Bill Brack
INDUCTED 1993 – COMPETITOR – Road Racing
Bill Brack is a Toronto-born racing driver whose name is closely tied to the rise of Canadian open-wheel racing in the 1960s and 1970s. He began competing in the early 1960s, ice racing a Mini in Ontario before moving into circuit events with progressively more competitive Mini Coopers. That progression led him to a national saloon car title in 1967 and helped establish his reputation as one of the quickest and most determined drivers in the country. Around the same time, he founded Sports Cars Unlimited and became the Lotus distributor for Canada, a role that opened the door to factory-level machinery and higher-profile international events.
Through his Lotus connection, Brack raced a Lotus 47 sports car and a Lotus 41 in Formula B, winning the Eastern Formula B championship in both 1967 and 1968 while also appearing at major venues such as Mosport, Watkins Glen, Sebring, and Nassau. In 1968 he stepped briefly onto the Formula One stage, driving a Lotus 49B in the Canadian Grand Prix at St-Jovite as the Canadian Lotus distributor. Two further Canadian Grand Prix outings followed with BRM in 1969 and 1972, adding World Championship starts to a résumé already rich in North American competition.
Brack’s greatest success came in Formula Atlantic. He is the only driver to win three Canadian driving championships, claiming the title in three consecutive seasons in 1973, 1974, and 1975, in fiercely competitive fields that included future Formula One and Indianapolis 500 winners as well as a young Gilles Villeneuve. He also captured a North American Formula Atlantic championship and added the Canadian Touring Car Championship to his list of honours, underlining his versatility across disciplines.
After stepping back from contemporary racing, Brack focused on the automotive business, operating specialist dealerships in Ontario, including a Daimler Chrysler outlet in downtown Toronto. He later launched the Brack Driving Concepts school at Shannonville Motorsport Park and remained active in historic racing, particularly with his well-known Lotus 59/69, helping to preserve and promote the heritage of Formula Atlantic in Canada.