GORDY ALBERG 2012 INDUCTEE

Following several years as an avid spectator at Western, Gordy Alberg’s active involvement in auto racing began in 1962 when, at the age of eighteen, he joined the crew of the #56 1934 Ford Stockcar which was driven by Jim Gallaugher.

Deciding that he’d like to try the driver’s seat himself, Gordy purchased the “56” car before the following season and quickly found that it was definitely a learning curve, having to repair accident damage for the first number of races including replacing the car’s radiator a few times. At the June 8^th races, Gordy became a member of Western’s “Rollover Club” during the first heat when a collision sent him into a three and a half time flip which resulted in some broken ribs and partially disassembled his car. Having previously made friends with Billy Foster, the two put the car back together and found that it’s handling qualities were now almost flawless. Billy drove it the following Saturday, winning both the fast heat and main event. Dave Cooper then took it to a main event win in Nanaimo the following Wednesday after which Tom Eardley brought it home first at a main event the next Sunday at Haney Speedway on the Mainland. Gordy then returned behind the wheel and drove the car to several wins and good finishes for the rest of the season including a main event first at SeaTac Speedway in Seattle. He finished ninth in the Island season-end point standings for 1963 and was awarded VITRA’s“Rookie of the Year”.

With the cancellation of Western’s Stockcar class at the end of that season, Gordy had Bob Vantreight build him a car for the new “B-Modified Sportsman” class. A cooling system failure in the car very early in the season resulted in some serious burns for Gordy who had Jim Steen drive the car while he recuperated and then did some crewing for Billy Foster on the new CAMRA circuit until that year’s Daffodil Cup when Gordy again took the wheel of his Modified. But during the Daffodil main event, the car’s steering locked coming off Western’s second turn which put it into the end of the grandstand wall which demolished the racer.

During his working career as a Machinist at Victoria’s “United Engineering”, Gordy fabricated many racecar parts and equipment over the years for many well-known racers. In 1990 he built and owned an IMCA Modified which was driven by Rockie Collins.

Today, Gordy is an avid car collector and is the current caretaker of the #16 Rolla Vollstedt-built Indy car which Billy Foster drove in the 1966 race. He also attends the yearly Hall of Fame induction ceremonies as well as hosting retired racer get-togethers at his home.