Maximum Mini: Racing Ogles of Canada

Thursday, 17 March 2022

Racing Ogles of Canada

The Ogle SX1000 of Martin Golder (this one) may have been raced previously in Canada during the 1963 season by a man named Donald Grey of Toronto. Grey entered the car in the Grand Valley Car Club's race meeting at Mosport Park on 15 June 1963, in the Oak Cup race meeting at Mosport Park on 27 July 1963, and in the Player's Quebec Trophy at the Mont-Tremblant circuit on 13 September 1964.

Now, remember that Martin Golder bought his car at around 1967 from a used car lot in Toronto 'in a rough state' and without bumpers and I just can't stop wondering this may very well be Donald Grey's racer. Neil Griffin dished up a picture of Grey racing the car and the wing mirrors seem similar, too.

I told Martin about this and he replied: "Wow. That's cool. Very interesting. I also used to race Minis in Ontario from about 1962 to' 67, but I never saw the Ogle." I also told him about Canadian agent Dennis Prophet and he replied: "The name Dennis Prophet sounds familiar as I was in several car clubs and got parts support from BMC. But I never raced or rallied the Ogle."

Interestingly, the 1964 Player's Quebec Trophy at the Mont-Tremblant circuit saw not one but two Ogle entries. Apart from Donald Grey's 997cc car there was another Ogle, now with 998cc capacity and being entered and raced by a man named Sam Lapointe of Quebec. I remembered former Unipowerowner Carl Lapointe came from Quebec also, and asked if he knew more but he doesn't. And requests at the Canadian Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) and Canadian Motorsport Historical Society have led to nothing either - so far.