MARITIME MOTORSPORT HALL OF FAME - Key Persons

Ernie McLean was born April 25, 1936, in Chatham, New Brunswick. He was raised by a great uncle, in Barnaby, about 25 miles away from Chatham where he achieved grade eight. Education was not available beyond this for many at this time, including Ernie, so he went to work, eventually moving to Ontario in his late teens seeking to better himself. He worked hard in factories and gas stations, and after marrying his wife Winona in 1954, finally achieving his mechanic's license in 1957. Ernie McLean has been involved in racing since 1957 when he began attending races at Pinecrest Raceway. There he met Jim Hallihan, (a legendary racer and an integral part of Scotia Speedworld today) who sold him a car. Ernie raced at all the tracks in the Ontario region including Flamboro, Sutton, Nilestown and the CNE. " The CNE was the last track I raced on, with a car I built myself."Ernie smiled, obviously thinking back to those early days. A desire to return home to New Brunswick led him to become employed with Drury's Transport and buy an old farmhouse near Riverglade on the site of the present Riverglade Speedway. There was no stock car racing at that time so Ernie went about drumming up interest with meetings, posters and talk. He also started to build a quarter mile track out "behind the barn". Eventually, Ernie was spending so much time working on the track that he had to give up his "day job". Finally, on August 22, 1964, the first race at the new facility was run and it was an "immediate hit". The track was dirt at this time and posts and cables served as fencing. Stock car racing in New Brunswick was literally invented, nurtured and propped up by this dynamo of a promoter. Originally from Chatham, N.B. Ernie got into racing in Ontario when he started hanging around the Pinecrest Speedway in Toronto. He bought his first jalopy-type stock car from Jim Hallahan. Like many people behind the scenes, Ernie realized his talents lay in other areas. Taking his wife and family back to the Maritimes, he settled in River Glade N.B. There was no racing in New Brunswick at the time; so Ernie put up posters and held a meeting to gauge interest in Moncton and other locales. As a result, he plowed out a quarter-mile track behind his barn on his River Glade property and River Glade Speedway was born in 1964. In 1965 he paved the place and thus was born the first asphalt oval speedway in the Maritimes. His extra-distance "International" was born in 1965 and many a Canadian and U.S. driver has claimed this race as their first "big win," among them Earl Ross, Junior Hanley, and Don Biederman. As other tracks opened, Ernie responded to the competition by bringing in the NESMRA super modifieds and other attractions. As other tracks fell into disrepair or neglect, Ernie stepped in to rescue them - among them Miramichi Speedway, Fredericton's Brookside Speedway, Bathurst's Danny Speedway and Riverside Speedway near New Glasgow, N.S. Due to the unwavering work of Ernie, those tracks continue to flourish today. Ernie was instrumental in forming the MASCAR touring series. He also brought the NASCAR North and American-Canadian Tout to Maritime ovals. Not one to sequester himself in the racing fold, Ernie also sponsored courEt1ese local hockey teams from kids to old-timers. He was twice honoured by Toronto's Promoters Workshop, once with the Achievement Award for Dedication to Racing Promotion and a second time as Promoter of The Year. In short, Ernie introduced a sport to an area of the country where none existed, he initiated hundreds of drivers to this sport, he gave thousands of fans the opportunity to enjoy the sport. His nickname, "Father of Maritime Canadian Stock Car Racing", is richly deserved.