This Friday Saint John’s Bill Sommerville will run the final race of a full-time racing career that has spanned 48 years; Sommerville will enter the sportsman leg of the ‘Chi City Showdown’ at his favourite track – Miramichi City Speedway. He’s not saying he’ll never race again, but it will be on a limited basis from here on out. Hi first race was in 1966 driving a flathead Ford that cost $75; this weekend he’ll run a high end sportsman car built by his son Lonnie Sommerville with help in the shop and in the pits from his other son Larry Sommerville. He has run thousands of laps at just about every track in the Maritimes now or over the past five decades, along with some races in Maine. He competed in MASCAR in the 80s and 90s, is a multi-time champion with titles earned at the old Hammond River Raceway, at Petty Raceway, at Speedway 660, and at Miramichi City Speedway – where he often dominated with win after win, after win. Bill Sommerville’s contribution to, and accomplishments in, Maritime motorsports will be formally acknowledged in November when he is inducted to the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame. Today we are saying thanks Bill for all the great memories and congratulations on a stellar racing career. Maritime motorsports photographer and archivist Ken MacIsaac put together this great pictorial tribute to Sommerville’s racing career…
