When Hamilton’s Al Banyard fired up his far tractor and
headed for the back 40’s, his distant neighbors knew that
racing cars were not too far behind.
That was more than 30 years ago and at that time Al and
his racing friends couldn’t have guessed that the little
dirt track which they were carving in the fields would
become an integral part of the formation of the Can Am
Midget Racing Club.
The actual birth of the club, however, started to really
take shape with the actions of two independent groups on
both sides of the border. The Canadian group was
spear-headed by Pickering, Ontario’s Bill Crawford while
the US side was being mustered by Buffalo’s Harry Macy.
Racing for single-seat, open-wheel cars in southern Ontario
was limited to a smattering of events such as the quartermidget
shows being held Friday’s at the Hamilton Lacrosse Bowl.
There were many ovals catering to the bigger stock car classes,
but very little in the way of true midget or open-wheel racing.
In Buffalo, which has a rich history of midget racing, the
group was running the three-quarter midgets in small numbers
at Lancaster Speedway.
It didn’t take long for Macy and Crawford to get together
and with a sizable number of drivers racing at Banyard’s,
the plans for the club started to take shape.
The first actual race between the two groups was agreed
to and was slated to be held at Johnny’s Park on Sand
Hill Road in Beamsville, Ontario, not too far from Banyard’s
Mount Hope, farm.
Unfortunately, the drivers never got to see a green flag
fall. While the Canadian squad was waiting for their US
counterparts to show up, Canada Customs had other
ideas. Harry and his troops were busy convincing Custom
officials that nothing covert about their entry into
Canada was taking place.
Eventually the teams made it through but when they arrived,
most of the Canadians had gone home. However, it wasn’t
long before plans were finalized to conduct
races as a group. Tracks such as Lancaster, Hide-A-Way in
western Ontario, Cayuga, Windsor, and Flamboro became
part of a regular schedule.
The Can Am Club was sanctioning races as far south as
Florida, west to Ohio, and even Indianapolis and east
into Quebec.
While the club boasts a membership in the triple digits,
it is hard not to think of the original members in these
busy days as many of those remain active in the club and
are instrumental in its day-to-day operation.
Sons of original members have come on to be standout
drivers. Keith Dempster, the son of the late Lloyd
Dempster, has set championship and winning race numbers
that will stand for many years to come. Others who have
turned a competitive wheel include Bill Macy, and his
son, Craig, who is the grandson of Harry Macy, Rich
Watkins, the son of Dick Watkins. Bob Crawford is a
nephew of Bill Crawford.
While motorsport continues its growth on both sides of
the border, the Can Am Club is raising more than an
eyebrow or two with the track promoters.
The Can Am Midgets are no longer the half-time show
and gone are the days when the track announcers tell
the fans to catch a quick hot dog at the stands while the
midgets hit the oval for a much needed break between
heats of the regular stockers.
The club has enjoyed several events being televised
nationally on the CTV and TSN networks across Canada.
For a number of years the club sanctioned the popular
indoor series, which is a stand-alone event and continues
to draw fans and drivers from far and wide.
The club has come a long way since the days some 30
years ago when the founding members gathered for makeshift
race events. No longer does anyone hear Al Banyard’s
tractor start up and certainly you don’t hear the track
announcers talk about hot dogs, except for the ones on the track.
by Dave Cook
Past Point Champions
1967 John Casey Tonawanda, N.Y.
1968 Ted Jones Kenmore N.Y.
1969 to 1974 Bruce Bolitsky Waterloo, Ontario
1975 Vince Christiano Kenmore, N.Y.
1976 Larry Glaser Kenmore, N.Y.
1977 Denny Yakam Grand Island, N.Y.
1978 John Fitzgibbon Tonawanda, N.Y.
1979/1980 Vince Christiano Kenmore N.Y.
1981/1982 Bob Meyers Williamsville, N.Y.
1983 Vince Christiano Kenmore N.Y.
1984 Dave McKnight Jr. Brampton, Ontario
1985 Steve McKnight Mississauga, Ontario
1986 Dave Carson Hornby, Ontario
1987 Keith Dempster Mississauga, Ontario
1988 Arnie Bray Whitby, Ontario
1989 Wayne Turnbull Paris, Ontario
1990 Dave McKnight Jr. Brampton, Ontario
1991 Andy Mackereth Etobicoke, Ontario
1992 Keith Dempster Mississauga, Ontario
1993 Keith Dempster Alton, Ontario
1994 Keith Dempster Alton, Ontario
1995 Keith Dempster Alton, Ontario
1996 Mark Sammut London, Ontario
1997 Keith Dempster Alton, Ontario
For more information on the Castrol
Can-Am Midgets, please contact....
-> President Ken Lorenz
(716) 685-1190
EMAIL
-> Vice-President Andy Mackereth
(905) 275-3100
EMAIL
