Interview: Walt MacKay

When you first meet Walt MacKay, you are struck by what a quiet, modest man he is. Currently, he runs a shop repairing, restoring, and preparing vintage racecars, usually Porsches. Once you dig a little deeper into his background, however, you find a more than merely competent racecar driver, one who not only drove for the famous Canadian team Comstock Racing, but who also constructed and raced his own Group Seven racecar, the Chevrolet Astur. He still competes on the track with various vintage racecars, ranging from the ex-Peter Ryan Lotus 19 to Porsche 911s and his current mount, a late model Trans-Am Mustang. A graduate in mechanical technology from Ryerson Institute of Technology, Walt early on displayed an aptitude for sports cars, and entered his first car, a Ford V-8 ‘60’-powered MGTC at hillclimb events. He then progressed to road racing at places like Harewood Acres, St. Eugene, and the fall event at Watkins Glen. John Wright caught up to this busy man at his home in the Caledon Hills area just north of Toronto, Ontario. 

So, Walt, tell me about the early days of your involvement in motor sport.