A History of Racing in the Geraldton Area
Back in the mid 1960’s, a number of daring young fellows got together and decided to race cars. The first club formed back then was named the Eldee Stock Car Club. The first track a quarter miler, was located in the Eldee Gravel Pit located on Highway 11 between Geraldton and Longlac. There was 12 cars out in those days.
Who were some of those “Red Hot” drivers? From Longlac, There was Ernie White & Willie. From Geraldton there was Gary Smith, Mark Nicklin, Roger Lavoie, Dennis Whalen, Roger Letourneau, Sylvio Cyr, Chuck Kelner, Calvin Kozak and Urmas Ramanauskas. There were many others who worked behind the scenes to keep the whole operation going too.
Eventually it was time to relocate to a better surface, and more area for spectators was needed The Late Roy Baker, a legend in this for the many projects and good deeds he worked at, took a strong interest in the work of the Club, and helped them to relocate to the bottom of the Gravel pit at the top of McLeod Park Hill on Highway 11 east of Town. Roy funded the construction and provided the equipment. Roy’s son-in-law, Wally McMahon also played a large role as did Roger Letourneau and Charlie Kelner.
Race line-ups on the 2nd track often had up to 10 or 12 cars participating. The track straight stretches were even shorter and the line-ups often covered the whole straight stretch.
Some of the new drivers that hit this track were Michael Olenik, Doug Brydges, Bill Ennis, Cliff Abbott, Keith Geno, and George Douthright. A car also came up from Nipigon driven Sonny Albert Brennan, now of Brennan Brothers Ford in Nipigon. Bill Haines, an O.P.P. constable in Geraldton those days also was a fair contender and gave Ernie, Roger and the boys a lot of competition, driving a ‘59 Ford sponsored by Trans Canada Service.
(Taken from 1982 Souvenir Program)
