Viewing Object

Object Description

Object Name

Print, Photographic

Object ID

2015.039.489

Title

Photograph of Alf Aeillo #89 and crew member standing with his modified vehicle at the Langley Speedway.

Date

1968.

Description

Photograph of Alf Aeillo #89 and crew member standing with his modified vehicle at the Langley Speedway in 1968. The photograph was taken in the gravel lot at the centre of the Langley Speedway. The photograph is taken from the passenger side of the vehicle with the crew member standing beside the rear wheel on the left and Alf Aeillo standing beside the #89 painted on the passenger door. The vehicle is painted a solid light blue color with white paint used for sponsors. The racing number #89 is painted with a darker shade of blue and a thin orange outline around the numbers. Both men in the photograph are wearing brown t-shirts, white pants and boots. They both have their arms crossed on their chest. The vehicle has modified the wheel wells to fit the large-profiled tires. On the side of the vehicle near the rear wheel is "Sponsored by Westminster Motor Products Surrey" painted in white. Above the front wheel well is "Classic Signs" painted in white also. Other crews can be seen walking in the background.

People/Subject

Langley Speedway

Langley Speedway opened on June 13th, 1965, under original owner Craig Frazer. In 1969 the Vancouver-Fraser Park District (now the Greater Vancouver Regional District) bought the track and surrounding area with the intent to create a park. Frazer obtained a 10-year lease and continued to run the track until Gordon Hemrich took over in 1977. After the 10-year lease expired in 1979 the track came under increasing pressure from local governments. The lease periods became shorter and shorter with each renewal and there were more restrictions on numbers of dates, hours of operation, etc. The Lower Mainland Oval Racing Association took over operation of the track in 1980 and changed the name to Action Raceway. Finally, at the end of the 1984 season (September 15th), the racers were refused a new lease and the track closed.

A wide variety of cars ran at Langley over the years. In the 1960's there were Early Late Models, "A" Modifeds, "B" Modifieds and "C" Modifieds. During the 1970's there were Limited Super Stocks, Claimers, Open Competition and Modified Sportsman. In the final years there were Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks and Bombers.

Numerous touring series also stopped at Langley. The NASCAR Winston West Series appeared a number of times. Hershel McGriff won the 150 lap races in 1971 and 1972, Ron Eaton won the 100 lapper in 1978 and there was another race on July 18, 1981. The NASCAR Late Model Sportsman series appeared regularly in the mid-1970's. There were also Canadian American Modified Racing Association (CAMRA) events and the International Drivers' Challenge (IDC),

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