That first rumbling ride down a dirt hill was all it took to hook Norm Wilcox on chasing checkered flags.
B次元官网网址淢y friend Harvey Chipper put together a go-kart,B次元官网网址� said Wilcox, who was 15 or 16 at the time. B次元官网网址淗arvey said B次元官网网址業 built it, you drive it,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said regarding that first time behind the wheel roaring down the hill on Miller Road.
Wilcox, who started working on stock cars when he was 19, wound up working with Gary Kershaw in 1968 on a 1955 Chevy. They took home three golds, winning the championship, the Billy Foster 100, and best-looking car at Western Speedway with that car.
B次元官网网址淵ou could say we achieved our goals,B次元官网网址� Wilcox said.
That led to building cars they raced at Western Speedway, in Nanaimo, and at the Oyster River track in Courtenay.
B次元官网网址淭here were some interesting late-night drives home,B次元官网网址� he recalled with a chuckle.
B次元官网网址淲e started building Old TimerB次元官网网址檚 stock cars in 1976 and that series worked out well. We started with just a few cars and IB次元官网网址檓 proud to say theyB次元官网网址檙e still running the series today.B次元官网网址�
After building and selling four more cars, Wilcox decided in 1983 that it was time to move on to something different.
B次元官网网址淚 had a weekly lunch with Ross Rockett and we came up with the idea for the Victoria Auto Racers Hall of Fame. We put together a group of people for the initial induction ceremony in 1984, and the seven people selected the first year received crests. We started handing out blue blazers for inductees after that, a tradition that still goes on,B次元官网网址� added Wilcox, who was inducted in 2014.
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B次元官网网址淩oss was a tremendous fellow,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e were joined at the hip and it was just devastating to hear heB次元官网网址檚 gone. He worked very hard at whatever he did, a true founding father of Western Speedway.B次元官网网址�
Wilcox also started the 7-11 Race of Champions, which involves drivers competing in different classes of cars than what they earned championships in.
B次元官网网址淚n my mind, I havenB次元官网网址檛 stopped racing,B次元官网网址� Wilcox noted. B次元官网网址淏ut I slowed down for 10 years to focus on the Victoria Racing Hall of Fame.B次元官网网址�
He was quick to include Dick Midgley and Larry Pollard as other major contributors to the success of racing locally and well beyond.
B次元官网网址淭hey put Western Speedway on the map, especially in the U.S. ThereB次元官网网址檚 so many great people in the Hall of Fame that established the racing community on the West Shore. TheyB次元官网网址檙e like a great family.B次元官网网址�
Wilcox has something special in mind after the last race at the legendary speedway is completed.
B次元官网网址淲hen the track shuts down in September my goal is to take the starterB次元官网网址檚 post, a section of the announcerB次元官网网址檚 booth, a 5x5 section of the grandstand and a piece of the track for the Hall of Fame because it meant so much to so many people for so many years.B次元官网网址�
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