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This is from the April 10th, 2015 Winnipeg Free Press by Paul Williamson
Ken MacKenzie
The name Ken MacKenzie is synonymous with drag racing in Manitoba; he has been involved in the sport for more than 60 years. MacKenzie began his working career in the parts department at Carter Motors. He then worked for Boeing, Air Canada and Controlled Environment and was later a self employed project and operations management consultant, before officially retiring in 2004.
MacKenzie's love for cars began before he got his driver's licence. In 1957 he purchased a 1946 Ford and then a 1931 Chevrolet five window coupe that was a homebuilt hot rod. This was one of Winnipeg's first hot rods and he kept it until 1961. In 1962 MacKenzie bought a 1955 Chev 210 sedan and swapped in a fuel-injected Corvette 327 engine and a BorgWarner four-speed transmission. That car was raced throughout Ontario at Niagara, Cayuga, and St. Thomas and also at Minnesota Dragways.
In 1964 Keystone Dragways opened in Winnipeg and MacKenzie was a regular competitor and winner there. Additional performance upgrades were made to his 1955 Chevy in 1967 and MacKenzie went on to race in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) meets throughout the United States. In 1968 MacKenzie won his first NHRA meet in Denver, setting a national record. By season's end he had amassed the most points of all division leaders nationwide. He finished the year at the World Finals in Tulsa, Okla., reaching the semi finals.
MacKenzie went on to race a 1969 AMX Super Stock car and a 1970 Chevrolet Camaro, aptly named Blackjack.
MacKenzie is still involved in custom cars and is also an avid boater who still has the need for speed and is always making things go faster.
Warren Schettler
A longtime Ford guy, Warren Schettler has been involved in the motorsport hobby for nearly 60 years. His first vehicle was a Model A Ford roadster with a souped up flathead engine. Schettler began working at Wiley Mercury in 1966 and in the early 1970s became a consultant with the Ford Motor Company, a position he held until 2004. Schettler also worked as an electrician, eventually taking over the family business, J. Schettler Electric, a company he continues to operate today.
In 1965 Schettler purchased a new Mustang and his drag racing career took off. In 1965 and 1966 Schettler never lost a race. His achievements were noticed by John Phillips, performance director for Ford at the time, and Schettler was presented with and campaigned a 1966 Comet that was raced across Canada and the United States, setting a national record in Sioux City, Iowa. Schettler raced in Fargo, Anoka, Sioux City and Winnipeg.
During his time consulting for Ford, the companies NASCAR team was having problems with their 427 Ford engines and Schettler was instrumental in analyzing and fixing the problem.
Throughout the years Schettler has also built three Cobra kit cars and still has one in his collection. He is still involved in cars and his vast collection includes his recently re-acquired 1965 Mustang as well as a Ford GT40, 1966 Comet, 2012 Laguna Seca Mustang and a 1940 Willys.
With no thoughts of retiring anytime soon Schettler's spare time is spent working on his car collection and building high-performance engines.
Paul Germain
When it comes to motorcycles, snowmobiles, and racing, here in Manitoba, and throughout North America, the name Paul Germain is legendary. Germain's passion for motorcycles was kick started by a ride on a friend's bike at age 12. His professional racing career began just a few years later in 1967 with the purchase of a 250 Ducati Scrambler. Around this time Germaine also began his career in the motorcycle industry, working at Northwest Cycle, Chariot Cycle, E.K. Cycle, Gateway Cycle and B&B Mini Motors. Germaine gained valuable experience working and soon became a premier technician, motorcycle builder and tuner. In 1975 he started Paul Germain Performance in his father's backyard and eventually opened Wildwood Sports on Pembina Highway in 1981, where he forged a longtime relationship with Yamaha.
In addition to being one of Manitoba's premier motorcycle retailers, Germaine has also had a long and successful professional motorcycle racing career that has included motocross, dirt track, oval track and road racing. He has also drag raced snowmobiles and even a sprint car. Highlights include winning the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) championships.
Despite more than a few crashes and a long list of broken bones, Germaine continues to race and has won enough trophies to fill the showroom at Wildwood Sports, the Yamaha, Ducati, BMW, Polaris, and Seadoo dealership he continues to own and operate.
--Bios submitted by Don Daley
Since 2006, each year at Piston Ring's annual World of Wheels car show, three new members of the Manitoba Motorsports Hall of Fame are inducted.
Manitoba has a rich motorsports history filled with amazing men and women who have left an unforgettable impact on the local scene.
Inductees are recognized for their outstanding devotion and contributions to motorsports in Manitoba and come from the ranks of drag racing, oval track racing, motorcycling, fabrication, customizing, the automotive industry and the street rod and hot rod communities.
This year's inductees include a pair of legendary drag racers and a longtime motorcycle racer, restorer and retailer.
Special recognition should be given to Don Daley; his dedication to the history of Manitoba's rich motorsports history is a big reason why the Hall of Fame has been such a tremendous success.
- Paul Williamson, Wpg Free Press