Auto racing

Sports Car Club of America U.S. Majors Tour second-place finisher Jerry Olsen, left, joins H Production class race winner Bill Okell on the podium at High Plains Raceway near Denver on Aug. 22. (Photo courtesy Bill Okell/Colorado Region SCCA)

Saanich sports car driver qualifies for Indy, and then some during Denver races

Bill Okell chalks up a first and a second, needing only to complete 50 per cent of laps

 

The late Neil Montgomery stands proudly with a motor he built in his shop behind Malahat Auto Parts. The longtime supporter and participant in auto racing at the former Western Speedway will be memorialized there on Aug. 20. The service coincides with Daffodil Cup weekend at the track, one of Montgomery’s favourite events of the season. (Photo by Donna Rand)

Longtime friend to Vancouver Island auto racers to be memorialized Aug. 20

Neil Montgomery wore many hats in his race career: builder, hall 0f fame president and more

 

Bill Okell manoeuvres his MG Midget around a corner at Buttonwillow Speedway in Bakersfield, Calif. during a February 2020 race. Okell will be in Denver this month attempting to qualify for the Sports Car Club of America nationals in Indianapolis this fall. (Photo by Cali Photography)

Dream to race at Indianapolis one last time close to reality for Saanich driver

Bill Okell aims to be in the U.S. auto racing mecca this fall

 

Canadian driver Paul Tracy pulls out of the pits during the morning session at the Molson Indy in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, July 26, 2003 (CP/Richard Lam)

Vancouver is considering hosting a Formula E race using electric cars

The race would be part of a three-day event focused on climate and sustainability

Canadian driver Paul Tracy pulls out of the pits during the morning session at the Molson Indy in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, July 26, 2003 (CP/Richard Lam)
Former Highlands resident Josh Reaume was suspended by NASCAR last fall for a social media post and was recently reinstated. (Black Press Media file photo)

Former Greater Victoria racer welcomed back to NASCAR after suspension

A toaster strudel got Josh Reaume disciplined last year

Former Highlands resident Josh Reaume was suspended by NASCAR last fall for a social media post and was recently reinstated. (Black Press Media file photo)
Former Highlands resident Josh Reaume was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR following a social media post that breached members’ code of conduct. (Black Press Media file photo)

NASCAR suspends former Vancouver Island resident for insensitive social media post

Josh Reaume ‘sorry’ if food photo ‘taken out of context’ offended anyone

Former Highlands resident Josh Reaume was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR following a social media post that breached members’ code of conduct. (Black Press Media file photo)
Bill Okell captured two first-place finishes and a second-place finish at the Confederation of Autosport Car Clubs Championships on Sept. 26 and 27. (Brent Martin/Martin’s Action Photography)

Saanich race car driver nabs GTU title, new hardware at Mission Raceway Park

‘Satisfying win’ on Canadian circuit after U.S. season cut short for Bill Okell

Bill Okell captured two first-place finishes and a second-place finish at the Confederation of Autosport Car Clubs Championships on Sept. 26 and 27. (Brent Martin/Martin’s Action Photography)
Saanich-based driver Bill Okell awaited the start of a race in 2018. (Ralph Umayam/Cali Photo)

Saanich race car driver shifts gears as pandemic cuts U.S. season short

Bill Okell, 65, sets sights on Canadian racing circuit for 2020

Saanich-based driver Bill Okell awaited the start of a race in 2018. (Ralph Umayam/Cali Photo)
Saanich’s 65-year-old racecar driver Bill Okell speeds around the Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif. in a Huffaker Engineering MG Midget. (Cali Photography)

VIDEO: Saanich race car driver nabs podium finish at first U.S. Majors race of the season

The 65 year old finished second in the feature race on Feb. 23

Saanich’s 65-year-old racecar driver Bill Okell speeds around the Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif. in a Huffaker Engineering MG Midget. (Cali Photography)
This season, Bill Okell will be racing in an MG Midget owned by the Huffaker Engineering racing team. (Photo courtesy Bill Okell)

Saanich’s senior race car driver not slowing down

Bill Okell kicks off 2020 season at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in California on Feb. 21

