The Canadian Racing Season Begins February 7, 8, & 9, 2014 at Toronto’s International Centre
(TORONTO, ON // DECEMBER 20, 2013) If you’ve been around the southern Ontario stock car scene the past few years, you know that Rick Sharples is passionate about celebrating and preserving the history of the sport.
Through the creation of the Yesterday’s Speedways website and his book Remember When: The Early Years of Stock Car Racing in Southern Ontario, Sharples – with the help of Ron Moulds – has created a loyal following of like-minded racing fans, all fascinated with the history of local short track racing.
On February 7, 8 & 9, 2014 at Toronto’s International Centre, Sharples will host a large display of historic stock car machines, many of which will be very familiar to veteran racing fans.
“There is such a deep history of oval racing in southern Ontario,” said Sharples. “I’ve tried to recapture as many stories and pictures as possible. Our primary goal with the various Yesterday’s Speedways projects, is to build on what those early racers and tracks began, and to work on preserving the tracks we have left. I have records and reports from nearly 400, old Ontario short tracks. I don’t know if there are any more than about 20 still running today.”
Sharples is excited about bringing his memories and stories – plus a gallery of classic photographs – to the fans at theCME. In addition to hosting the car display, Sharples will be signing and selling copies of his book (Remember When…) and swapping stories with other stock car enthusiasts.
Sharples’ efforts to preserve and celebrate the past are gaining momentum, as a wide range of vintage racing enthusiasts and car owners has offered up their restored racing machines for use in the display at the CME and other shows. Among those confirmed to be part of the Yesterday’s Speedways at the CME exhibit are:
• Don Biederman’s Oxford 250 winning Nova, now owned by John Hutchins
• Ted Hogan’s #7 Modified (right), which raced at the CNE and Pinecrest Speedways
• Lloyd Shaw’s Trainer car, which raced at Speedway Park in Maple, Ontario.
• Doug Ryder’s ’37 Plymouth (Merrittville & Ancaster)
• Jim Bray’s #56 NASCAR stock car (’64 Daytona 500 / ’62 Mosport)
• Dan Price’s #09 ’57 Chevy, which is still in action today
“We’ve got a pretty broad spectrum of race cars from the past,” Sharples continued. “It will give the newer fans an idea of what was being raced before their time. It’s great to see these old cars and the people who own them. It’s cars like these that keep the history of oval track racing alive.”
ABOUT YESTERDAY’S SPEEDWAYS: Author Rick Sharples grew up around Ontario stock car racing, following his father Fred and mother Jean as they toiled at various tracks before moving into the NASCAR fraternity. Rick picked up the pen when his work with the Can-Am Midgets Series ended, and his long list of connections proved invaluable when he began his work on the Remember When book (right). Continuing to recover and reveal the history of Ontario stock car racing, Sharples current project, along with Volume II of Remember When, is theYesterday’s Speedways collection, currently found on the website, www.yesterdaysspeedways.com. Visitors to the site can find columns from former racer Dave Boon, Jim Dunham and Jimmy Johnston, as well as a Remember When Reader’s Column. Remember When: The Early Years of Stock Car Racing in Southern Ontario’ is available by email at rickatrememberwhen@gmail.com.
ABOUT THE CME: The 8th Annual Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsport News takes place February 7, 8 & 9, 2014 at Toronto’s International Centre, adjacent to Pearson International Airport. The show features motorsport content geared to racers, fans and automotive enthusiasts. NASCAR Sprint Cup racer Ryan Newman will be at the CME on Saturday, February 8. For information about the show, including news, exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, call (416) 962-7223, or email info@CanadianMotorsportsExpo.com. The CME’s website is located at www.CanadianMotorsportsExpo.com.
