“Inductee” trivia tidbit

For the 1959 Stockcar season, 1998 Inductee Ray Pottinger and 2014 Inductee Hank Neilson were the only 2 Nanaimo drivers who had finished in the top 10 in Island points the previous year, Ray in 6^th spot and Hank in 8^th. The two had first competed together after Ray, already a driver at Shearing Speedway in 1952, had encouraged Hank to build a car and join him for 1953. Through the automotive repair business he ran with his father and brother, Hank subsequently sponsored Ray’s #4 Stockcar for the 1956 season at Western. It was in the garage area of that same repair business that the “Mid Island Auto Racing Association” (MIARA) was born with both of them serving on the club’s executive at various times. Ray and Hank were also among the group of Hub City racing enthusiasts who actively pushed for a new speedway in Nanaimo which became a reality in 1958.