BILL ADAM INDUCTED INTO CANADIAN  MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME

SAMA Secretary Bill Adam recently was among a dozen Canadians inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame. They were honored at the Hall's official gala in April at the Sheraton Centre Toronto.

According to the Hall's website, the Hall of Fame comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Canadian Motorsport Heritage Foundation, created by a group of leading international businessmen.

The Canadian Motorsports Heritage Foundation aims to preserve the collection and exhibits installed in the former Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame, as well as provide visitors with a comprehensive and interactive look at the long and storied history of motor racing in Canada.

The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame will be housed in a new facility at Parc Downsview Park. Construction is currently underway at the new home. In addition, the hall will have a special display at the Canadian Motorsports Expo January 22-24 at the International Centre in Mississauga, featuring Paul Tracy's Player's Indy car and the Multimatic Mustang GT cars as well general information on the Hall.

Here's some more information on Bill:

Born in Airdrie, Scotland, it was almost predestined that Bill’s life would revolve around the world of motorsport. Although neither parent had any interest in either autos or racing, the young Adam would sit for hours, looking for picture of cars in magazines so that he could cut them out to paste into a scrapbook. 

The love affair had started.

The emigration of the Adam family to Canada brought Bill closer to his dreams as he attended races at the world famous Mosport race circuit, as a spectator. Watching some of the worlds’ best drivers, including his hero, World Champion Jim Clark, only added fuel to his desire to compete, but that day would have to wait until his schooling was completed, and he could buy his first race car.

When that day finally came, it was obvious to all that he’d been born with a gift. Finishing second in his very first race, and winning the next two, led him on to a remarkable streak that saw him winning the Ontario Championship in only his second year of racing, followed by his winning the Canadian National Championship in his third year of competition. He was hooked!

Bill continued to polish his skills, bringing even more attention to his talents. His first foray into the world of professional racing was no less impressive as he qualified on the pole position, with a new track record at his first ever Trans Am race, and did the same again at the first ever NASCAR event at Watkins Glen, qualifying an astonishing 2 seconds better than second place!

People were paying attention to the young Scot, and it was shortly after their “factory” racer had been defeated by Bill, that the Jaguar team called and invited Bill to join the world of professional racers by driving for them, instead of against them.
Success was immediate, with Bill and his co driver winning the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring and going on to a wonderfully successful 4 years with the team.
Over the years, Bill has raced for Jaguar, Porsche, Nissan, Mazda and Chevrolet “factory” teams and has won at such famous tracks as Mosport, Daytona, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta, Lime Rock and Sebring. He has competed at 244 MPH down the Mulsanne straight at LeMans, and at 15 MPH in charity lawn mower races. From a Mazda Miata, right up to the magnificent Audi R8, Bill has raced them all.

Bills’ racing experiences have also made him a highly sought after television analyst. Working with virtually every network, including ABC, CBS, NBC, SPEED, and ESPN, his precise commentaries and explanations as an “insider”, have won him fans the world over.

Bills’ ability to share some of the secrets of motor racing have also been used in a number of driving schools. Over the last twenty years, Bill has instructed for the Derek Bell Porsche Driving School, the Porsche Driving Experience, and the Corvette Driving School, teaching literally thousands of students, helping them become both faster AND safer drivers.

When not teaching or not working on a television race broadcast, Bill can be found doing media training for companies like Michelin, or acting as a spokesman for companies like Audi and Yamaha. But the love of racing cars is never far away, and Bill continues to test and race on a regular basis. Showing that his talents are exceptional, he finished the 2008 season with 3 straight wins in the Champion Racing Audi R8, and being crowned 2008 Rolex Endurance Champion. 

From Scotland, through Canada, Bill now makes his home in Miami, Florida with his wife Diane and daughter Shea, and perhaps faces the biggest challenge of his life – keeping his daughter OUT of a race car.
It just may be predestined.


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