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Index by last name:
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Jack Christie (2007)
Many people think all the action is on the track but even before competitors load their cars for the trip to the track much has already been done. Dedicated people such as former formula car racer Jack Christie have worked to create and administer racing series, find sponsors, organize tracks and get it done all out of the limelight.
For over 20 years, Jack Christie has filled that role, creating the Canadian Tire Formula 2000 Series, the Nissan Racing program, the Super Beetle Racing series, and the outstanding Rothmans Porsche Turbo Cup which captivated Canadian and European racing fans.
Jack also founded the Canadian Formula Racing Drivers Association improving safety and funding for Canadian racers and co-founded the Canadian Motorsports Sponsors Association that assisted motorsports sponsors in their use of racing as a marketing tool. As well, he was instrumental in running several Canadian drivers in the 24 Hours of LeMans. He built motorsports marketing opportunities for such companies as Canadian Tire, Castrol, Pirelli Tire, Rothmans Canada, Shell Oil and Porsche AG.
Jack was also instrumental in guiding the careers, as a manager, mentor or advisor, to notable drivers such as Scott Goodyear, Ron Fellows, Paul Tracy, and Greg Moore. Quietly, Jack got the job done and helped build and advance the enjoyment of our sport.
More about this member :: Back to top Scott Fraser (2007)
Scott Fraser started to race at 16 in the Street Stock at Onslow Speedway and soon was runner-up as Rookie of the Year in the Maritime Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.
Scott's abilities were honed on local tracks and at 21 he moved to his first international competition, finishing 3rd and 4th when the ACT series came to Nova Scotia in 1991. Scott moved into road racing at the 1992 Moosehead Grand Prix. He adapted quickly and qualified 3rd only to fall victim to a broken gearbox. In his second road race the following year he finished 2nd.
In 1994, at 23, Scott won his first ACT race. Between 1993 and 1998 he dominated the annual Riverside 250, the longest and most prestigious annual stock car race on the MASCAR circuit, with six consecutive wins.
In 1996, Scott experienced perhaps the most successful season ever for any driver in the history of Maritime motorsports. While competing on the MASCAR circuit he scored an impressive 12 of 15 feature wins en route to his first touring series championship. Nine of those wins were consecutive. He led an amazing 58.9% of the total laps run. Scott was so dominant the most commonly asked question in racing circles that year was "Who finished second?"
Scott went on to win many races, build cars and be a dominant force in the Maritimes, a car builder of note and in 1999 the Nova Scotia Male Athlete of the Year. Scott's career was cut short in a snowmobile crash in 2004.
More about this member :: Back to top Geoff Goodwin (2007)
Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Geoff moved to Edmonton in 1949 at age 12 and by 1952 was active in the fledgling hot rod and drag racing community.
A series of award winning hot rods and custom cars followed. In 1962 he campaigned his gas dragster a full season without defeat, winning the NHRA Inland Empire (Washington, Idaho) Edmonton and Alberta Championships. Geoff continued to dominate competition eliminator for over a decade in Western Canada and Eastern Washington.
Throughout his driving career, Geoff was involved in the growth and administration of the sport. In early 1960's as President of Capital City Hot Rod Association, led that group back to solvency after a law suit threatened to bankrupt the club, effectively ending drag racing in Edmonton.
In 1967 he assisted in design of the then state-of-the art Edmonton International Speedway, sold shares in what was then a dream, invested personally, then managed and promoted the strip while continuing as President as CCHRA.
In 1990 Geoff re-answered the call for a much-needed facility, he invested personally and was instrumental in raising the funds to build Edmonton's new Capital Raceway (now Castrol Raceway) and served as President and General Manager for the first 5 years.
As car owner Geoff continued to be active fielding Top Fuel Funny Cars, 360 Sprint cars, Junior Dragster (Championship) and recently Top Alcohol Funny Cars, garnering numerous track records, three AHRA World Finals and "Best Appearing Awards" at both IHRA and NHRA National Events.
His current team competes in the prestigious NHRA Lucas Oil Series finishing 6th in Division 6 in 2006 and 7th in 2007 in California's highly competitive Division 7.
At the date of this induction, after devoting a proud 56 years to the sport, Geoff has no intentions of retiring.
More about this member :: Back to top Ted Gryguc (2007)
Ted Gryguc was Canada 's most prominent outboard racer from the late-1980s through his retirement in 1999. Ted started working with performance boats in 1977 and soon had a reputation for making fast boats even faster. By 1980, he had his own firm, Speedmaster Marine. That year he took an old boat, fixed it up, and started racing himself. The next year, Ted won his first Canadian title. From 1981 to 1988, Ted Gryguc earned six Canadian High Point Championships and five Canadian National Championships in CBF's Modified FL and VP classes. In 1991, he was the Mod VP World Champion. He also tried marathon racing, becoming the first Canadian winner of classic events like the Parker Seven Hour Enduro, the Lake Havasu Classic and the Bill Muncey Memorial Trophy. From 1986 to 1992, Ted raced successfully on the International Outboard Grand Prix (IOGP) circuit. He took a two year hiatus from racing in 1992-1993 but missed the competition. He also saw a direct correlation between his racing successes and his firm's sales and service work. In 1995, at the age of 45, Ted Gryguc bought a Formula 1 tunnel boat and mounted an attack on the premier outboard class. He succeeded, capturing three Canadian National Championships and three Canadian High Point Championships between 1995 and 1999. Ted also raced in the Dominican Republic garnering further recognition as an international competitor. Since retirement, he continues to run his marine business, builds high-performance boats and contributes to the sport as a team owner.
