremony is set for Sunday October 19, 2008 at the Scandinavian Community Centre 6500 Thomas Avenue, Burnaby

Call for nominations Nominations for the

selection of Pioneers and Supporters for the 2008 induction are now being received.

For application forms and selection criteria contact society president Tom Johnston at 604 922 2722 or [email protected]

Nominations open after each year’s induction ceremony and this year will close July 1, 2008

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A sad part of the society’s work is acknowledging the loss of some of our honoured pioneers each year.

Pioneers Lost

Jim Rattenbury

Born in Virden, Manitoba, May 15, 1933, Maurice (Moe) Vaillant spent his early years in Baird, Ontario, and moved to Vancouver as a young man where he met his wife Shirley. Moe's passion for racing cars was evident with his racing at Digney, False Creek and Haney Speedways. He was track champion at Haney in 1963 and at one point was the president of the BCTRA. His love for motorsport was transferred to his sons and became a family affair that still continues today. He was recognized as a Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneer in 2007.

The checkered flag fell peacefully at home for Larry on Wednesday, November 14th, 2007. Born in Vancouver December 2nd, 1931, Larry was a fiercely proud Canadian and Vancouverite. He will best be remembered for his love of his family, his many, many great friends, his involvement with Vancouver Youth Lacrosse, as an avid supporter of Dunbar Soccer and his love for motorsport. Larry was an original member of B.C.C.C.A. and was inducted as a Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneer in the year 2002.

Milt Goodman lived a very full, adventurous, playful sometimes whimsical life. Born in Vancouver on New Year's Day 1935, passed on February 19, 2008. Milt was involved in drag racing in the 1950s at Abbotsford Airport as well as go-kart and sports car racing at Westwood in the 1960s. Milt was recognized as a Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneer in 2002.

John Rothwell John Rothwell passed away on September 24, 2007. He was born April 29, 1946. John graduated from Burnaby South Senior Secondary in 1964. His passion was driving stock cars at Langley Speedway where he was the super stock class champion from 1967 to 1969. He owned his own body shop in New Westminster and in his later years he drove for Diamond Delivery.

Larry Miller

Milt Goodman

James "Jim" Rattenbury was born March 5, 1918 and passed away December 30, 2007. Born and raised in Kelowna Jim graduated from UBC with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1941. He became involved with the Sports Car Club of BC at Abbotsford Airport and Westwood. Jim was an enthusiastic club member and built a couple of cars moving up to Jaguars, including a 'D' type. In the 1960s his car racing career ended when his 'Genie' was hit, rolled and was demolished. After this Jim became an avid boater which continued for the rest of his retirement years. Jim was recognized as a Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneer in 2003.

Moe Vaillant

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Where to buy 2007 Yearbook

A Abramson, Jerry A’Court, Ed, Aldous, D.V. and Co. Allan, Bill B Balfe, Mike Baxter, Ted Bennett, Don Bert’s Automotive Bestward, Ron Blewett, Milton, Blewett, Ross Boleen, Ken Braddick, Stewart Braddick, Sylvia Braine, Larry Brooks, Dick Brookshaw, Reg Brown, David C Cal-Van Accessories Campbell, Don Carr, Dixie Carr, Frank Chambers, Murray Child, Bud Clark, Al Cottyn, Andy Craig, Laurie Cross, Jack Crouch, Jack Cruickshank, Alan Curry, Les D Davies, Lee Deak, Ed Deeley, Trevor Diack, Les Digney, A.C. Dunn, Gerry E Easton, Slim F Farmer, Ron Finnigan, Ken Fox, Ed Fraser, Graham Sr. G Giberson, Jim Goodman, Milt Granath, Bill Grange, Andy Grant, Cam Grant, Jim Green, Blackie Greenwood, Jim H Hackett, Ron Hall, John Hankins, Hank Harder, Doug Hemrich, Gordie Hollinger, George Hutchison, Jim J Jeboult, Bunny Johnstone, Dave K Kalevala, Kaija Keen, Mel Kennedy, Vic Kinney, Buck Klatt, Ken, Klein, Del

L Lamont, Don Lang, Gary Lee, Jim Leverington, Fred Livingston, Ron Long, Roy Mc & Mac McBride, Larry McBride, Ray McDougall, Gord McDowell, Mickey McGowan, Jim McHardy, Terry MacKay, Bunk McLachlan, Don McLean, Bob MacKenzie, Dayton M Marchant, Jim Miller, Larry Monhay, Ralph Morgan, Doug Morris, Tony Morrow, Cal N Nottingham, Bob O Ogilvy, Dave Ores, Al P Pazaski, Fred Peebles, Jack Phinney, Bob Pilkey, Arleigh Pittson, Alex R Randall, Bob Randall, Hilda Randall, John Rattenbury, James Rea, Terry Reelie, Gordon Robinson, Chuck Robinson, Red Romanowski, Lee Rothwell, John Royle, Reg S Sayle, Bob Shadbolt, Roy Smith, Bernie Sproule, Larry Sterne, G.B. Syndicate Racing Team T Taylor, Alvin Tisdale, Red Traquair, Bill V Vaillant, Moe Vaughan, Ron W Weinstein, Ralph Welsh, Fred Western Accessories Whitehead, Bob Wildman, Dave Williams, Jack Wilson, Claire Wong, Gim Work, Bob Y Youngston, Tommy

C&R's Hobbies Collectables; 20454 Fraser Highway, Langley, BC 604 539 2283 Cariboo Motorcycles; 3066 St. John St., Port Moody, BC 604 461 3458 Wilkinson’s Automobilia; 2531 Ontario Street, Vancouver, BC V5T 2X7 604 873 6242 Hot Rod Corner; #2 - 19288 Enterprise Way, Surrey, BC V3S 6J9 604 576 0518

Trev Deeley Motorcycles Ltd; 1875 Boundary Road, Vancouver, BC 604 291 2453 The Old Car Centre #3 - 20075 92 A Ave Langley, BC V1M 3A5 604-888-4412. Lordco; 7637 Edmonds, Burnaby, BC 604 522 3947 B&N Hotrod and Fabrication, 2591 Kingsway Ave., Port Coquitlam, BC 604 944 0521.

The Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers Society (GVMPS) is a group of motor-sport enthusiasts from all motorsport activities whose goal it is to recognize and record the contributions of those who were pioneers in motorsport in the region.

Pioneers are generally considered to have contributed, or have begun their contri-bution, at least forty years prior to induction and to have had a strong connection to Vancouver, British Columbia and its sur-rounding communities. Pioneers may fall into one of many motorsport disciplines:

• Hot Rod Custom Car

and Drag Racing • Sports Car and Road

Racing • Oval Racing • Motorcycling • Powerboats Racing • and others.

The non-profit society is managed by its board of directors who along with the members of the society, act as the selection committee for the Pioneers. Since the Society held the first awards program in 2001, there have been a number of directors and members who have generously given their time and knowledge. The current board and members wish to acknowledge and thank them.

Each year the Society holds an Induction Ceremony to introduce the new group of Pioneers. Inductees are selected in either of two categories:

Pioneers: Individuals who personally contributed greatly to the sport as competitors, drivers, team owners or in other direct rolls Supporters: Individuals, organizations and others who provided the necessary support for the Pioneers and the sport in general to flourish.

About the GVMPS To contact the society:

Terry Rea Secretary

Greater Vancouver

Motorsport

Pioneers Society

5926 187A Street

Surrey, BC

V3S 8G4

604 293 2221

[email protected]

or [email protected]

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Original Mission Raceway (Doug Harder collection)