The most anticipated event of Strawberry Cup weekend is the launch of a book chronicling the career of legendary Victoria driver Billy Foster, who came out of events like the Strawberry and Daffodil Cups at Western Speedway to become the first Canadian to race in the Indianapolis 500.
Foster appeared destined for stardom before being killed in a crash during a practice lap for the Riverside 500 in California in January of 1967 after twice racing in the Indy 500.
鈥淏illy and Mario Andretti were very close friends and Andretti said he would never become close to another race driver again,鈥� said author Bob Kehoe of Portland.
The personal stakes were too high for Andretti to again become close friends with a fellow driver.
Kehoe鈥檚 new biography, Billy Foster: The Victoria Flash, chronicles a life 鈥渃ut so short at age 29 with so much potential ahead.鈥�
鈥淏illy could have been another Mario Andretti,鈥� added Kehoe.
Instead, Andretti served as a pallbearer at Foster鈥檚 funeral in Victoria.
The public is invited to the Island book release today at 1 p.m. at the Sheraton Four Points in Langford. Kehoe wanted very much to be at the launch of the Foster biography, especially in the late driver鈥檚 hometown, but an injury from a fall has prevented him from travelling. The event will still have several other features, including two cars driven by Foster. Both cars were restored by Gord Alberg of Saanich, including the car Foster drove in the 1965 Indianapolis 500. The other car was used by Foster on the Mount Douglas hill climbs.
鈥淏illy Foster put Western Speedway on the map. He was the guy,鈥� said Matt Sahlstrom, who started out working in the concessions at the track, moving up to PA announcer over two decades, and then track manager and promoter from 1998 to 2006.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing the avenues Billy opened up for Island drivers. [Car designer] Grant King followed him to Indy. Mario Andretti wanted to come up today for the book launch, but this is in the middle of racing season, and he was unable to.鈥�
Also coming out of Western Speedway was the late NASCAR driver Roy Smith, who raced the Daytona 500 three times, including into the top-10 in 1982.
The Foster book, also available on Amazon, was a labour of love for Kehoe. His previous biography chronicled Art Pollard of Portland, who died in a fiery pole-day qualifying accident at the 1973 Indianapolis 500, and who was a contemporary of Foster in the abundant Pacific Northwest racing scene of that era and of which Western Speedway was a big part.
鈥淢y research made me realize how deep the history of motor-sport racing goes on the Island,鈥� said Kehoe, from Portland.
The Strawberry Cup is tonight and Saturday and features NSRA winged sprint cars, non-winged sprint cars, IMOD modifieds and AMCA cars.
