A FAMILY THAT RACES TOGETHER ...
Little Jaxon makes four generations of hot shoes for the Alberta Boys dynasty
Five-year-old Jaxon Boys is eager to get behind the wheel of his quarter midget race car. That’s because the upcoming 2018 season will be his introduction to racing on a dirt track in Alberta. And by firing up the engine, Jaxon will begin carrying forward the Boys family legacy as the fourth generation to compete in motor racing.
“It’s a very powerful feeling and we’re pleased to see the family name continue to be tied to racing,” says Jaxon’s dad, Wheeler Boys. “A fourth generation in any discipline is hard to accomplish, and it’s rare to see it in a racing family.”
Jaxon’s great-grandfather, the late George (Buddie) Boys of Calgary, was the first in the family to become interested in racing. Born in 1933, he became a competent driver and went on to race in several different series, including the NASCAR K & N Pro Series West, NASCAR Northwest Series and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
In 1957, Buddie’s son, Trevor, was born.
It would have been hard for the young man not to follow in his father’s tracks, and Trevor began racing locally before moving on to compete in a number of prestigious events.
Like his father, Trevor raced in NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series. From 1982 to 1993 he drove in 112 Winston Cup events, achieving two top-10 finishes.
In 2003, Trevor raced six times in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, now the Camping World Truck Series. A 22nd spot at the Memphis Motorsport Park was his best finish in that series. He raced through 2006 to 2009 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as well as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2009, Trevor started a Monster Energy Cup team and attempted to make 10 races, but only qualified for one.
Trevor’s son, Wheeler, was born in 1982 and it wasn’t long before he, too, was behind the wheel of a race car. Wheeler got into a Mini Stock Series car in 1998 at Race City Motorsport Park in Calgary.
“My first race was the day of my 16th birthday,” Wheeler says. “That was also the year my dad and I created the Boys Will Be Boys racing team.”
Wheeler competed in the CASCAR Super Series in 2001 and 2002.
He raced three times in 2008 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and then four times in 2009 as part of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He ran in that series with his dad before the family ran out of funding.
“That was my last crack at the Cup Series,” Wheeler says.
While there were three generations of NASCAR-licensed drivers in the Boys family, Wheeler doesn’t expect Jaxon will get the same opportunity.
“Financially, it’s hard to be at events like NASCAR because it’s so expensive to race; you don’t just walk into it. Apart from a few sponsors, it’s all been our family money that got us there.
“And how does a family car out of Calgary go down and race against the likes of Roger Penske? It’s difficult to make that happen.”
Wheeler now stays closer to home and competes in the A-1 Autobody Outlaw Legends Dirt Series. A less expensive form of grassroots racing, the cars used in Legends events are all powered by four-cylinder Yamaha motorcycle engines.
In Alberta, Legends action takes place on dirt oval tracks, including Central Alberta Raceways in Rimbey (caraceways.ca) and Dinosaur Downs Speedway near Drumheller (dinosaurdowns.com).
“We have such a lack of motorsports facilities in Alberta,” Wheeler says.
“Dinosaur Downs has been, thankfully, successful. Without it there wouldn’t be much racing in Western Canada.
“Now we just need to get people away from hockey and football and have them come out to the tracks. We need fans out there,” he says.
“There’s nothing else like it. It is inexpensive entertainment, costing far less to attend than a hockey game. Come out, learn about the drivers, and take part in the racing culture.”
While Wheeler is passionate about racing, he says he has not put any pressure on son Jaxon to get into the quarter midget car and follow in the family tradition.
“Jaxon is committed to racing, and I know for a fact that, being raised around the sport, it’s easy for it to lose its lustre and pizzazz,” Wheeler says.
“Jaxon only plays with Hot Wheels cars and trucks, and when we’re out in the garage he’s sitting in my race cars and is very happy. That’s all a good sign.”