BILL VATER 2009 INDUCTEE

Bill Vater’s racing career began in 1964 when he joined the crew of Norm Edgar who raced a 1947 Dodge coupe Jalopy at Nanaimo’s “Grandview Bowl”.  Bill remained with Norm for the next four seasons and in 1968 joined forces with Stockcar driver Fred Bull and they won the “Mid Island Auto Racing Association” (MIARA) Stockcar Championship.  He then built a Claimer car in 1973 for Bill Powell with which they won every Main Event that season and were the MIARA Claimer Champions.  Bill also served on the MIARA Executive for 1973 and 1974 and in mid 1974, he built a Stock Car for Bill Drummond with which they managed to finish third in the season point standings.

In 1975 he attended “Southard’s Racing School” in California and in 1977 built a new Super Stock for Victoria’s Bill Smith.  In 1978 he built a 1974 Camaro Super Stock for Orton Ker which captured the “Island Series” Super Stock Championship.  From 1979 to 1991 he used his building talents to construct ten cars, including two dragsters plus various performance chassis components. He partnered with Bill Zdebiak in 1991 and 1992 on an IMCA Modified which was driven by Gary Smith, taking over sole ownership of the car in 1993 in which Gary that season took all three Island Championships: Western, Cassidy, and the Island Series.  Part way through 1994, he rented a “NASCAR Northwest” car from Ron Eaton with Gary driving it in three races.  He then purchased and rebuilt it for 1995 where they had a great season, finishing in third spot in NASCAR Northwest championship points.  Lance Wade drove the car in four events in 1996 which included a win in Yakima.

1997 saw the same car sold back to Ron Eaton with part of the terms of sale being that Bill would crew for Ron.  In 1998, he crewed for a number of racers before being invited on a trip to Japan to crew on Wade Motorsport’s “Winston West” car in NASCAR’s “Coca-Cola 500” at Twin Ring in Motegi, a trip he considers a highlight of his racing career.  Following that, he continued as a crew member for Ron Eaton as well as helping other racers both on the track and at his shop.