by Lois Pollard-Grant

Andy Cottyn, the builder and founder of Western Speedway, was the track's first manager.

In the early 1950's, and almost single-handedly he carved a raw dirt oval out of a tract of land he owned in the wilderness in Langford, with the doors opening for business in May, 1954.

In 1957 Cottyn had the track paved, constructing a flat oval with the size reduced to a 4 1/10 mile as it is today.

He also played a major role in the building of the new steel grandstands in 1979. The cost of the new stands was $250,000 making it one of the most ambitious privately financed undertaking in the Vancouver Island sports history.

He sold the speedway in 1966 to a group of Victoria businessmen including Geoff Vantreight and Frank Wille, the present owner. Andy Cottyn, characterized as a tough but fair man, died in 1988 at the age of 82, and it was a fitting tribute that after his funeral, he had his last ride around the speedway he had built and loved.

Reg Midgley was promoter of Western Speedway from 1966 to 1977, and from 1982 to 1985.

He had also served as official, executive, announcer, writer, and car owner - but he had never driven a race car.

It was Midgley's showman touch that turned the Speedway into the popular staple of Island life, that it remains to this day.

Over the years he brought to Western and the Northwest such names as NASCAR great Bobby Allison, Indy Champ, Roger Ward, Art Pollard, and Janet Guthrie, the first woman to run in the Indianapolis 500.

Midgley was one of the founders of, and President of the Canadian American Modified Association (CAMRA) He also played major roles in the formation of the International Drivers Challenge (IDC) and the International Pro Stocks Series - which was designed to bridge the gap between the high priced NASCAR competition and local superstock racing. Both the IDC and the Pro Stocks were a premier series on the West Coast for many years.

After his retirement from Western Speedway, Midgley went on to own and manage Port Angeles Speeedway in Washington State.

Tony Mortel, at the young age of 28, was the first race car driver to become manager of the Langford track.

He was a successful driver in the CAMRA circuit and also served as president of the organization.

During his reign at Western Speedway from 1977 to 1981, Mortel insured the continuance of auto racing in Victoria, by leading the drive to build a permanent steel grandstand to replace the old wooden one. Mortel was also instrumental in stopping the zoning changes that were being planned at that time. Western Speedway is zoned recreational due in large part to the efforts of Mortel.

One of his many good promotions included backing Roy Smith's successful ride in the Daytona 500 in 1982.

Ever the promoter, he also introduced the hit-to-pass demo cars to Western Speedway. Today Mortel is involved in racing with the WILROC Sprint Cars Series as promoter - negotiator.

Like the promoters before and after him, Butch Behn loved auto racing and wanted nothing better than to see racing continue at Western Speedway.

Under Behn's management from 1986 to 1997, shows were brought in that were new and out of the ordinary - Truck and Tractor Pulls, Mud Bog racing, and the Tom Cochrane Rock Concert.

For a number of years the NASCAR Northwest Tour made annual appearances to the Speedway. Behn helped many drivers get their start in racing; and he also put a lot back into the Speedway facilities in the way of improvements and upkeep - the most costly being the front stretch including turns three and four, and the retaining wall. The track had to be dug down 10 feet, filled with rock and repaved. He also installed a modern score board and was a part in the development of the drag racing tower.

Vancouver Island Track Racing Association (VITRA) ceased active existence under Behn's reign.

Behn has owned and operated South Sound Speedway, in Tenino, WA., since he retired from Western Speedway in 1997.

Matt Sahlstrom and Bill Smith (both former race car drivers) are now the promoters of the Langford oval, and over the past five years have made a number of changes and improvements.

First up, and appealing to families, was the reduction in the price of admission, and for kids 10 and under - free to local shows. Keeping with family was the introduction of the kid's tricycle races that are run on the speedway front stretch on race nights.

Besides the regular Saturday night fare, the partners have brought in new shows such as the Big Rigs, CASCAR, the Dynomax Late Model Superstock Series, Road Hogs - and Pastor Tim Davis' Denomination Derby.

Major improvements to the facilities included berms, a cement wall in corners one and two, new lighting, and a complete paint job on the grandstands last year.

Earlier this year, Sahlstrom and Smith signed a five year lease with Frank Wille, owner of All Fun Recreation Park, which includes Western Speedway.