Alan Dalby of Victoria, a noted builder and designer of race cars at Western Speedway, has died at 92.
As an early builder of sprint cars at Western Speedway, starting in 1935, Dalby influenced the work of Victoria’s legendary Grant King, who became one of the great car designers and mechanics along Gasoline Alley at the Indianapolis 500 and went on to design and build cars for A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Tom Sneva and the Unsers.
“In his early years, internationally known car builder/owner Grant King, studied much of Dalby’s work [at Western Speedway],” read the induction notes, when Dalby was enshrined into the Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1999.
Alan Dalby entered the Victoria Auto Racing Hall the same year as his brother and fellow-builder John Dalby, who went on to Seattle and the NASCAR Grand National West.
“It was a family affair,” said son Wayne Dalby, who with brother and fellow-driver David, drove the cars their dad built and worked on at Western Speedway.
Alan Dalby was a master heavy-duty mechanic in his working career, skills that held him in good stead doing what he loved most at Western Speedway.
“Right up to the end, each weekend, dad would not miss a NASCAR or Indy Car race [on TV],” said Wayne Dalby.
A celebration of Alan Dalby’s life will be held Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. at Uplands Golf Club.
