Mel Keen, 1954 at Digney Speedway  (Brian Pratt collection)

Overcoming a childhood illness, Mel Keen (or, as it was pointed out in 1954 by Vancouver Sun sports columnist Dick Beddoes, Melvin Frank Kihn) became one of the men to beat at Digney Speedway in the stock cars. He had started in 1952 by sharing a ride with Ernie Coulter, but ended up doing better than Coulter so Ernie bought his own car. (Ernie did well enough himself in the following years with White Spot as a sponsor). By the end of his Digney days, Mel was either known as Mad Mel or King Keen. By his own admission, Mel says he either won or crashed, but he had always qualified for the “A” feature.

His car number was “22”, chosen because of the success his friend Trev Deeley had had with it on motorcycles.

The 1953 points battle at Digney was tight, but in the end it was Mel Keen who won the title. He was president of the BC Stock Car Association in 1954 and was invited over the ensuing years to visit other tracks on Vancouver Island (Shearing Speedway), Edmonton (Speedway Park) and south of the border (Aurora Speedway in Seattle).

MEL KEEN - Inducted 2001

Pioneer - Oval Racing

By Brian Pratt, 2004

Mel Keen, 1953

After a brief spell of not racing, Mel came back in the early 1960s to race at False Creek Speedway and Haney Speedway. His chief rival of that era was Ralph Monhay, and they had some hair-raising moments that at times ended up with bent metal and mechanics needing to do some work to get

ready for the next race.

The move from Haney, and the successful building of a speedway at Langley, was partially due to the efforts of Mel, who by that time was president of the British Columbia Track Racing Association (BCTRA). Again, there was more travelling to the Island and south to larger tracks like the newly paved Evergreen Speedway at Monroe, Washington. The toll of the years of racing finally got Mel out of the driver’s seat, but later he was the owner of a sprint car at Skagit Speedway that the legendary Terry Crousore drove to great success.

That, and his street rod that was at many shows, is only part of the reason why Mel Keen has to be considered a true pioneer by the Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneer Society.

Mel passed away in 2003.