Gary Kershaw

Gary initially learned his driving skills while competing in go-karts at an early age. Gary,s racing career  began at Western Speedway in 1961. He drove a 1932 Ford Stock Car to a six place finish in the point standings and earned the title of Rookie of the Year. In 1962, Gary returned with his Stock Car and finished the year sitting in
2nd spot in the point championships. Also this year, he drove a Ford Flathead - powered Modified car and won the year-end Championship Race. Gary returned to racing Stock Cars in 1965. He drove his 1953 Ford to a 5th place in the season point championships. After racing in Victoria with the Victoria Auto Racing Association (V.A.R.A.) for the next two years, Gary drove a '55 Chev Stock Car to an impressive record in 1968. He won nine out of the fifteen Main Events for the class and ended the year as the Points Champion. During the season, he won Corby Cup (most Main Event wins), the Billy Foster 100 Trophy for Stock Cars, the best appearing crew award, the best looking car award, the Popular Driver award, the VARA Competition Sports trophy and the Championship Race Trophy. In 1969, Gary moved up to the Super Stock class. During the season he won the July Cup and finished the year as the season's Points Champion. Gary turned his attentions to driving in the Open Super Stock class throughout the Northwest in 1971. He set a track record in Victoria on June 26th and also made a name for himself as he was the first Canadian to win the Permatex 200 race at Riverside, California. He was the International Drivers Challenge champion and voted Victoria's Male Athlete of the Year. Gary was nicknamed "The King" after winning an impressive 21 Main Event victories
in a row in the local Super Stock class at Western Speedway. As he won virtually everything, he was naturally the Points Champion again. In 1975, he was 3rd in total points, then in subsequent years raced in selected "open" international races and even drove a 1930 Ford Coupe with the Old Time Racers Association (O.T.R.A.)