KEN FINNIGAN

Pioneer - Sports Car and Road Racing

 

Ken Finnigan in his MG Twin Cam on the Starting Grid at Westwood, 1960

Ken Finnigan was a very early member of the Sports Car Club of British Columbia (SCCBC). Ken raced at both the first and last years at Westwood, both times in his favourite car make; MG.

Ken was a career-long employee of The BC Telephone company and some of its related companies. In the late 1950s Ken was transferred to Edmonton where he became the founding president of the Northern Alberta Sports Car Club (NASCC) that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Ken also helped the NASCC organize their first race meeting held on the runways of the then new - but not yet open - Edmonton

International Airport.

Ken started his racing career at Abbotsford Airport where he appeared in 1956 driving a MG (of course).

While in Edmonton Finnigan made the trek to Saskatchewan where he won the Index of Performance Award at the 1957 inaugural running of the Davidson Races - again in an MG.

Ken moved to Vancouver in July 1959, just missing the opening day at Westwood and again became active with the SCCBC.

In spring of 1960, Ken purchased a tidy little 1100cc Coventry Climax engined sports racing car from local builder and enthusiast Dr. Tom Bridges.

This car which Ken later renamed the Falfin (a compilation of Finnigan and his pal and mechanic Fred Falkins) The car was designed and built by Tom Bridges but technical input came from all of the serious local racing minds of the day; Roy Shadbolt, Jim Rattenbury and Gordon Reelie all of whom are GVMPS Pioneers today. Ken had many victories with the Falfin including the SCBCC championship.

Ken is still at it today restoring all manner of car including the MGA he brought to the Abbotsford Retrospective in May of 2005. One of his cars an Austin Healey 100 won the top foreign convertible award at the Expo 86 International Vintage Car Show.

Ken a life member of the SCCBC is active in many car club and resides in Kamloops with his wife Lorraine.

Ken Finnigan: left: 2005, right;1957

With Dr. Bridges and Falfin, 1960

By Tom Johnston 2007