Alana Roberts and her husband received a collection from a Canadian race driver’s estate. David Crowther, the driver, competed from the 1960s through the late 1980s in various events, including autocross, rallying, and ice racing, participating almost every weekend from January to October. The collection comprises extensive race results, news clippings, programs, and even race banquet menus, offering a remarkable glimpse into the life of an everyman driver.

Alana’s presentation discusses how the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) supports both researchers and race enthusiasts while preserving the legacies of drivers like Crowther. Visual accompaniments will include Crowther’s race helmet, photographs of him in action, and his rallying clipboard.

Through these artifacts, Roberts will highlight the IMRRC’s role in keeping motorsports history alive and accessible. This presentation will not only celebrate Crowther’s extensive racing career but also emphasize the importance of archival research centers in maintaining motorsport and driver heritage.

Bio

Alana Roberts is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and the University at Buffalo School of Law. She is a novice autocross competitor and racing history enthusiast with a passion for classic British cars along with her husband, Trevor. Among their collection are a first year production 1959 Austin Mini and a 1958 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite. Beyond her automotive interests, Alana enjoys spending time with her corgi, Alexander Hamilton, and her pony mare, Dixie, with whom she practices dressage.

Through their connections to the classic mini world, Alana and Trevor became custodians of David Crowther’s collection of race results, programs, and various other racing ephemera. While cataloging the collection to donate it to the IMRRC, Alana’s passion for racing history merged with her love of academia and it is an honor to present the collection and her experience cataloging it.