Sunday, Sept. 7 is a day when motorsports enthusiasts can take a drive down memory lane in South 91原创.
Larry Olson, the 91原创 Speedway Historical Society芒鈧劉s events coordinator, is bringing rare memorabilia to the society芒鈧劉s eighth annual reunion and car show at the former 91原创 Speedway site on the southernmost tip of 208th Street.
The reunion runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include some of the speedway芒鈧劉s former drivers, pit crew, track staff, fans, and visitors.
Olson, who served as the speedway芒鈧劉s official starter from 1969-77 芒鈧�� over which time he flagged more than 9,000 races at the 3/8ths of a mile oval track 芒鈧�� will have on display an artifact never seen before at a LSHS event: the original poster promoting the NASCAR races that came to 91原创 Speedway on July 2, 1971.
He芒鈧劉s also bringing along the speedway芒鈧劉s official starting flags from 1971 and 1972 (芒鈧揟hey were both flown to end the race at NASCAR,芒鈧� Olson said), as well as a 1964 B Modified V6 race car once owned by popular driver 芒鈧揃lack芒鈧� Jack Cross.
The car, which the LSHS puts on display at parades and other local events and car shows, changed hands a few times before being donated to the society by the Victoria museum.
All told, 12 displays filled with pictures, posters, and memorabilia will be shown at the reunion, which is free and open to the public.
芒鈧揑f they [visitors] want to learn about the [former speedway芒鈧劉s] history, that芒鈧劉s what it芒鈧劉s all about,芒鈧� he said.
91原创 Speedway opened in 1963 and operated into 1984 (as Action Raceway, which it was named from 1980-84), several years after the land had been bought for use as Campbell Valley Regional Park.
After it closed, the track was left to quietly decay, the asphalt covered with leaves and the old stands and stairs covered with blackberry bushes and shrubs.
Volunteers from the Speedway Society began clearing away much of the invasive vegetation several years ago, and the track has played host to a number of minor car-related events in recent years, including an electric vehicle test for BCIT students.
Storied history
Olson and the former speedway are intertwined.
Along with his longtime service as the track芒鈧劉s starter, Olson was a former pit crew member and driver at 91原创 Speedway, winning Rookie of the Year honours in 1968.
He was also the B.C. Track Racing Association (BCTRA) news writer for the 91原创 Speedway program, penning a column titled, 芒鈧揃its and Pieces.芒鈧�
In 2011 Olson was inducted into the Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers Society.
Back on track
For a photo opportunity in 2006, Olson set foot on the former speedway soil for the first time since 1977.
The memories flooded back.
芒鈧揑 remember walking down those stairs and I was reliving [the speedway芒鈧劉s heyday],芒鈧� Olson said. 芒鈧揟hat feeling was like going back to high school. It was so emotional, so overwhelming. That really hit home.芒鈧�
Since then, he芒鈧劉s been a huge advocate of keeping the former speedway memories alive.
When BCIT hosted electric car races on the track, Olson was on hand to flag the event.
芒鈧揝ome of those electric cars timed in faster than what our early lates did, back in the day,芒鈧� he said. 芒鈧揑 couldn芒鈧劉t believe it.芒鈧�
And while it was a fun event for Olson to take part in, Olson missed some sensory elements that only race cars can bring.
芒鈧揑 wanted the smell, and I missed that vibration, I always remember the vibration, and I didn芒鈧劉t have that this time because they were electric cars,芒鈧� he said. 芒鈧揂ll I had was the 芒鈧渟wish, swish.芒鈧劉芒鈧�
A campaign to re-open the track stalled last year.
The Metro Environment and Parks Committee at first gave an answer of 芒鈧搈aybe芒鈧� to the plan and took a couple of months to consider the idea.
In July, 2013, however, the board voted to reject the notion, with 91原创 Township representative Bob Long siding with the majority.
芒鈧揟he people voted and芒鈧� turned it down,芒鈧� Olson said. 芒鈧揟hat芒鈧劉s fine, we accept that. I芒鈧劉m just glad there芒鈧劉s other ventures going on 芒鈧�� there芒鈧劉s car shows, there芒鈧劉s horse events, there芒鈧劉s all other activities, so the track is still being used.芒鈧�
Through a donation to the 91原创 Centennial Museum of 11 CDs full of photos, Olson is ensuring future generations will know the speedway existed.
芒鈧揟hey [the photos] have all been identified, with the year, the date, and the driver, and who the winner was, not only black and white but the coloured ones, as well,芒鈧� Olson said, adding that, 芒鈧揳 picture means nothing if you don芒鈧劉t know who it is.芒鈧�
