March 24, 2010
Memories of “the TRACK”
My Dad, Craig Frazer invested in a hobby farm at the end of the Berry Road in South Langley in the late 50’s. My two brothers and sister often took friends along to ride the horses and explore the rolling hills.
Being a creative entrepeneur, he then decided a portion of the valley on the acrage would be an ideal spot for a car racing track , the hillside perfect for the viewing audience , offices, etc.
The whole finished project (engineered by Mr. Yamamoto, of Surrey) was pretty spectacular, and the years of racing there were incredible for all involved, the racers are still talking about actually being paid !!!
The passion of the members of the Langley Speedway Historical Society to revive “the track” through memorabelia, the gathering of all those who were once involved and using the still pristine oval in creative ways for all to experience is so admirable and I can’t tell you how pleased our Dad would be to think that his vision was being revisited as a venue for such varied uses. His family is also so very pleased and certainly hopes the Langley Speedway Track will continue to be visited and used by as many as possible.
Jamie Frazer ( Craig Frazer’s daughter)
I too have many stories about “the track”. Our mother Pepi Frazer ran the ticket office and did all the accounting. At first, The whole family was invovled. Us four kids would have to pick up the garbage by hand, throughout the blechers and the pits . I loved it, because I would always find lost coins or dollar bills. I would spend hours at night, with my mom folding pit passes for the drivers. My first summer on my own; I lived above the pulic washrooms, in a one bedroom suite .During the week I would have run of the 160 acres farm - now Campbell Valley Park, picking blackberries, now the bleachers are one giant blackberry bush. The weekends , during the races ,I ran the popcorn stand. Was so much fun.
My father would be so happy that it lives on.
I worked on the gate and in the time shack for Craig Fraser, I remember opening day as if it were yesterday. Sweat Memories. I t was a pleasure being part of the racing scene in the 60’s.
http://www2.canada.com/langleyadvance/news/story.html?id=d287cf42-c5b3-4fc9-baa7-4d9046b4c12c Langley Speedway story in April 2 Langley Advance