Leslie “Weazz” Elson was inducted into the Estevan Motor Speedway Wall of Fame during the track’s 2019 awards night on Saturday. Leslie, who died last summer, was involved with the track for many years.
Estevan Motor Speedway president Byron Fichter recalled how he met him, which happened quite a few years ago. It happened at Grand Forks, N.D., where Fichter was with his father and other family. Leslie invited him to go for tailgating.
“I was like, ‘Tailgating? We don’t do that in Estevan,’” remembered Fichter.
But he went with Leslie to a place that looked like a parking lot of a speedway.
“It sounded like a rock concert was happening at that parking lot,” remembered Fichter. “There was a bunch of people there partying, and I could just see hair flying everywhere. Weazz was rocking out. Races start at seven, it was 3 o’clock in the afternoon.”
After the night at the speedway was over they got to meet some of the racers and hang out with them. That passion for races was something they shared ever since then.
Fichter knew Weazz for years, and called him an “ultimate race fan.” He pointed out his dedication to the sport.
“I’ve always thought it was cool to see that (dedication) from being younger until now. And it’s really special honour for me to induct Weazz to the Estevan Wall of Fame for 2019,” said Fichter.
Leslie’s brother Corey Elson came up on stage to accept the induction. He thanked Motor Speedway and all other racetracks that his brother or two of them went to.
“I’d like to thank the Estevan Motor Speedway and being inducted into wall of fame speaks for itself. Thank you, let’s party and crank this … up,” said Elson, assuming that his brother would say the exact same thing.
The induction was greeted with a big round of applause and a long-lasting standing ovation.
Prior to the awards night, the decision was announced on Facebook, with hundreds of people reacting to it and sharing their memories of Leslie.
“In 2019 racing lost one of its biggest fans, the speedway lost one if it's most passionate volunteers, and the racing world lost a family member,” said the post.
