William (Bill) Vallis has played a significant role in Canadian formula racing, over multiple decades, helping drive the entry-level of the sport as a builder and team owner. Starting out as a driver in 1970, it didn’t take long for Vallis to shift focus to building and maintaining race cars. He started Vallis Motorsports in the mid-1970s, opening the rental side of the business in 1980.

Vallis purchased the rights to build the BRD Formula Vee/F1200 car from the Rochester, NY-based manufacturer in 1992, where he went on to build 32 cars for the Canadian and US markets. He’s provided trackside mechanical support at road and street course events in Canada and abroad, working on cars for series/disciplines including FV1200, F1600, F2000, Prototype 1, Prototype 2, Radicals, Sports 2000, Indy Lights and New Beetle Cup.

As a team owner, Vallis has won many championships over the years, while his arrive-and-drive rental seats have created consistent entries in F1200 since 1980, helping keep the series alive in Canada. His indiscriminate approach to his business has helped his team provide the average person with an access point into formula racing, whether they’re a kid climbing through the karting ladder or a middle-aged worker looking to fill their bucket list.

Vallis has helped notable drivers over the years, including fellow CMHF inductees Scott Maxwell and Andrew Bordin (AIM Autosport). More recently, he’s helped Megan Gilkes climb the motorsports ladder, with her experience at Vallis Motorsports, behind-the-wheel and in the shop, helping her land a W Series ride and a Formula One engineering role.