MOE VAILLANT

Pioneer - Oval Racing

 

Moe Vaillant car at Haney, 1963  (Brian Bratt collection)

Maurice “Moe” Vaillant (correctly pronounced “vi-an” but commonly heard as “valiant”) came to the west coast at age 18 looking for work. He found that as well as a lifelong partner, his wife, Shirley. With six kids (three sons and three daughters) and many grandkids it’s amazing any racing was possible.

Moe began taking photos at Digney Speedway with a little Brownie camera. The officials even let him into the infield. Late in the run of Digney Speedway Moe, along with brother-in-law Ken Klatt and Wes Pigeau built up a car for Ken to drive. Ken broke his arm so Moe drove the car initially giving him a taste for speed.

During the last years of Digney Speedway Moe Vaillant did more than race there. He was caretaker of the track for a while, as well as racer. He also worked with Ken Klatt to keep racing cars on the track. In 1958 Moe was asked to flag the last race and kept the last checkered flag waved for the last winner at that fabled track.

When  the new track out on the Albion Flats, just east of Haney, was opened as a dirt track, Moe was there with his No. 8. And while he finished second in the first main event there that second place was to the legendary track

racer from Washington State, Jim Raper.

The first two years of Haney Speedway saw the track remain a dusty oval. Moe had top five finishes there. When Haney Speedway was paved in 1961 Moe kept racing and became president of the B.C. Track Racing Association (BCTRA) in 1962. That year had its dark moment when a pit crew member was killed by an out of control race car. Moe’s leadership helped keep the track and the BCTRA members moving forward toward better safety and continued racing. With external forces wanting the track closed it couldn’t have been a pleasant time to be in that position of responsibility.

1963 was Moe Vaillant’s high point as a driver. With a newer modified that

had been driven by Brian Ahnert, and fixed up by Moe and his crew which included Bill Tomicki, he was up to competing with the top two racers at Haney -- Ralph Monhay and Mel Keen. His consistent finishes garnered him the track points championship.

The shortened 1964 season at Haney was significant for Moe in that he was one of the first to talk with Craig Frazer about developing a new speedway in the greater Vancouver area. That speedway would be Langley Speedway but Moe never raced there as, on a racing trip north to Prince George, he sold his car after winning the modified race there (Moe remembers it as being a CAMRA race) and didn’t return to the racing scene for many years.

When he did return it was to build cars for and help his sons Reg and Darcy to race mini sprints at Deming Speedway. It wasn’t uncommon for one or both of the Vaillants to have clean sweeps in their respective classes. There were also big money wins there in the annual Clay Cup race.

These days Moe watches a grandson race go karts at the track near Chilliwack. Moe Vaillant has definitely helped many generations of drivers carry on in the family tradition.

By Brian Pratt, 2007

Moe Vaillant