TERRY AND TRACY CESSFORD 2016 INDUCTEES

Twin brothers Terry and Tracy Cessford, both joined the “Vancouver Island Track Racing Association” (VITRA) in 1978 as 15 year old crew members, their older brother Dan having built a 1968 Chevrolet Biscayne “Demo” car with Terry and Tracy’s help. This would be the beginning of a 30 year involvement in auto racing.

In 1979, the boys ran the same Biscayne as a “Jalopy” with Dan driving along with a ’67 Oldsmobile “Cutlass” for the Demo class with now 16 year old Tracy at the wheel and brother Terry as crew member. They won “Best Appearing Demo” for their #428 car. For 1980 they put together a 1971 Comet Caliente for Dan in the Jalopy class with Tracy again driving last year’s “428” car. Tracy that season also was a crewman for Gordy Barge’s Stockcar.

In 1981, they continued to run Demo but also built up a 1966 Chevelle for their 1^st Stockcar, piloted by Tracy with Terry as Crew Chief. Demo racing continued for them the following year as well as a first meeting with car owner John Beddington whom they convinced to build a 1971 Pontiac Ventura John had as a “B” class Hobby Stock in which Tracy won “Rookie of the Year” and many main events that season finishing 2^nd in the points race, a mere two points behind “Season Points Winner” Gord Smith. 1982 also marked the start of Terry’s driving career in a 2^nd “B” Hobby Stock, a 1967 Cougar.

1983 saw the twins still racing Demos and also a 1971 Chevelle Stockcar owned by John Beddington which they entered in that year’s “Canada 200”. Running against Super Stocks which included the likes of veteran driver Roy Smith at the wheel of Jim Matthew’s “Russ Lejeune”-built car who qualified 6^th, Tracy put the Stockcar in the 5^th starting position, finishing the race in 13^th spot.

With more Demos for them in 1984, Terry and Tracy also ran a few races for John in a ’72 Nova, later stepping aside when Rob Scott took over the driver’s seat. Next was the building of a 1971 Nova in their place of employment, “Midas Muffler” in Colwood, with help from George Jenson. They ran this car in the Stockcar class (in which Tracy won his second “Rookie of the Year”) and the “International Pro Stock” series for Super Stocks with Terry as crew chief.

They continued racing Demos and Stockcars in both 1985 and 1986 and the following year Terry won “Mechanic of the Year” with Tracy being voted “Driver of the Year”. In 1988, “TNT Racing” helped build 3 “IMCA Modified” cars for this new class with the brothers running in the class for the next two years. The 1991 season saw Terry helping George Jenson in the “Old Time Racers Association”and in ’94 the boys built their own OTRA car, a 1933 Dodge sedan which carried the #00.

Continuing to race in OTRA, the three brothers each ran a car in 1997. Tracy sold his the following year with Dan selling his in 1999 and they ran “Enduros” that year. Terry then sold his car in 2000 and they then built a “Sportsman” in which Tracy won “Rookie of the Year” in 2002. They continued in the class until selling the car in 2007. Terry then bought an OTRA car from Dan Morneau in which he won OTRA’s “Ron Mayell Memorial” in 2008 and finally sold the car to Roger Beck in 2011. Tracy ran a few “Hornet” races during this time period and then stepped away from auto racing.