A beloved giant of the Canadian stock car racing scene has passed. Terry Wayne Kitchen of Burlington, Ontario, passed away peacefully at Joseph Brant Hospital on July 21 at the age of 78.
Kitchen began his racing career in local Hobby Stock classes. By the 1970s he had become a force to be reckoned with at Cayuga (Ont.) Speedway, Speedway Park and Flamboro Speedway. He also raced in special events at Holland, Lancaster and Perry (N.Y.) Speedway in the U.S.
“He was a good guy,” said fellow racer Wayne Keeling. “He came from humble beginnings, like me. He started in Hobby Cars, then Supers and then Late Models. He drove for several owners with success. Terry was never afraid to put the car on the edge — and sometimes over, which put him in victory lane or (on) wreckers.
“As he matured as a driver, he became really good. We never had a problem on the track although we did race each other hard. He was a character as many were back in the day, but drivers like Terry made that era so entertaining. Back when the Export A Series race was at Mosport, I had gone there as a spectator on Sunday,” Keeling continued.
“Terry had crashed pretty bad the previous day. The first people I saw at the track were car owner Ron Box, and Terry. They needed a car to race as they were running for points in the series. They asked if they could borrow my Chevelle Late Model which I had raced at Flamboro the night before. It was still on the trailer, but in Mississauga, 70 miles away. I agreed to go get it. That’s what racers do. He got to race but after the event he asked, ‘How do you drive that thing?'”
Kitchen is survived by daughter Terinda, five siblings and four grandchildren.