Inducted 2015 – Competitor
From humble beginnings this inductee knew he had to race after watching his first at Sunset Speedway in 1980. Starting in the Street Stock ranks, he moved quickly into one of the top oval pavement classes, the Late Models, and for the next 30 years both his passion and his livelihood was linked to the sport. Not only was he a prominent player in Canada’s top oval series such as the CASCAR Super Series and the following NASCAR Canada Series, he traveled throughout the US to compete in series such as ARCA, the ASA, and NASCAR North at such storied tracks as Daytona, Pocono, and Talladega.
And in Canada he continued to add up wins, taking the CASCAR National title in 1999 and 2000 along with track titles at Delaware, Sunset and Peterborough Speedways. While continuing to race, this inductee spent his off-track time building the engines for his team’s cars along with other competitors. As a competent and hands-on engine builder, the reputation for his engines in the industry was established, and he was known in racing circles as “Mr. Horsepower,” working from his Mooresville, North Carolina shop.
Some of this driver’s statistics include three years of ARCA, and two in NASCAR’s Xfinity series, but it was on his native soil where shone. After nine years and 71 CASCAR races he tallied 17 wins and 59 top tens, while in NASCAR Canada he ran 25 events with 15 top tens before retiring from driving. Along with his success on the track and engine building, this inductee was one of the first racers to understand the need for major corporate sponsorship in Canada, and his association with Canadian Tire and Mobil Oil was long and fruitful.