Inducted 2006 – Competitor – Road Racing
Born in Quebec City, Ted Powell’s love affair with motorsport began at an early age and after obtaining his electrical engineering degree in England, he and a friend entered a hill climb in a Fraser Nash and finished second. After the Second World War, Ted returned to Canada (by way of Malaya with the British Colonial Service) where he joined the Department of Transport and the Ottawa Light Car Club (later the MCO). At Mosport in 1962, Ted watched an exhibition race featuring a field of new Mini Coopers and starring many of the top drivers of the day. Grand Prix pilot Innis Ireland rolled the one he was driving and Ted promptly purchased it. Displaying his No. 30, that Mini became his stepping-stone to circuit racing, which he attacked with a passion. When not racing himself, he volunteered to help other teams and he devoted a considerable amount of time to the administrative and regulatory side of the sport. In all, Ted raced for 10 years, entering 123 road races (he won five regional championships), 12 ice races, 15 rallies and 15 solo events. He was president of the MCO, president of the CASC Quebec Region and vice-president of CASC-National. He organized national races and a stage of the Shell 4000 rally. His experience, logic and diplomacy was very much in demand during the creation of the CASC Pro-Racing Division – the forerunner of today’s ASN Canada. When he retired from competition, he served as race steward for the Rothmans Porsche Cup in 1987-’88 and the Formula 2000 pro racing series in 1989. He also pitched in at club events as a scrutineer, marshal, judge-of-fact and race instructor. He died in 2001.