GEORGE HOLLINGER - Inducted 2006

Pioneer - Sports Car and Road Racing

George Hollinger in MGB at Westwood  (George Hollinger collection)

By George Hollinger - edited by Tom Johnston, 2006

After WWII, George bought his first motorcycle in Montreal. He spent the next seven years travelling by motorcycle throughout Canada, the United States, and the eastern part of Mexico. George discovered Vancouver in 1962 where he decided to settle down. He bought a Matchless G45 road racing motorcycle and raced at Abbotsford Airport until racing was discontinued. George went back east three times to compete in 100 mile road races in Quebec City, Three Rivers, and Edenvale, Ontario.

During the 1950s he owned a Vincent Black Shadow and was involved in an effort to try for a Canadian speed record. George did

some testing on Abbotsford, but nothing came of it, as a suitable length of road was not available.

After racing stopped at Abbotsford, car racing began at Westwood. For the next number of years George built and tuned various engines that won quite a few championships in Western Canada and the United States.

George was hired by Nissan as crew chief for Nissan’s racing car entry in the 1967 Shell 4000 cross Canada rally and won the the team award. As
co-driver he won the Index of Performance award at Westwood’s 7 hour endurance in the late 1960s. In 1970 he earned another award at Westwood’s 7 hour endurance and was named competition mechanic of the year. In 1972. As crew chief, he won the Canadian B Sports Racing championship at Edmonton International Speedway in 1974. He defended the prestigious championship at Gimli Manitoba in 1975.

George was also the driver for the Carling Brewery road rally team in the 1960s.

George stopped motorsport in 1975 and took up hockey. . . but that’s an even better story.

 

George Hollinger