Terry Edwards, brother of hockey
great Marv Edwards, definitely took a
different path in sports.
Marv Edwards’ career started out in St. Catharines playing
for the St. Catharines Blackhawks, then playing in Europe and then moving
back to the California Seals, before playing for Nashville of the International
League. Finally Marv Edwards ended up with the Toronto Maple Leafs where
he remains affiliated today with the Peterborough Petes, as a goal tending
coach while still living in Havelock, Ontario and working at Stewart Chrysler.
While we all know that hockey can be a rough and tumble world, brother
Terry Edwards chose the rough and tumble world of stock car racing.
In the early 50's Terry along with Stan Friesen and Wingy
Barron had a 34 Ford that they shared driving chores in, until one night
when Wingy Barron on a dare, rolled the car on the front stretch.
After that episode, Terry built his own car #51 and Stan Friesen
had his own car #52, all during the early Ford flathead era of 1954.
In 1955 Terry started driving for Bill Willard Sr. in his
flathead Ford #77, sponsored by Willard’s Garage of Rockway. This association
lasted until 1959. During this period he recalls racing at Merrittville,
Ransomville, and Lancaster, against the “bugs” on dirt.
In 1962, Terry was now driving for Tom Mallory and raced
at Speedway Park in Hamilton, when it opened and on Cayuga when it was
dirt in 1966 on Sunday afternoons. At this time, they were running the
6 cylinders against the V8 powered cars.
This was in the era of when drivers such as Bob St. Amand,
Terry Edwards ran very well in the 6 cylinder cars.
During the mid 1960's Terry Edwards continued to drive Tom
Mallory’s #20 Mongrels. This time it was a Ford Falcon, short wheelbased
car. This car was built for asphalt and dirt, but after crashing badly
at Lancaster, it was repaired for dirt where it ran very well against
the coupes of the day.
About 1967-68, Tom Mallory built the #20 1936 Plymouth Coupe,
but this time they installed a 327 cu. in. Chevrolet, then a 396 cu. in.
engine, before finally buying a 427 cu. in. engine from Jeno Begolo. This
particular car competed and won the opening day feature at Rolling Wheels,
as well as competing regularly at Merrittville Speedway.
During 1969-70 Don Deagle replaced Terry Edwards in the #20
Mongrel, but Terry moved over to his own #51 modified coupe.
During 1971-72, Terry Edwards toured the stock car circuit
and raced from Merrittville, to Langhorne and parts in between. At one
point he had 3 cars parked around the dirt circuit, so he always had a
spare.
In 1973 Terry built a Mustang bodied modified and continued
to tour the dirt circuit. It became one of Pat Chiofi’s first cars, however
it went full circle, when the Willard family bought it and it became Bill
Willard Jr.’s second race car. At that time the Mustang modified became
#77, limited sportsman six cylinder powered and became a very successful
race car.
During that time Terry left racing to go trucking for 8 or
9 years, however he started helping out young Billy Willard Jr.s career
as crew chief and also Tammy’s career when she decided to try sportsman
cars after leaving go-karts. Now some 20 years later and after accumulating
some 9 points championships- Terry Edwards is still crew chiefing for
the Willard racing team, headed by Allan Willard.
When asked, Terry Edwards wished to thank a few friends.
First of all, Bill Willard Sr. and the Willard family for all their years
of support. His friend Stan Friesen, with whom he started out his driving
career with, as well as his son Terry Jr. who welded and helped out on
his cars, but most of all, his wife Margeurite of 48 years.
This only goes to show that stock car racing is a family
sport and Terry Edwards has been devoted to it for over 47 years, while
his brother Marv, took a different route, being devoted to the sport of
hockey. Whether crew chief or coach, our hats off to the both of you. |
