Southern Ontario Sprints

WESTBROOK TAKES MERRITTVILLE SOS WIN
DRYDEN TAKES SOS/GLSS WIN AT BUXTON
CORY TURNER CLAIMS GARY CUNNINGHAM MEMORIAL WIN AT...
WESTBROOK TAKES MERRITTVILLE SOS WIN

WESTBROOK TAKES MERRITTVILLE SOS WIN

7/20/2024 -
Photo Credit: Steve Ruddy (www.facebook.com/SteveRuddyRacingPhotos/) Article Credit: Southern Ontario Sprints Media with files from Jonathon Howe THOR
DRYDEN TAKES SOS/GLSS WIN AT BUXTON

DRYDEN TAKES SOS/GLSS WIN AT BUXTON

7/13/2024 -
Photo Credit: Dupuis Racing Photography (facebook.com/DupuisRacePhotography) Article Credit: Southern Ontario Sprints Media MERLIN, Ont. (July 13, 202
CORY TURNER CLAIMS GARY CUNNINGHAM MEMORIAL WIN AT...

CORY TURNER CLAIMS GARY CUNNINGHAM MEMORIAL WIN AT...

6/22/2024 -
Photo Credit: Steve Ruddy (www.facebook.com/SteveRuddyRacingPhotos/) Article Credit: Southern Ontario Sprints Media with files from Jonathon Howe THOR

-

WESTBROOK TAKES MERRITTVILLE SOS WIN

WESTBROOK TAKES MERRITTVILLE SOS WIN

7/20/2024
Photo Credit: Steve Ruddy (www.facebook.com/SteveRuddyRacingPhotos/) Article Credit: Southern Ontario Sprints Media with files from Jonathon Howe THOROLD, Ont. (July 20, 2024) - Dylan Westbrook was back in victory lane at Merrittville Speedway on Saturday night after a...more
Southern Ontario Sprints Return to Merrittville This Saturday Nig

Southern Ontario Sprints Return to Merrittville This Saturday Nig...

7/15/2024
THOROLD, ONTARIO (July 15, 2024) … Fastek will be presenting the racing program this coming Saturday night at Merrittville Speedway. The 2024 season continues on Saturday, July 20 for Memorabilia Contest Night, where fans can show off their retro t-shirts and other...more
DRYDEN TAKES SOS/GLSS WIN AT BUXTON

DRYDEN TAKES SOS/GLSS WIN AT BUXTON

7/13/2024
Photo Credit: Dupuis Racing Photography (facebook.com/DupuisRacePhotography) Article Credit: Southern Ontario Sprints Media MERLIN, Ont. (July 13, 2024) - Darren Dryden claimed his first win of the 2024 season on Saturday night at Buxton Speedway in a co-sanctioned event...more
CORY TURNER CLAIMS GARY CUNNINGHAM MEMORIAL WIN AT MERRITTVILLE

CORY TURNER CLAIMS GARY CUNNINGHAM MEMORIAL WIN AT MERRITTVILLE

6/22/2024
Photo Credit: Steve Ruddy (www.facebook.com/SteveRuddyRacingPhotos/) Article Credit: Southern Ontario Sprints Media with files from Jonathon Howe THOROLD, Ont. (June 22, 2024) - The Turner family has a long and illustrious history at Merrittville Speedway, and Cory Turner...more

Muscle Cars, Wally’s, and Engines - The Life of Gary Cunningham
962
6/21/2023

6/21/2023

Southern Ontario Sprints


Muscle Cars, Wally’s, and Engines - The Life of Gary Cunningham

If ever there was a man born for his time it was Gary Cunningham. While not born into a family of gearheads he did have one uncle that made all the difference. Uncle Don, would take Gary to the CNE Speedway to see the likes of #7 Ted Hogan, #38 Jimmy Howard, Harvey Lennox in his Tammy 10 and many others do battle. A love affair was born.

By 1964 he was 16 and ready to hit the streets and soon he would find himself driving some of the most iconic muscle cars Detroit ever produced including a fastback Mustang and one of the most prized of all, a 1969 Pontiac Firebird. What a time to be young, alive and in possession of a driver’s license!

Soon he would have a true honest drag strip only machine. A ‘67 Chevy Camaro. By the end of the decade he achieved the dream of every drag racer, He took home a ‘Wally”, A Wally named after NHRA founder Wally Parks is the most coveted trophy in drag racing it denotes a division win at an NHRA National event. It is also one of the most recognizable trophies in all of Motorsports. Even better, the win took place in his home country at Sanair Dragway in Quebec.

Things got really crazy in 1980 when he built a 1980 Chevy Malibu and this one had all the go fast goodies including an acid dipped body to save weight. All it did was win. Including the biggest of them all, the US Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. He left Indianapolis with a passenger - a mini Wally.

Unfortunately the NHRA would soon wreck things when his class (Modified Eliminator) was discontinued. A protest of the decision by the racers including a mass of drag cars going the wrong way down the strip did nothing to reverse the decision. FYI Travis reports that Malibu is still around!

Somewhere in all of that he had found time to marry the love of his life, Rosemary. Later came the guy he would battle in Go-Karts, his son Travis. In the ‘80’s Gary decided to turn left. He bought one of the best cars in the area from Ron Box out of London, stuck NASCAR winner Earl Ross in the seat and went about winning. The next year he teamed up with a young Stompin’ Tom Walters and for the next few years had some of the most fun he had in racing.

When he wasn’t racing, Gary was working at his real job as an engine builder, He had his own business building engines for both Drag Racers and the oval track folk. Asphalt stars such as Jr, Hanley, Don Biederman, Peter Gibbons, John Fletcher and Pee Wee Evans all ran Gary’s engines. On the dirt side of things Pete Bicknell, Mike Bowman and a sprint car upstart, Travis Cunningham.

Travis would win his first sprint car feature in 2012 at Ohsweken Speedway using an engine built by his dad, Gary. The victory was bittersweet as Gary was not there to see it. He battled the mightiest enemy of all and lost. Cancer had taken its toll and had eventually won as it so often does.

We truly hope you enjoy the Gary Cunningham Memorial race at Merrittville Speedway on June 24, and please take a few minutes to remember Gary.


Article Credit: Peter Turford

Article Media

Back to News







Tammy 10
Nitro 54
Ackland Insurance
Trailer Pros
Creative Edge
National Sprint Car HOF
Inside Track
Image Factor