“Pioneer” trivia tidbit

Entering a “Crash Elimination” race at Western in 1958 and letting it be known that he could beat track starter Phil Hendry (the very frequent winner of these total destruction contests back then), started 2006 “Pioneer” award recipient Bob Low’s long and very active involvement in Island auto racing. And when the tire smoke, gas fumes and the steam from broken radiators had settled following that crash-strewn event, Bob’s car was indeed the last one still running! Fueled by this first victory, he continued entering Elimination races both at Western and Nanaimo that year and adding more wins to his record. By the time the following season rolled around, the “racing bug” had bitten even deeper and Bob slid behind the wheel of a 1934 Ford Stockcar. His resemblance to the then-current BC Minister of Highways, P. A.“Flying Phil” Gaglardi, prompted Bob to drive under the alias of “Gil Philardi”. After two years of competition at both Victoria and Nanaimo, the time involved and the cost of racing plus raising a growing brood of daughters with his wife Flo prompted him to hang up his helmet (at least temporarily) and accept the position of “Vancouver Island Track Racing Association” Paymaster. In 1963, he was the successful candidate for the Presidency of VITRA and the following year became it’s Treasurer as well as still writing the cheques as Paymaster. This continued for two more seasons until a group of local businessmen purchased the Speedway from Andy Cottyn and “Western Speedway (1966) Ltd.” was formed with Bob as one of the original shareholders plus his being appointed as it’s first Secretary/Treasurer, a post he held for several years after. He also dusted off his helmet during this time to compete in a few “Jalopy” and “Victoria Motor Sports Club” races at Western plus local hill climbs and local and long distance auto rallies which included teaming up with 1984 “Hall of Fame” Inductee Dave Cooper in a Corvair “Monza” for the 1962 running of the cross-Canada “Shell 4000” rally in which he and Dave finished in 20^th spot out of a starting field of 45 cars. Bob subsequently moved his family to Mackenzie, BC in 1972 where he ran a GM auto dealership as well as serving as Mayor of Mackenzie for 2 consecutive terms. He visited Victoria in 1976 and competed in an “Old Timer’s Nite” race that August and later moved back to Victoria, finishing his working career at “Cornell Chev/Olds”. Bob passed in 2011.