Norm Mackereth
Norm Mackereth first started racing in the early 50's at various circuits and tracks in Canada. He came to the United States in 1960 to run at the Syracuse Fairgrounds on the dirt. Then he heard about the Oswego Speedway and the likes of the current competition that was racing there; such as Nolan Swift, Eddie Bellinger Sr., Irish Jack Murphy, Gordon Johncock, Sammy Sessions, Art Bennett and Dave Paul. Oswego was experiencing an invasion drivers of Mid-West and their new light weight 'bugs' or 'Eagle Class' race cars, which were the forerunners of todays supermodifieds.
Norm first ran in the 1960, and 1961 International Classic then became a regular competitor in 1962 and won his first Oswego feature during the '64 season. During that time he not only owned his own cars but also drove for car owners Norm Hagen, Ed Bowley.
Early on Mackereth met Lyle Howard who owned Howard’s Sunoco in Fulton, N.Y., they became good friends which led to a long time sponsorship and a lifetime friendship.
Norm has always had the good fortune of being associated with good people to work with on the cars which gave him good results at Oswego. In the All-Time Supermodified Points stats, which are calculated by Track Stat-Man. Dave Rice, Norm has collected 17,548, he has won 8 feature races and was able to put together 77 top-five feature finishes. He was inducted into the prestigious $1,000 Club in 1969. During the 17 years of his career at Oswego he finished 3rd in points twice; once in ’64 and then again in ’71.
With the stats taken from the '50 Years: Oswego Speedway International Classic', a book by George Caruso Jr; Norm sits in 29th position for the All-Time Classic Points, he sat on the Outside Pole 3-years running, ’69-’70, ’71 and his best Classic finish was in ’69 with a fine second place.
Here is Norm along with Leo Cleary starting on the front row of the 1960 Classic consi race.
This is the first car Norm brought to Oswego.
Here is Norm with his 'New Toronto Rocket', he won his first Oswego feature in this car on August 1, 1964.
Here is another one of Norm's early supers, this photo was taken at his service station in Toronto.
Norm won his second Oswego feature in this Howard's Sunoco sponsored 'New Toronto Rocket' in August of 1965. The car was a copy of the Dave Paul #21 that won the '62 Classic and the '63 Track Championship.
This is a former Dick Way (built) / Gordon Dukes super that . Unfortunately, Norm experienced one of the worst racing accidents in his career. On July 27, 1968 Mackereth was coming off the second corner and was crowded to the outer wall and the car burst into a ball of fire, thus suffering severe burns to his hands and legs. Norm was hospitalized for several weeks
The 1969 racing season started off in a big way for 'Stormin Norman'; car owner Norm Hagen bought the former Todd Gibson 1968 Oswego Championship car for Mackereth. Here is Norm with the car opening day 1969 at Oswego.
The year 1970 brought the "HOT WHEELS" version of the Hagen-Howard "New Toronto Rocket"
In 1973 Norm drove the Kenny Reece owned "Colonial House Special".
For the 1974 racing season Mackereth signed on with veteran car owner Ed Bowley to drive the Flyin 5
The year of the 'Badgers' ! The '75 racing season saw several teams with the supermodified version of Rolie Linblads' Badger chassis. Ed Bowley was one of them when he bought this beautiful car for Norm.
In '77 he bought a Holynski chassis and worked with Brian to start his supermodified career. Norm retired as an active driver in 1978.
(Brian Dolbear Photo)
Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame inductees (from left) Bill Adam, F.J. (Fred) Smith, Norm Mackereth, Carl Bastido, Michel Mercier and Barbara Bunting (representing her late husband, Mosport circuit designer Alan Bunting) are seen at the April 17, 2010 gala.
The Mackereths!!
L-R: Andy, Nancy, Norm, Marg, Craig and Brian.
Norm was inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame the night before. The open house Celebration Party was attended by an overflow crowd of well wishers.
The Mackereths!! vol. 2
Norm, Marg and all the rest of the Canadian Mackereth clan has attended every one of the
Oswego Speedway Old-Timer Reunions, and we're delighted to have them!
Click on CMHoF logo to read more about Norm's induction into the
Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame
Norm Mackereth Oswego Speedway Stats
Feature Race Stats:
261 feature starts
8 supermodified feature wins tied for 25th
77 supermodified top 5's ranks 11th
17,548 supermodified feature points ranks 8th
Finished top 5 in season points four times; best finish 3rd (twice) in 1964 and 1971
International Classic stats:
18 classic starts: 1st start in 1960 last start in 1978
Qualified for 17 years in a row 16 times were on time trial times. Qualified outside pole 3 years in a row '69,'70,'71
2 classic top 5's : best finish was 2nd in 1969
803 classic points ranks 22nd
Classic average finish is 22.38
