SECOND SECTION

“The Waddling Dow Inn ab

Patricia Bay Highway - Reservations 652-1146

Wednesday, January 28, 1 981 THERE VIEW

Page 13

qos occceHere

_By RON NORMAN
(Staff Writer]

Frank. Smith could be a dead ringer for a_
professional football player. He stands a good
six-feet,. four-inches (if not more) and tips the
scales at well over 200 pounds. His mands are the
size of boxing gloves.
- But he’s not a- footballer. He’s workshop
superintendent at the Pat Bay Institute of Ocean
Sciences. However, on. weekends from April
‘through October Frank Smith is transformed and
becomes one-half of one of the best amateur road
racing teams in the Pacific Northwest.

‘The other half is his wife, Marilyn. Together,
they’re the best husband-wife driving team
around. If there is any question, their record
speaks for itself. :

Frank won two classes in 1980: the ‘‘D’’ for
improved sedan, and the ‘‘F’’ for sports racing. It _
was the first time in the 25-year history of the.
International Conference of Sports Car Clubs
that any driver has: won two classes in a single
year.

And Frank did it convincingly. He captured 10
of 12 races in the ‘‘F’’ category, missing his 11th
win by only the length of his car. The 10 wins was

‘ another ICSCC first, and lncluded a stretch of
~ seven in arow.

_Meanwhile, Marilyn managed to hold her own.
She finished in the top three in 10 of 12 races —..
‘not bad considering husband Frank was. her
major competitor. That record made her ICSCC
1980 woman driver of the year. Se

Perhaps even . more... amazing © is’ that. .the
Saanichton couple rode to the top of the amateur
racing circuit after only three years. Frank and

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Marilyn Smith i in her. white Mini Cooper Ss leads the e pack in J 980 mC’ amateur road race, e

-early jump on the season are both 1 g00d reasons. :
‘Frank spent the winter before the 1980 season
making sure both cars were ready to race.-Then he
‘and. Marilyn packed their motor. home and. two
children and began racing from the opening April.
date, continuing every weekend through October.»
“It?s. the type of dedication only-a real road racer.
could offer. But. it: won’t be there. this year. The:
~. Smiths ‘say their: sons are now in school and they.

— that’s one of our big things,” he says.

Safety. regulations demand: proper seat. har- -
nesses, fireproof suits ‘and gloves, regulation roll
“bar, approved: helmet: and shield, proper shoes, ©
etc. ‘‘There’s nothing spared in. the way of

~ safety.”’
~) Frank: even has a fire system i in his cars : where ‘ret
‘ he-can: simply press‘a button. and the: whole car’

*.. fills with. foam. ,He adds noone was hurtsine.
- just can’t. afford the time. off to make those long. conference racing. last year, and. there was only: a “
weekend trips * into the! U. S. 5 they’ u. attend ER single i injury in-1979. ah .
: fewer. Tacesve ee

sees Both® Frank, and, Marilyn” have. ‘been, in: ace ve
a racing in 1977. — when Frank reached 40... Besides, weekend racing is expensive. There are. - cidents.Frank’s came-in Portland when a driver’
“That: was also. the year ‘Frank decided. to: race: aa the’ ferry costs, entry fees, new tires, travelling. “infront of him'slid sideways, into the corner.on a
Mini. Cooper: S. cars,: the tiny British ‘Leyland ae “EXPENses, gas, etc. ‘The Smiths. -knew it-would be.” ~- rainy. track. ‘She- went of the ‘track; but- quickly:
-model.’ At first, nothing appears. more “in... expensive, before ‘they ‘took it on,” ‘but. decided yoo

im “ returned’ — “only. backwards. She moved ‘closer *.
~-congruous. than huge. Frank ‘Smith’ stuffing © <- ‘‘That’s what we want to do, so let’s do it.” ces. Sand closer to Frank until-she- finally hit him in the
~yhimself-into the. tiny British: cary, but: then you . Frank ‘says he now. wishes he had started ~~ tail section. His car stalled, but it finally. started i
~~ can’t argue with success. :

earlier. ‘‘The younger guys take the chances,” he“ and’he still captured the race. = ]

Smith said he’s: always’ liked Minis and has ~ «explains. “With age. comes wisdom.’’ He isn ts line eh Marilyn’ s. “mishap was. more : ~ serious.: Her:

“been in and out of them since 1963.’” In. 1977 he willing. to take the same risks a 20-year-old might.. : steering broke as she was headed into a corner,”
bought two “street”? Minis and raced for a year But he: emphasizes the safety aspects of road. “flipping the car in mid air. It landed on its tail end’

with Victoria Motor Sports Club. racing. ‘‘The conference (ICSCC) stresses safety and rolled over onto its side. Marilyn crawled

The following year. he decided. ‘to head for. the Dons fs oo! “y

ICSCC circuit, which includes Victoria, Van-
couver, Seattle, Portland’ and Spokane. But he
didn’t. just jump in feet first. Instead, -he and
Marilyn opted to crew with a Victoria Mini’
Cooper S champion.:
In-that initial year they Jearned about’ ‘the care
of their cars and the rules of entering ICSCC
competition, ICSCC consists of all sports. car
clubs in the Pacific Northwest, explained Frank.

