As has been the case since auto racing’s inception, becoming involved in it has many times gone hand- in-hand with the formation of an untold number of personal relationships including romance and marriage. This was indeed the case for Brian Willson who in 1958 began dating Valerie Smith who would then become his wife.
Along with his relationship with Valerie came a friendship for Brian with Val’s older brother Bill (Sr.) who had become involved in racing at Western. Bill and Brian soon agreed to team up in fielding a 1941 Ford coupe in the Speedway’s newly-formed Jalopy class for the 1958 season with both of them sharing driving duties as well as maintaining their #63 racer.
Their racing involvement continued and for the 1962 season, Bill arranged for Brian to be the driver of the #21 car, a 1934 Ford coupe which veteran VITRA member Frank Dyer had built for the Stockcar class. Quickly proving that Frank had been very wise to accept Bill’s recommendation, Brian began racking up trophy dash, heat race and main event wins at both Western and Nanaimo’s Grandview Bowl including the July Cup and both Victoria and Nanaimo season-end Championship races which culminated in his emerging as the 1962 Island Points Champion. In addition, the “21” car was voted the Best Looking Car that year.
Driving again for Frank the following season, Brian repeated as Island Points Champion after a close battle with Nanaimo’s Jim Berry and Bob Browne. As this was the last season for the Stockcar class, Brian then set about designing and building a roadster-style car for the new “B Modified” class which debuted in 1964 in which he finished the year in fourth spot in the standings. In addition, he also served as the Vancouver Island Track Racing Association’s Vice President.
He then sold his Modified to Neil Montgomery for the 1965 season but did return behind the wheel when he substituted for brother-in-law Bill during the second half of the Timber Cup races on July 12th and also on July 24th when he was involved in a heat race collision which sent him cartwheeling end over end down Western’s backstretch. After a quick trip to hospital, Brian was checked over and released and the car was rebuilt, returning later that season.
Brian then retired from active competition to spend more time with his family travelling, camping and boating but did find time to build up another Modified over the next few years, this one an “upright” version powered by an inline GMC six cylinder engine which made it’s first appearance at an InterCity race at Western in July of 1968.
A longer period of time away from racing followed after which he returned for a final time behind the wheel of a 1956 Ford Hobby Stock in one of two races held for retired drivers at a special “Old Timer’s Nite” in August of 1976. And Brian won that race, beating out fellow veterans including Dave Cooper, Chris Benson and Bill Temple.
Brian passed in 2008.
- 1958 at Western: Brian Willson’s and Bill Smith’s #63 1941 Ford coupe sits outside first row during a Jalopy race lineup (Barrie Goodwin photo).
- 1962 at Western: Brian following his winning of one of several trophy dashes that season (Ted Mackenzie photo).
- 1962 at Nanaimo: Brian is presented with a main event win trophy by Ray Pottinger (Ted Mackenzie photo).
- 1962 at Western: Brian winning the Stockcar Championship race (Ted Mackenzie photo).
- 1962: #21 1934 Ford Stockcar with (left to right) crew member Dick Miller, crew member Wally Ormiston, car owner Frank Dyer (with cap) with Frank’s son John beside him, crew member Pat O’Connor and driver Brian Willson (Ted Mackenzie photo).
- 1963 at Western: Brian in the #1 1934 Ford Stockcar (Ted Mackenzie photo).
- 1963 at Western: June 15th fast heat with (left to right) #1 Brian Willson, #37 Fred Bull, #24 Bob Mawle, #55 Doug Rose and #3 Bill Boden (Ted Mackenzie photo).
- 1963 at Western: #4 Bill Smith and Brian in a collision as the result of a slippery track (Barrie Goodwin photo).
- 1964 at Mayfair Mall: Brian’s #21 B Modified with others at a pre-Daffodil Cup racecar display (Dave Ireland photo).
- 1964 at Nanaimo: Brian and crew inspect their #21 car following a lost wheel during a heat race (Barrie Goodwin photo).
- 1976 at Western: Brian (sixth from the left) and fellow retired drivers at “Old Timer’s Nite” in August (Ted Mackenzie photo).
- August 1976 at Western: Brian in #76 leads Dave Cooper in #98 during the first “Old Timer’s” race (Ted Mackenzie photo).