Rarity is key when it comes to cars and bikes, but that value doesnB次元官网网址檛 stop Steve Clark from enjoying his collection of roughly 60 vehicles.

Despite being a collector item, the black Lotus for example, raced recently in Seattle, with Clark at the wheel.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e crashed this thing really bad several times,B次元官网网址� he says, gesturing to the car with a gold 83 on the hood.

HeB次元官网网址檚 been racing vintage cars for 25 years, he says, listing off track communities such as Monterey, Sonoma, Seattle, Portland and Sacramento.

The Lotus is one of two among the vehicles packed into a small Victoria building.

Prior to retirement, the Oak Bay man collected B次元官网网址渋ncognitoB次元官网网址� but eventually started going for coffee with other car people. Now they often find themselves hanging out in the Victoria shop where he stores many while other vehicles make the rounds at various family members homes, including his own in Oak Bay.

Right up front is a B次元官网网址�66 Yamaha 2500 cc, the same model he first purchased as a teen.

B次元官网网址淭he first time I went out and bought a motorcycle, my mom said I couldnB次元官网网址檛 have one, I think I was 14. IB次元官网网址檝e had probably 60 or 70 since then,B次元官网网址� Clark said.

He rattles off years of cars, engine power, rarity and personal stories for a variety of vehicles in the space.

Next to the Yamaha is a 1978 1000 cc four-cylinder Kawasaki bike commonly called B次元官网网址渢he widow makerB次元官网网址� not unlike the ones a young Clark would B次元官网网址渂omb around onB次元官网网址� when he and a couple buddies owned a dealership in Vail, Colorado.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 a 1960 Lola, the 34th ever built so B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 very rare.B次元官网网址� While its monetary value is around $260,000, the rarity holds the value for Clark B次元官网网址� true for most everything he owns.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 rather have the car B次元官网网址� over and over again.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e all favourites,B次元官网网址� he added, though the Lola is the worst to fix after a racing wreck.

The collection is the result of a lifetime affinity for bikes and cars, funded by decades of startup businesses B次元官网网址� about 18 of them.

In his words, five went bankrupt and five were home runs.

Among those are names some people will recognize to this day such as Money Mart, Rentex and Cashline, borne from the brain of a man with no formal business education.

Clark says he barely got out of high school in Aurora, Colorado. Then at 19 years old, he B次元官网网址渏umped in a car with a draft dodger and high-tailed it to CanadaB次元官网网址� with $96 to his name.  As almost an afterthought, he notes the draft wasnB次元官网网址檛 an issue for him, his number was nowhere near the top.

He credits those roots with some of his successes in the fringe banking field.

B次元官网网址淚 knew what it was like to be on that side of the counter B次元官网网址� when you need money for food and rent,B次元官网网址� he said.

Clark built his business know-how by basically self-auditing NAIT (they lived in Alberta at the time), UVic and Camosun courses. Searching out textbook lists for specific classes, buying those books and completing them on his own time B次元官网网址� even once on a rare trip to Hawaii.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 read B次元官网网址檛il midnight. I took schoolbooks with me and read by the pool," Clark said. B次元官网网址淪trategy became my biggest fascination.B次元官网网址�

Now his fascination is in the art, mechanics and history of both vehicles and the businesses that built them.

B次元官网网址淚 just like them. ItB次元官网网址檚 like art. But thereB次元官网网址檚 a whole bunch of other things going on,B次元官网网址� he said.

The red 1960 Maserati 125 for example. B次元官网网址淧eople didnB次元官网网址檛 know that Maserati made motorcycles,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 probably into it for way too much money, but insecure old guys like me, you got to have something to brag about,B次元官网网址� he added with a chuckle.

There may be an oil leak or two but these rarities gather no dust.

Four wheels or two, the 73-year-old routinely swaps them out for everyday driving as well as the races.

But maybe donB次元官网网址檛 ask about that last Seattle trip B次元官网网址� daughter Shelby finished well ahead of him, and the egoB次元官网网址檚 still a bit tender.