It includes all kinds of racing cars from the
formula A to ‘“‘production’’ cars like the Pinto,

- Honda, Rabbit, etc., and the sports racing cars
like his modified Mini Cooper S,

The circuit runs from April through October,
with three races a month to start, then just one
and two races a month during the peak summer.
season, and finally three races a month in the fall..:

“again, ;

In 1979 Frank and Marilyn made ther move into
the ICSCC driving circuit, and by 1980 they were
leading the field,

It’s difficult to point to any. single reason for
success, says: Frank, but car preparation and an

| Newbeindty to race,
Marilyn and Frank

rode to top of amateur

: “unhurt through the windshield.
“Its just-a hobby as far as we’re 5 concerned,” ”
said Marilyn. TD ve. hurt myself more on. my
“.-horse.than in any car.’?. |)
Frank says his. Minis can reach’ speeds of 110.
=: miles: an “hour ‘‘flat out’, which is the way the =
cars are usually driven. because : ‘they: corner so.
much better than: their larger counterparts. Pie
‘The Smiths are by no means unique in ICSCC
65. :

eae

in three years.

° ‘Marilyn Smith, 2199 Newman; ‘only: ‘started road is

Is racing your bag?

Anxious to. try your hand behind the wheel
of a road racer? There is a way. It’s called the
Victoria Motor: Sports Club driver training
program, and it’s designed to see if you’re cut
out for motor racing.

The program starts-in March and prepares
drivers for the first ICSCC race in April, It’s a
two-day course, with the first day involving -
tacing theory and consisting of a series of:
lectures.

. The following Sunday the class heads for
Western Speedway in Langford for ‘‘on-the-
track” learning. Senior club drivers take each

Studeni onto the course, teaching them how to

take corners,-start, etc,

“We don't try to ‘teach anybody how to. “

drive —— that’ § beyond our seiatm,’* says club
driver representative Frank Smith.

iy: after all that, you're still interested in
racing, you then complete in ICSCC races in.
the novice category. At this point the kindof -
car doesn’t: matter’so much as. just. finishing
the races without making any glaring errors.

“What: matters is finishing the race and
keeping your nose clean,’ emphasizes Smith,
After those three rmees?you head to the ine
termediate level, where, if you | complete

another three ‘successful races; you’ re ready. |
~ for the senior circuit:

To, enrol in the driving training program, —

I rank and I Marilyn Smith with just some of the trophies they
contact F rank Smith at 652- 2975,

. = worvon the 1980 ICSCC amateur. road racing circuit, Oe te
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eel time
atthe depot —

A bunch. of vounpstert had a:

| een LaDR TREE

ina

"RECREATION EXPANSION :

Public rub wel

“Dates have been set ‘for public

. “The commission has already
~ meetings on the proposed $2,7

_ anproved a. .study. by an.

LN!

Students is help outat at reeyelng depot.

’

: smushing time recently. With great
zest they destroyed hundreds of glass

bottles -— but it was all in a good
cause.

‘Saanich middle school ' had volun-
teered their services to the recycling

studies,

with bottles, papers and -tins, This
time youngsters were on-hand
smashing bottles In large bing and
helping, (6 load the truck which thes’
garbage to. the Saanich Recycling
.. Depot, and thence to the mainland.

- Larry. Cross,
Suturday's event, says the depot ss a
boon to some people who manage to

Some © 20. students from North :

depot at’ North Saanich municipal’

hall as part of their urban community Originally. run by” North:

Once a month residents turn up:

co-ordinator, of ©

. dispose of almost alt their garbage
this-way, Cross says his own family
no longer uses the municipal garbage »

collection service,

Everything is recycled. with “the.

exception of a few Items and these he

takes to the dump" every. month or

80, he says,

The depot -is 10. years old,

council, for the last four years it has

been sponsored » by Deep Cove:
~ Property Owners! Association whose.

members take it in turns: to co-
ordinate the collection at the depot,

Right now, Cross says the assoclation

could: do with some more volunteers
to help out Saturdays,

The depot is open, the second *
Siturdity in each month, ” He 10

1280 pot,

‘

Saanich:

“million: Panorama Leisure Centre
expansion prior to the March 14

referendum,
North Saanich Ald. Jay Rangel
sald the first meeting is set for

Feb, 24 at Sanscha Hall: for”
residents, while North.

‘Sidney

Saanich ratepayers: meet Feb, 26

at the Legion Hall on Mills Rond,
Peninsula;

from the public,

In other recreation news, the
‘cammisstan apreed to include an—
“option for solar heating inex.
spansion. plans if feasible in. ;
‘terms: of economics: and energy _

LonsuMpLON, ; Pe Pils

“solar heat to take a look at the
present and proposed facility, An-
“independent: consultant. will then

en recreation com- . Perimental
mission members will present,
information on the: expansion
proposal and answer: questions :
.Naden Base in Usquimalt where it,

is used to heat the pool.

engineering firm specializing in. # -

USERS the results, .

Rangel told. a Jan. 19. North
Saanich council meeting there was

some concern about - the: ex.

heating: has come of age,"": He
pointed to its use by the navy. at

nial nature — of” ‘solar. Hi
heating, but he sald “solar

Meanwhile; Bill German wash

ae or Pen suena

 geleeted ‘to chalr. the commission {
again this: year: and: Sidney Ald, -
. Stan Bamford was chongn again,

ity Vice~caitintaiis

a