David Brown came to Canada in 1950 from his home in Eastbourne on the south coast of England. Trained as a journalist, David’s first job in Canada was for the Duncan-based Cowichan Leader, a newspaper that still exists today.

Brown had an early interest in aviation and what is now called motor-sport. Aviation came first when he re-ceived his pilot’s licence after training on the grass strip at Cassidy Airport near Nanaimo (later home of one sports car race, it would be a great story to say he raced there, but he did not).

After a year or two on the Island, David came to the big city of Vancouver where he continued his journalism career working with a num-ber of trade publications such as the Journal of Commerce. Later he became involved with the advertising business as a long time participant with the var-ious Lovick based agencies. It was during this time that David became involved with the Sports Car Club of British Columbia (SCCBC) and soon was racing his MGTC. David recalls his first competitive event to be the Kilgard Hillclimb (run at the site of the Clayburn Brick plant east of Abbotsford in 1952 and 1953). Before too long he was a regular at Abbotsford Airport, first racing his MG (in various states of

David Brown - Inducted 2005

Pioneer - Sports Car and Road Racing

David Brown, 1962

David Brown in his Fairthorpe Electron at Abbotsford Airport, 1957 (SCCBC Archives)

By Tom Johnston, 2005

modification) and later Bill Martin’s Wolesley special in 1957. By 1958, Brown had a modified Fairthorpe Electron, a rare 1100cc Coventry Climax engined sports car. Brown and the Electron raced at the last race ever at Abbotsford, the “Swan Song”, winning class G in two races and finishing 4th overall in the final Le Mans feature race, the last time a race car turned a wheel at Abbotsford (until the Abbotsford Retrospective in May of 2005, 47 years later). Brown and his

Electron finished behind Jim Rattenbury driving the Jaguar D-type, Harry Cross in a Lotus 11 and Dr. Clausing in an AC Bristol.

After racing at Abbotsford Airport ceased in 1958, the SCCBC started a quest for a new track ultimately leading to the construction of the legendary Westwood Racing Circuit.

While the driving force behind Westwood was unquestionably Dr. Claire Wilson, David Brown offered his experience and connections from the advertising business to enable SCCBC to succeed.

By 1962, David was back to driving, having acquired the ex-Roy Shadbolt Carrera Porsche-engined former FIA speed record holder Cooper streamliner. After an unsuccessful initial outing, the Cooper’s engine was replaced with the Climax motor from the Electron.

Later Brown had a careers in politics and the public service and the film business and he now resides in Halfmoon Bay on BC’s Sunshine Coast

David Brown was one of those unheralded heroes that helped launch and maintain sports car Road Racing in this area, a true Pioneer.