07/13/2024
Hometown hero Greg Moore (1975-1999) strikes a pose with his Indy car on the home straight at Vancouver's then-new Indy track in 1998.
Photo by Chris Relke
Born in New Westminster and raised in Maple Ridge, Greg began driving vehicles not long after he learned to walk. His first was a red Radio Flyer wagon he raced around the backyard fending off imaginary Andrettis and Sennas. He once told his mother Donna and father Ric that he didn’t want a red ‘car’, so his little red wagon was spray-painted gold. Ric, who had been a racing driver himself at the old Westwood Motorsport Park and owned a car dealership in Maple Ridge, encouraged Greg’s interest in racing. Greg began noodling around with go-karts at age six around the dealership lot. It’s said every single downspout on the lot was dented by young Greg at some point.
Greg’s talent for driving was unmistakable and by age 10 Ric signed his son up for the Westwood Karting Club. Greg was the 99th member of the club, so he chose number 99 as his racing number thereafter. At age 14, Greg won the 1989 North American Enduro Kart championship and repeated the following year as North American champion.
His rise up the developmental ladder was exactly how he raced: fast and impressive. In 1991, he was named the Esso Protec Formula Ford 1600 Rookie of the Year after finishing fourth overall in the championship standings with one victory, four second-place finishes, and two pole positions. The next year, still only 17 and racing against much older seasoned drivers, Greg won the USAC Formula 2000 West Championship and was again named rookie of the year, winning four races and earning four pole positions.
Written and researched by Jason Beck, Curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
https://bcsportshall.com/honoured_member/greg-moore/