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Anyone remember racer local Rhys Howard? Any good racing stories,
please share. Photo's?

This guy was really, really, fast and destined for GP's.

He had a big crash at Laguna racing 250's, on the hospital bed with HRC on one side hoping to sign a contract and on the other side his doctor advising him if he hits his head one more time he might be a vegetable. He packed it in then. Works in west van now. Super nice guy who pulls great wheelies on his BMW goin home.

 

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It would be funny if you actually read this now, ten years later, but I wanted to share.

When Edmonton Speedway closed down in 1982 I wrote down some memories, and I'm only typing them up now, LOL. Here's one about Rhys.

It was also coming out of Meldau—on the first lap of the first heat of the 1981 Nationals—that I realized how fast Rhys Howard was. He was gone, exiting Meldau and half-way to Greenbank, at least 30 to 40 meters ahead, in only half a lap! And this was a fast right-hand corner, another classic: you’d start wide, clip the concrete curb, and exit on the outside. Leaving the corner at high RPM in fourth gear with stock LC gearing would have been approaching 145k, and you’d be shifting to fifth and accelerating into Greenbank, a fast right with positive camber, so you could hold your speed for a long time before braking. Howard was obviously not backing off like I was on the way into Meldau…he was probably shifting up and holding 160.

Anyway, that was racing Lightweight Production Expert during the Nationals in the summer of 1981. Rhys was a super-nice guy...he even came by in the pits to ask how I finished! I heard that he received a plaque and letter from Trudeau in recognition of his efforts in road racing, after he decided to retire.

Cheers,

Gord

Hey, just seeing this now. Very cool story about Rhys. Thanks for sharing.

I spoke to him twice now last week at the gym , man, so many great racing stories. The guy had more talent than King Kenny some say.
I'll have to ask him about the Trudeau letter/plaque if I see him.