By Angie Sullivan
One of the most influential mechanics in professional Nitro Hillclimbing lives right here in Sutton.
Nick Kemp, inducted into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2017, played a pivotal role in helping the Canadian-based Williams family conquer this intense motorsport.
Kemp joined the Williams Pro Hillclimbing Team in 1976, transforming the sport with game-changing innovations. He introduced a multi-cylinder, fuel-injected Honda engine running on 100-percent nitro. This groundbreaking leap delivered over 200 brake horsepower, the first of its kind in professional hill-climbing.
Kemp said, “The innovation going on in the sport at the time was very exciting. Titanium replaced steel, suspension was refined, and the speed gains pushed limits.”
An award-winning documentary, NITRO: The Williams Dynasty, is airing to a sold-out crowd at Imagine Cinemas in Keswick on Monday, May 26 at 6 p.m.
Heather Kemp, wife of Nick Kemp, said, “We are hoping to get a third show on the books before end of summer and hope to be able to offer it as a fundraiser for a Georgina charity.”
The 90-minute film traces the legendary rise of the Williams Family, the most decorated team in Canadian motorsport history. Their dominance in professional Nitro Hillclimbing led to over 25 world and national championships.
Kemp’s mechanical brilliance has been a lifelong pursuit. Growing up between Toronto and Keswick, he quickly became the neighbourhood’s go-to kid for bicycle and wagon repairs. His first foray into racing came in 1959, when he built his own soap box car out of baby buggy wheels, 2x4s, and rope for Keswick’s inaugural Soap Box Derby. That early victory sparked a life devoted to “striving to create the awesome.”
Kemp moved on from Nitro Hillclimbing and said, “there came a time when invention transitioned to maintenance.”
One of his next challenges was building every dry sump oil tank for the exclusive and rare Ford GT. Kemp said, “I did 7.7 kilometres of welding and machined 1,480 of them, though only 1,350 were sold in production cars.”
The Ford GT is a legendary supercar, and the second generation was made between 2017 and 2023. Its top speed was approximately 350 km/h and it could accelerate from zero to 97 km/h in less than three seconds. Some are sold used for more than $1 million US.
- A Fresh Start: Bud’s Sushi is Open for Business in Pefferlaw - June 8, 2025
- Wrestling for Gold: Keswick Brothers Chase Olympic Dream - June 8, 2025
- Celebrating 50 Years of Georgina’s Living History - June 8, 2025
