JOHN ROTHWELL

Pioneer - Oval Racing

 

John Rothwell in his 1957 Ford at Langley Speedway, 1960s

The heated days of the late 1960s and early 1970s in oval track racing saw the development and popularity of full-bodied late model stock cars grow. At Langley Speedway, like many other tracks, these stock cars became known as super stocks.

The Early-Late Racing Association (ELRA) arrived at Langley Speedway after a stint at Haney Speedway in June, 1966. That year flatheads and overhead engines were separated into two different classes, what eventually became better known as the early-lates and the super stocks. One of the rising stars, who won a pair of flathead features that year, was John Rothwell.

John had raced before the Langley Speedway days, starting around 1965. According to Ralph Monhay, John had worked on the Kingsway car lot Ralph had and Ralph got John his first race car.

The centennial year of 1967 had ELRA officially form the super stock class and John Rothwell took four features as well as the points championship. John would repeat as ELRA, and then Canadian Oval Racing Association (CORA), champion in 1968 and 1969 with his blue 1958 352 cubic inch Ford. He also would add another

eleven feature wins.

One win – August 11, 1968 – followed a crash in the trophy dash that looked like it would put him out for the rest of the day. But a plea over the public address for a Ford A-frame got results and John, and his crew, had his car ready for the feature, and the win.

ELRA became CORA in 1969 and with it came super stocks models that were much more up to date looking vehicles. John had a 1966 Comet with a 289 ci motor. After the 1969 championship John won a feature in each of 1970 and ‘71 but didn’t win

another championship as his chief rival, Gordy Hemrich, began his long reign as top driver. Even then John finished a close second to Hemrich in the 1970 points standings, only 30 points out of first.

John would show signs of past dominance and persistence during the 1970s. In 1973 he was fast qualifier in his Chevelle only to have to replace a radiator (from his pitman’s personal car) to garner a second place finish in the feature. He was fourth in points that year. In each of the 1977 and ‘78 seasons he won a single feature and made the top ten in points, finishing second in the 1977 season.

John Rothwell had an amazing streak of championships during the late 1960s at Langley Speedway. He could be counted on to move from the back of the field in a main event, due to qualifying well, to the front to be in contention for the win. With a couple breaks he might have had more wins and championships. But with the memories and accomplishments John Rothwell has to be considered a true Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneer.

 

John Rothwell

By Brian Pratt, 2007