This season, Bill Okell will be racing in an MG Midget owned by the Huffaker Engineering racing team. (Photo courtesy Bill Okell)
Full throttle for David Smith

Full throttle for David Smith

Entrepreneur, adventurer and race car builder lives life at top speed

  • Feb 17, 2020
Full throttle for David Smith
Saanich driver Bill Okell, driving for a new team this season, posted second and a third-place finishes at a soggy U.S. Auto Club Speedway during Sports Car Club of America races last weekend in Los Angeles. Photo contributed

Victoria-area sports car drivers conquer rains in Los Angeles

Bill Okell and Brian Richards post top-five finishes in Sports Car Club of America event

Saanich driver Bill Okell, driving for a new team this season, posted second and a third-place finishes at a soggy U.S. Auto Club Speedway during Sports Car Club of America races last weekend in Los Angeles. Photo contributed
Saanich driver posts best-ever finish at sports car nationals in U.S.

Saanich driver posts best-ever finish at sports car nationals in U.S.

Bill Okell rebounds from sluggish qualifying session to take fifth in GT Light race

Saanich driver posts best-ever finish at sports car nationals in U.S.
Saanich-based driver Bill Okell awaits the start of a race earlier this season. He’s competing in his third Sports Car Club of America national championship next month in California. Photo by Ralph Umayam/Cali Photo

When I’m 64? Bill Okell is still racing sports cars

Saanich driver is heading to his third SCCA national championships

Saanich-based driver Bill Okell awaits the start of a race earlier this season. He’s competing in his third Sports Car Club of America national championship next month in California. Photo by Ralph Umayam/Cali Photo
The lightning-fast NSRA winged sprint cars are always a popular racing class at Western Speedway. They’ll be contesting the annual Daffodil Cup races over the Aug. 17 and 18 weekend in Langford. Courtesy Western Speedway

Big-time racing on tap in Langford this month

Western Speedway the place to be for a roaring good time in summer

The lightning-fast NSRA winged sprint cars are always a popular racing class at Western Speedway. They’ll be contesting the annual Daffodil Cup races over the Aug. 17 and 18 weekend in Langford. Courtesy Western Speedway
Greater Victoria driver Bill Okell (12) leads a pair of cars around a turn at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course during the Sports Car Club of America national run-offs. Okell finished 12th in the GT-Lite class race on Sunday and wound up 22nd in a 40-car field in the F Production class race on Friday. Photo contributed

Victoria-area driver posts second-best sports car nationals finish

Bill Okell races at Indianopolis for the first time, pilots Austin Healey for Huffaker Racing

Greater Victoria driver Bill Okell (12) leads a pair of cars around a turn at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course during the Sports Car Club of America national run-offs. Okell finished 12th in the GT-Lite class race on Sunday and wound up 22nd in a 40-car field in the F Production class race on Friday. Photo contributed
Greater Victoria driver Bill Okell, driving an Austin Healey and leading Craig Carter in the orange Nissan and John Bower in the white one, heads around a banked turn at Button Willow Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. in April. Okell went on to win the race and set a track record, and later qualified for this fall’s Sports Car Club of America national championships at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. CaliPhoto

Brickyard beckons to veteran Greater Victoria driver

Bill Okell heading to Indianopolis for sports car national championships

Greater Victoria driver Bill Okell, driving an Austin Healey and leading Craig Carter in the orange Nissan and John Bower in the white one, heads around a banked turn at Button Willow Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. in April. Okell went on to win the race and set a track record, and later qualified for this fall’s Sports Car Club of America national championships at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. CaliPhoto
Former international karting star and 2017 Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame and Museum inductee Johnny Sutton of Langford spent two decades driving these open wheel cars. He got a shot at driving an Indy Lights car later in his career, but he achieved his greatest successes in karting. Photo courtesy Johnny Sutton

Victoria auto racing hall of fame welcomes new members

2017 induction class includes sprint car driver Scott “the tire fryer” Aumen

Former international karting star and 2017 Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame and Museum inductee Johnny Sutton of Langford spent two decades driving these open wheel cars. He got a shot at driving an Indy Lights car later in his career, but he achieved his greatest successes in karting. Photo courtesy Johnny Sutton