History of Wilroc
The Wilroc Sprint Car and Super Modified Race Series was initiated by Ross Rockett and Norm Wilcox. Norm and Ross had previously co-founded the popular Old Time Racers Association (OTRA), which is still running today to fans all throughout the Pacific Northwest. Roseberg, Oregon and Spokane Washington pattered clubs after the popular OTRA .
Initially, Norm and Ross were looking at forming a reasonably affordable class of open-wheel sprints and super modifieds that would be compatible with a group running in Eastern Washington. The cars would be wingless, self-starting and have gasoline-powered steel engines. After much discussion, it was decided that if a class was going to be formed, it must fit in with the existing sprint car class running on dirt at Cassidy Speedway near Nanaimo.
In 1999, Ross and Norm held meetings and formulated rules, and with that came the birth of pavement sprint cars and modifieds. Super Stock Champion, Ross Surgenor, proposed the name Wilroc and in 2000, a 9 race scheduled was set up, with 6 races in Victoria, and 1 each at Saratoga, Prince George and Williams Lake. Members were also given optional race dates with the Northwest Sprintcar Racing Association (NSRA) in Victoria and with the Washington Economy Sprint Car Organization (WESCO) in Saratoga, some cars also travelled to the new track in Vernon BC, for their September exhibition race.
In early 2000, Cassidy Speedway closed which left several island sprint cars with little options except to convert their dirt cars into pavement cars and come run with Wilroc. The first race took place on April 15, 2000, at Victoria’s Western Speedway, 10 cars in the pit area .By the end of the season 16 cars had earned WILROC points and seven different drivers had won Main Events. All things considered, the initial year for the WILROC series was a tremendous success. Nanaimo’s Dave Emmerson emerged points champion driving the Dave Smith #22 sprint car; Nanaimo’s Britt Gillett was second in his #24 sprinter; and Nanaimo’s Darren Kennedy was third in the Norm Wilcox #21 roadster out of Victoria.
The Annual General Meeting was held on November 18, 2000, in conjunction with the year-end banquet and dance. At this meeting all proposed rules were discussed, adopted and then frozen until 2004. This was done to give stability to the group and promote steady growth. Rules were decided on by car owners and agreed upon by a majority decision.
The second year of Wilroc started on a positive note, with the car owners requesting a ten race schedule, which was met with five races scheduled for Victoria, three in Saratoga and one each at Prince George and Williams Lake, along with two optional NSRA shows in Victoria. There were a possible 28 race cars available to run under the Wilroc banner, but with the usual fiscal restraints, work and travel restrictions, only 20 managed to earn points during 2001, which well exceed any expectations for the one year old club.
In 2001, the club only saw two rainouts, and with the other eight races saw four different drivers hit victory square. Duncan’s, Darren Yates took home the championship that year, however he did not see the chequered flag fall on his #91 car; Victoria’s Randy Vincent was second with his #2 sprinter; and Nanaimo’s Ron Lambert finished the year in third with his #99 sprinter.
In 2002, Wilroc had 3 sanctioned shows at Victoria’s Western Speedway, 5 at Saratoga Speedway and 1each at Spanaway and Tenino Washington. The NSRA club came back to Victoria, with two optional shows. Victoria’s, Jeff Montgomery earned the season championship in his #33 car, while Randy Vincent kept his second place and Nanaimo’s Bill Gillett drove Dave Smith’s #22 car into the third spot.
In 2003, Wilrocs schedule included 3 sanctioned shows at Western Speedway, 5 at Saratoga, and a 2 day show at Williams Lake. There was also the two optional shows at Western, one with NSRA and one with Wesco. The Strawberry Cup saw no US cars that year, so was strictly a Wilroc event. The crowds filled the stands that year as they cheered on Victoria’s Randy Vincent, as he took the chequered flag. The championship went again to Jeff Montgomery and Randy Vincent held his second place spot with Cobble Hill’s Randy Price coming in third with the #19 car.