More about this member :: Back to top Alan Labrosse (2007)
Alan Labrosse burst upon the Canadian motorcycle racing in 1980. Riding as an amateur, he won five Canadian championships that year. In 1981, racing as an expert, he won four national pro titles. Over the next four years, Alan won races in Canada and impressed in the AMA's Pro Formula 2 Series. In 1985, he was Rookie of the Year in the AMA's Formula 1 series, the top class in North America, capping the season with an impressive race win at Brainerd. In six years of motorcycle racing, some of Alan's biggest battles had been with the economics of the sport. Seeing better prospects on four wheels, he jumped to the Canadian F2000 series for 1986. His debut was remarkable. Alan finished second in the overall standings and beat Paul Tracy for Rookie of the Year. He also won the F2000 title at the CASC Runoffs. At the end of the season, Alan's team owner, Raymond David, offered him a chance to move to the business side of the sport. He accepted. Since then, Alan Labrosse has been an instructor, a racing circuit and racing school manager, the head of two national sanctioning bodies, a motorcycle magazine publisher, a race promoter, a team owner, track owner and the agent for Miguel DuHamel, Pascal Picotte, Patrick Carpentier, Alex Tagliani, and Andrew Ranger, some of Canada's finest motorcycle and automobile racers. He has been a success in all of those roles.
As a racer and builder of the sport, Alan Labrosse has made, and continues to make, a remarkable contribution to Canadian motorsport on two wheels and four.
More about this member :: Back to top Bill Mathews (2007)
Bill Mathews career grew from hillclimbs near Hamilton to dirt ovals across Ontario through the dirty 30's. Late in the 1930's he had moved on to compete in Canada and the U.S. by competing in American Motorcycle Association events, racing up to 3-5 times per week.
In 1940 he entered his first Daytona 200, the biggest motocycle race then and now, finishing 23rd on the venerable beach course. He put that experience to good use coming back in to win in 1941 becoming the only Canadian and first rider on a non-American bike to win the Daytona 200. He set a new record for the race at 78.08 MPH and his 500 cc Norton was the smallest engine to win at Daytona up to that point. He also won the last race in Canada before war activity brought racing to a close, winning a special Canadian US Challenge at Lindsay in front of a crowd of 10,000 people.
In 1947 he ventured to England with fellow Canadian Eric Chitty to race on the West Ham Speedway team but 1948 found him back in North America at Daytona where he recorded a 2nd place finish. 1949 saw him finish 2nd again as part of a 1-2-3 Norton team finish. 1950 saw him record his second win and establish him as the premier Canadian motorcycle racer. Billy was part of a tour from 1948 through 1950 that raced at Dayton, Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis. His 1949 record of 51 1st's, 23 2nd's and 17 3rd 's were indicative of his competitive nature.
The 1952 Daytona was his final attempt at that famous venue.. 1953 saw him move to the west coast to work with fellow Inductee Trevor Deely and then on to a long career with BC Department of Highways.
Prior to his death of cancer in 1980, Bill Mathews set a standard for motorcycle racers to dream of matching.
More about this member :: Back to top Tony Novotny (2007)
Tony Novotny started his life in motorsport as a 16 year old fan and drag racer at St Thomas Drag Strip. His passion for the sport lead him to open a speed shop in Chatham. Over time this business expanded into race wheel manufacture and race tire sales. This lead to relationships with race tracks. In 1979 he purchased Delaware Speedway and embarked upon a career as track owner and race promoter.
The challenges he faced there prodded him to create standards for cars and competitors that raced on his track culminating in the formation in 1981 of the Canadian Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. Under Tony's guidance CASCAR built the profile of stock car racing in Canada, raising the standards so sponsors would find value in Canadian racing scene.
CASCAR's success brought the attention of sponsors and in turn TV and a constantly growing fan base and CASCAR expanded into more tracks, road courses and across the country. Support and feeder series were built to ensure growth which has left CASCAR as the predominant racing series in Canada.
Tony Novotny has been recognized with the John Bassett Award which has in the past been awarded to Harvey Hudes, Paul Tracy, Scott Goodyear, Dr. Hugh Scully, Jacques Villenueve, Gilles Villenueve, Jim O'Donnell, Ludwig Heimrath and Greg Moore. Tony has also been recognized with the "Promoter of the Year" award by RPM at the Annual Race Promoters Workshop on Daytona Florida during Speedweek, which covers all race tracks in the USA and Canada!
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