Remembrance Day

(Mickey McDowell in the foreground with Jack "the little man with the big cigar" Spalding in the background. Taken off a t.v. screen with my lamp behind me not turned off. Sigh....)

Have spent most of the day sorting things and listening to the radio, various broadcasts about what the day, November 11th, means. Some very moving stories.

Here's a couple pieces of writing from the Second World War by a Victoria, BC, native, Johnny Wright. Johnny's interest in racing went back to the teens and twenties in Victoria. He started corresponding with National Speed Sport News down in the U.S., I suppose, to help keep himself and others connected with the sport, bench racing. NSSN had become a monthly after being a weekly newspaper before the U.S. entered. It also had a different name before the war, National Auto Racing News.

First item is Johnny's look at midget racing in the Vancouver area.


Midget Racing In British Columbia



by Johnny Wright



Thanks for printing my stuff in the April issue, and here’s a little something that might be of interest to some of the fans, concerning midget-racing out in B.C. Midget racing in B.C. has centered around Vancouver. The boys have shown their wares at Sumas, Nanaimo and various other towns, with regular meets at Con Jones Park in that city. Many of the Northwest favorites have shown here, such as, Allan Heath, Swede Lindskog, the late Tommy Legge, Wayne Gaffney, who has held the Northwest title. The Spalding Bros. Jack and Ernie, Ray Chase, Ivan Chase, Les Anderson and a very capable lady driver Virta Warrens from down Portland, Oregon. Incidently, it was Holt Warrens who gave me some very good advice, which helped me build my midget some time ago. Also showing were Jud Fuller, Art George and a host of others.



The leading local drivers were Mickey McDowell, and Walter Armstrong, who put on some good shows of driving ability. The promotion of these races was handled by Guy Patrick, brother of Lester Patrick, who manages the New York Rangers hockey team. Another former hockey star, who was instrumental in getting midgets on their way, was Bobby Rowe, who I believe sponsored the construction of 14 Ford 60s which campaigned the Northwest. Over at Victoria the big cars have always prevailed, and only 4 midgets were built, by Bert Sutton and Jack Smith, Jimmy Laird, Neil Butler and yours truly.



These cars did most of their running at Vancouver also. They did put on some match races at Langford in conjunction with the ‘big car’ races, and the fans really seemed to go for them.



You can reach me by the following address:


K604117, Pte. Wright, J.F.

R.C.A.S.C. – C.A.P.O. No. 1

Canadian Army Overseas


(from National Speed Sport News, May 1944)




The next is from a few months later. Sad news, ultimately, in that Bert Sutton, 1938 B.C. Automotive Sports Association (BCASA) champ from 1938, had succumbed to tuberculosis.


a letter from Corp. Johnny Wright, October 1944



Dear Sir,


My issues of N.S.S.N. are still coming in, and like everyone else, I enjoy every page of them. Am just on my way back from furlough out to the coast. Saw several of the boys and they are all raring to go. Howie Haslam at Victoria is making a deal for a fast outfit. Jerry Vantreight still has his single stick ready to roll, and all are anxious for the go signal. Turned a few laps at Langford, strictly stock, but it sure felt good, and the track surface is fine. The old Chevie outfit of Sid Holdridge is still in the pits where he left it, less wheels and motor. Visited Bert Sutton, and he is in high spirits and he even drove out to Langford one day to look the old spot over. Wonder what his time was. Spent a couple days in Vancouver with Jack Spalding and he is getting together the makings of a real fast car, and everyone knows he’ll be right in there.



My little outfit still waits in the cellar, plus some parts for a big outfit later on. Jack Smith writes from overseas that he has been experimenting with motor-cycle motors, and rigged up a pretty fast combination. Has an American motor in a light single frame and apparently it will go places. This is all till I get back and see what the mails gives,


Lots of Luck,


Johnny Wright




a later notice from the same issue by Corp. Wright, Newfoundland

Another of our boys has passed on to the Golden Speedway. Bert Sutton, a real sportsman, hard driver, and an all around swell guy has passed on, following a very lengthy illness during which he was in there fighting to the last. God bless you Bert, you will always be with us in our fond memories.