Throughout the years Wilroc has seen several changes, but at the heart of the club lies what Norm and Ross really wanted, exciting and competitive open wheel racing on the island.
Initially, Norm and Ross were looking at forming a reasonably affordable class of open-wheel sprints and super modifieds that would be compatible with a group running in Eastern Washington. The cars would be wingless, self-starting and have gasoline-powered steel engines. After much discussion, it was decided that if a class was going to be formed, it must fit in with the existing sprint car class running on dirt at Cassidy Speedway near Nanaimo.
In 1999, Ross and Norm held meetings and formulated rules, and with that came the birth of pavement sprint cars and modifieds. Super Stock Champion, Ross Surgenor, proposed the name Wilroc and in 2000, a 9 race scheduled was set up, with 6 races in Victoria, and 1 each at Saratoga, Prince George and Williams Lake. Members were also given optional race dates with the Northwest Sprintcar Racing Association (NSRA) in Victoria and with the Washington Economy Sprint Car Organization (WESCO) in Saratoga, some cars also travelled to the new track in Vernon BC, for their September exhibition race.
In early 2000, Cassidy Speedway closed which left several island sprint cars with little options except to convert their dirt cars into pavement cars and come run with Wilroc. The first race took place on April 15, 2000, at Victoria’s Western Speedway, 10 cars in the pit area .By the end of the season 16 cars had earned WILROC points and seven different drivers had won Main Events. All things considered, the initial year for the WILROC series was a tremendous success. Nanaimo’s Dave Emmerson emerged points champion driving the Dave Smith #22 sprint car; Nanaimo’s Britt Gillett was second in his #24 sprinter; and Nanaimo’s Darren Kennedy was third in the Norm Wilcox #21 roadster out of Victoria.
The Annual General Meeting was held on November 18, 2000, in conjunction with the year-end banquet and dance. At this meeting all proposed rules were discussed, adopted and then frozen until 2004. This was done to give stability to the group and promote steady growth. Rules were decided on by car owners and agreed upon by a majority decision.
The second year of Wilroc started on a positive note, with the car owners requesting a ten race schedule, which was met with five races scheduled for Victoria, three in Saratoga and one each at Prince George and Williams Lake, along with two optional NSRA shows in Victoria. There were a possible 28 race cars available to run under the Wilroc banner, but with the usual fiscal restraints, work and travel restrictions, only 20 managed to earn points during 2001, which well exceed any expectations for the one year old club.
In 2001, the club only saw two rainouts, and with the other eight races saw four different drivers hit victory square. Duncan’s, Darren Yates took home the championship that year, however he did not see the chequered flag fall on his #91 car; Victoria’s Randy Vincent was second with his #2 sprinter; and Nanaimo’s Ron Lambert finished the year in third with his #99 sprinter.
In 2002, Wilroc had 3 sanctioned shows at Victoria’s Western Speedway, 5 at Saratoga Speedway and 1each at Spanaway and Tenino Washington. The NSRA club came back to Victoria, with two optional shows. Victoria’s, Jeff Montgomery earned the season championship in his #33 car, while Randy Vincent kept his second place and Nanaimo’s Bill Gillett drove Dave Smith’s #22 car into the third spot.
In 2003, Wilrocs schedule included 3 sanctioned shows at Western Speedway, 5 at Saratoga, and a 2 day show at Williams Lake. There was also the two optional shows at Western, one with NSRA and one with Wesco. The Strawberry Cup saw no US cars that year, so was strictly a Wilroc event. The crowds filled the stands that year as they cheered on Victoria’s Randy Vincent, as he took the chequered flag. The championship went again to Jeff Montgomery and Randy Vincent held his second place spot with Cobble Hill’s Randy Price coming in third with the #19 car.
Throughout the years Wilroc has seen several changes, but at the heart of the club lies what Norm and Ross really wanted, exciting and competitive open wheel racing on the island.