Hall of Fame inductees raced in the County

Among eight Canadians to be inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame are three powerboat racers – Norm Woods, John Webster and Jean Theoret – who were frequent participants in boat races held in  Prince Edward County.
The Canadian Motorsport Heritage Foundation will formally recognize the recipients at the Hall’s Annual Gala April 23 in Toronto.

“There is still plenty of interest  about boat racing here in the County as can be seen with the response to the ‘Miss Supertest’ 50th Anniversary Commemorative Stamp proposal that was accepted by Canada Post and will be issued August, and to the appearance of  ‘Miss Supertest III’ at this year’s Toronto Boat Show,” says John Lyons, co-chairman, of the ‘Miss Supertest’ Celebration Committee.
“We are interested in having the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame & Motorsports Heritage Museum involved in our  ‘Miss Supertest’ 50th Anniversary Celebration Weekend Aug. 6-7,” says Lyons. “Former executive director Brad Brown was instumental in helping this project get off the ground, with an eye toward using it to help advance the cause of the building of the new museum at Downsview Park.”

Canadian Inductees include: Power Boat competitor Norm Woods, Bracebridge, On; ASN Executive Paul Cooke, Oakville, On; Competitor Jacques Duval, St. Bruno, QC; Power Boat competitor John Webster, Scarborough, ON; *Herb Rodgers, Drag Racing competitor, Belmont, On; Drag racing competitor, Bob Elliott, Wingham, On; Current president of Canada’s governing motorsport  body, Roger Peart , Port Credit , On and Power Boat competitor, Jean Theoret of Maple Grove, QC.  (*denotes posthumously). They join 158 other significant contributors to Canadian motorsport,  inducted over the past 16 years.
Jean Theoret has been in hydroplane racing all his life – as a crew member, an engine builder, a driver and a team owner and manager. In 2007, he celebrated his 25th anniversary as a driver. Jean was the most successful driver in the history of the Grand Prix class – Canada’s premier inboard hydroplane class – with 43 wins, and numerous Canadian, American, North American and World Championships and speed records. He was the first Canadian to win an Unlimited hydroplane race since Bob Hayward. He has won more Unlimited races than any other Canadian. He was the first Canadian to officially win APBA Gold Cup. Simply put, Jean Theoret is Canada’s most successful living hydroplane racer and one of the greatest powerboat racers Canada has produced.

John Webster‘s name is synonymous with boat racing in Canada and throughout much of the USA. He was an influencial member of the Canadian Boating Federation (Canada’s sanctioning body) and the Toronto Outboard Racing Club, Canada’s oldest and largest sanctioned powerboat racing club. As well as being one of the greatest power boat racers in Canadian history, he will be honoured for his achievements in volunteering and guiding at the race level as an official, president, and at the Canadian sanctioning body level as division chairman.

Norm Woods was inducted into the Canadian Boating Federation’s Hall of Fame in 2002. His many titles include Canadian National Champion, North American Champion, World Championship gold and silver medalist. In the late 90s, Norm focused on safety – due to the increased speed of the supercharged engines and after witnessing several good friends injured in crashes. Norm insisted on sitting inside a reinforced racing capsule. The K-boat was fitted with a Kevlar and carbon fiber capsule equipped with an air supply. In 1996 it proved its worth. Travelling at 130 miles per hour, his boat caught a wave at the start of a race in Hampton, Va., and instantly barrel rolled, then flipped end over end. The capsule, with Norm strapped inside, sank amid a sea of debris. After being freed by the rescue crew and receiving medical care, it was determined Norm’s injuries were limited to bruising on his knees. That outcome prompted other owners and drivers to adopt the capsule system.

In addition, Professor Sid Watkins and Bobby Rahal, will be inducted through the CMHF’s International category, which was newly created in 2010. Both have made significant contributions to motorsports in Canada, as well as being prominent international figures. Watkins was formerly the chief medical officer for Formula 1 while Rahal was the first winner of the inaugural Molson Indy in 1986. Both Professor Watkins and Mr. Rahal will be speakers at the gala event.

In addition to the audio visual presentations on each inductee and the acceptance formalities, a silent auction will help support the development of a new Canadian Motorsport Heritage Museum.

Miss Supertest

Visit http://www.peyc.reach.net/supertestIII.htm  for the latest up-dates and information on the Miss Supertest Weekend.
Tickets for the gala are available through the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame’s website at cmhf.ca or by calling   905 852 6764.