TOM HAMILTON 2007 INDUCTEE

Tom Hamilton began racing sports cars in the early 1960’s in an Austin-Healey Sprite and also an MG Midget. In 1964 at the age of thirty-three he placed second in the Gymkhana class in the BC Region of the Canadian Automobile Sport Club. In 1965 he graduated to a powerful Sunbeam Tiger which carried a V8 engine in which he recorded thirty-eight wins in the fifty-four events that he entered.

In 1967 he started racing a Brown Brothers Ford-sponsored Shelby GT350R and for the next two seasons he and his sponsor were an unbeatable combination as they captured over forty podium finishes. Not content with just competing in the Sedan and B Production divisions, they changed components to be able to enter races in other categories. Their record at Vancouver’s Westwood circuit in ’67 included: May 7 ICSCC races, A-E Improved Production, won B improved (fastest lap – 1’24.0); May 28 – B-E Improved Production – won B Feature Race – 2nd overall; June 4 – A-E Improved Production – won B; June 25 – Player’s Pacific, 14th overall, 4th over 2-litre; July 30 – A-E Improved Production – won B (Fastest lap – 1’31.4”, Modified, won C; Aug. 20 – A-E Improved Production – won B (Fastest lap – 1’23.3”); Sept. 17 – A-E Improved Production – won B (Fastest lap – 1’22.2”); Oct. 1 – Pepsi Pro Invitational – 9th OA, 7th over 2-litre; Oct. 23 – 7 Hour Enduro – 3rd overall.

Tommy won five Northwest Driving Championships in 1968 which included two International Conference titles, two BC Regional Championships and an overall Royal City Club title, this season being the high point of his road racing career. In 1969 he won Victoria’s Mount Douglas Hill Climb, a feat that was also accomplished in 1962 by 1984 Hall of Fame inductee Billy Foster.

In 1970, Tom left Sportscar racing and began running oval track at his Island hometown track of Oyster River Raceway (now Saratoga Speedway) first in a Stockcar and then in 1972 in a Super Stock. In addition to Oyster River, he also competed at Western Speedway and the Mainland’s Langley Speedway. His winning sportscar ways also prevailed in oval track as he earned four points championships while being victorious in numerous heat races and features. As well as his wins, the media dubbed him “Terrible Tommy” after some particularly aggressive racing moments which earned him eight black flags. He retired from active competition in 1976.

In 2005, Tom was reunited with his former ride, the now-resotred Brown Brothers GT350R, and was invited to test drive it on the California Motor Speedway. Showing that the years had not diminished his driving skills, he hit one hundred and sixty-five miles an hour which would have put him in the third starting position for the following day’s vintage racing event. This prompted him to ask, “So how do I get started in Vintage Racing?’.