A trio of men remembered as dedicated contributors to dirt track racing at Brighton Speedway were inducted to the Wall of Fame Saturday night.
Fans and racers gathered in the courtyard for a walk down memory lane as Gord Langstaff and Jeff Waite were recognized in the driver division. Tim Whitehead was added in the builder category.
After hitting the dirt in the 1950s Langstaff or “Mr. Blue” brought his talents to the newly opened 1/3 mile Brighton oval in 1970 and would win his first 8 cylinder championship on the new dirt track.
The No. 4 was always a fans’ favourite and over the span of his career from 1970 to 1978, he scored 57 regular season wins.
Roger Walsh said it was Langstaff’s season-long battle with Doug Davis, the six-cylinder champion, for the Randy Fairman trophy for most checkered flags that is something to be remembered.
During his eight seasons at Brighton Speedway, Langstaff would win multiple individual awards, including most gentleman driver in 1972 and a second 8 cylinder championship in 1976, before retiring.
He passed in September 2014 but Rinaldi said Langstaff’s memory lives on through his children and their families who some still attend Brighton Speedway and enjoy a night of dirt racing.
Waite was a two-time division champion and multiple individual award winner. He began his dirt career in the street stock division in 1984 and then moved up to super stock where he won his first track championship in 1989. After making the jump to Late Models, Waite secured a fourth place finish and the overall sportsman award. It only took Waite three seasons to clinch his first championship, the second of his career in 1993. Before he retired in 1998, Waite picked up 84 regular Saturday night wins.
Even when it wasn’t in victory lane, it was hard not to appreciate the No. 17, as it was a perennial favorite for best appearing car.
Whitehead was added to the wall as a builder for his countless contributions as an ambassador to the sport during his time as an employee at Brighton Speedway. Whitehead began working at the track at the age of 16 and owner Mark Rinaldi called him a valued asset to the success of Saturday nights throughout his various roles from pit director, flagman and scorer to maintenance, canteen worker and announcer.
When Whitehead married wife his Brenda, she soon realized how important the speedway was too him and she too started working at the track along with their children. Rinaldi said Whitehead spent many years volunteering to help to promote the speedway at other tracks, mall events and parades.
