Andy Young’s first active involvement in the sport of Auto Racing came at the age of fourteen when he assisted with the Super Modified racecar of Tony Mortel who was competing on the Canadian American Modified Racing Association (CAMRA) circuit. Soon after that, he got the “bug” and in 1972 he built a car for the Super Stock division at Western with Ted Mortel as the driver.
The following year he joined Ross Surgenor’s crew on the Super Stock Open Competitions circuit and the NASCAR Northwest Sportsman series. The team was very successful, winning many races from Portland Oregon to BC including the “Rainier 250” at Monroe Washington and in addition won that season’s International Drivers Challenge (IDC). They also ran in the Permatex 200 at Riverside California.
Following his association with the Surgenor crew, Andy was hired as a tire changer for Roy Smith. When it came to speed in pit stop tire swaps, it didn’t get much faster than Andy and as a result he won many competitions in that skill over the years. His first season with Roy Smith was very rewarding as they won the NASCAR North Sportsman Championship and placed tenth overall in Winston West points. Being an autobody repairman and car painter by trade, he also applied these skills to many racecars over the years..
In 1980 the Roy Smith team won the Winston West Championship and continued to do so the following two seasons and went on to have a very successful ten year period, being known as the “Flying Aces”, They won many prestigious races and set records at several tracks including the fastest-ever pit stop at Western Speedway at 14:89 which at the time was quicker than the Winston Cup record. In addition to Roy, Andy also worked at California’s Riverside 500 with cars driven by Herschel McGriff, and Jimmy Means.
Andy’s most memorable moment with Roy Smith was their competing in the 1982 Daytona 500 which saw them place tenth in the race as well as Andy’s involvement in some of the fundraising which made it possible for them to enter the race.
In later years, Andy kept in touch with former fellow racers at the annual Hall of Fame events until his untimely passing in 2014.
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- 1968 – The #45 CAMRA Super Modified driven by Tony Mortel on which Andy Young assisted (photographer unknown).
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- 1972 – the #45 1964 Chev Beaumont Super Stock driven by Ted Mortel which was built by Andy Young (Barrie Goodwin photoo).
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- 1973 – The #58 Open Competition 1968 Ford Torino driven by Ross Surgenor on which Andy was a crew member (Barrie Goodwin photo).
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- Year unknown – Pit stop competition at Western Speedway for the #11 car driven by Roy Smith with Andy changing the right front tire (photographer unknown).
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- 1982 Daytona 500 – The #30 NASCAR Pontiac “Pride of Victoria” with crew member Andy Young standing at the far left (photographer unknown).
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- Year unknown – Andy (at the left) in Grant King’s “Grant King Racers” shop in Indianapolis with Grant (at the far right). (photographer unknown)
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- Year unknown – Andy with Lance Wade and car at a Hall of Fame induction ceremony (pohotographer unknown).
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- Year unknown – Andy with Roy Smith (photographer unknown).
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- 20089 Inductee Andy Young – artist’s portrait.
