Ludwig Heimrath, Canada’s first national driving champion and the second Canadian to race in Formula 1, has died of pancreatic cancer at the age 86.

“1925 ‘Whee Whiz’ Auto Racer – by Marx” by Loopdeeloop is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Heimrath won the Canadian Sports Car Racing Championship in 1961 and ’64, and ranked second in ’62. ’63 and ’65. He entered the U.S. Grand Prix F1 race at Watkins Glen in 1963 as well as USAC Indy car races in 1968 and ’69, and teamed with Craig Hill in a Triumph at the 1966 Sebring 12 Hours (pictured above, Heimrath in blue, fourth from right). Heimrath went on to win an SCCA Trans-Am Category 2 championship title with a Porsche 934 entered by his own Heimrath Racing team, in 1977. He remained active in endurance racing for many years, and was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2000.

Heimrath’s son, Ludwig Jr., raced in the CART IndyCar Series as well as IMSA’s Camel GT Series in the 1980s.