Sewart Among 2012 Inductees to Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame

Posted Tuesday, Janaury 3; Photos - Ken MacIsaac

Take a look back at Greg Sewart's racing career in Ken MacIsaac's photo gallery at the end of the story...
(photo - Ken MacIsaac, 1996)

Greg Sewart, one of Nova Scotia's most accomplished stock car racers, will be among a group of seven inductees to the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame (CMHF). Sewart and his fellow honourees will be formally enshrined as members of the class of 2012 at a ceremony to be held in Toronto on April 21. The other six members to be welcomed into the CMHF include Richard Foley of Montreal, the first Canadian to race in the Daytona 500; sports car racer Rudy Bartling of Courtice; rally competitors Robin Edwardes of L'Orignal, Ont., and Paul Manson of Toronto; Calgary organizer Ben Docktor; and, supermodified and stock car racer Norm Ellefson of Edmonton and Spokane, Wash.

Sewart, a 2010 inductee to the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame, was surprised when he got the call, to say the least.

"I got a message on my phone," said Sewart. "It didn't register at all - I was thinking it was someone calling me from the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame. Then they called again and my wife got the message - she said the call was from Ontario, so I listened again. Still not believing it I called them back. First I was surprised, now I am honoured. It feels really good to be recognized for my accomplishments on the track."

Until he got that call, and in spite of hundreds of wins and numerous championships, Sewart would have named his induction to the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame as one of the highlights of his racing career.

"That was quite a thing," said Sewart, from Halifax. "I never imagined it would be as special as it was, so I can't even begin to fathom what being included in the Canadian Hall of Fame will feel like."

Sewart retired from racing 10 years ago this coming July after a broken back thwarted a 26-year career that started in 1976 in the sportsman division at Atlantic Speedway. Sewart won both the rookie title and points championship that year and repeated as points champion in 1977. In 1982 he was the late model champion at Onslow Speedway and in 1983 he joined MASCAR, winning the super late model (pro stock) title in his rookie year. He repeated as the MASCAR champion four more times, in 1987, 1992, 1993, and 1995 to become the series only five-time champion.

Besides championships, Sewart claimed some of the biggest race trophies the region had to offer. He is a three-time Moosehead Grand Prix Late Model division winner (1991, 1992, and 1994), a three-time winner of the River Glade International (1983, 1984, 1987), and a two-time winner of the IWK 250 (1986 and 1993), and claimed the checkered flag in the only 300-lap pro stock feature ever held at Scotia Speedworld.

Surprisingly one of the biggest thrills of Sewart's racing career came in a second-place finish at the 1994 edition of the Oxford 250 in Maine - one of North America's most prestigious and most respected short track races. To this day Greg Sewart is the top finishing Maritime racer (ever) in the hallowed event.

Sewart will join six fellow Maritime stock car racing icons in the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame: Scott Fraser (Shubenacadie), Jim Hallahan (Dartmouth), Junior Hanley (Port Mouton native), Rollie MacDonald (Pictou), Ernie McLean (River Glade, NB), and Earl Ross (Prince Edward Island native)

The Class of 2012 will be officially welcomed into the Hall at the 18th annual gala banquet and ceremony April 21 at On The Park in Toronto.

"These new honourable members have earned recognition for their accomplishments and contributions to Canadian motorsports and it is an honour to confirm their entry into our Hall," said CMHF chairman, Dr. Hugh Scull. "We are particularly pleased that we have representation from Western Canada , the Maritimes , Ontario and Quebec, further reflecting the true national scope of the CMHF."

The Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame was first organized in 1993 and now has more than 100 inductees from across Canada as well as several in the International Category that was added two years ago.

A LOOK BACK AT GREG SEWART'S RACING CAREER - BY KEN MACISAAC

1. 1976 2. Atlantic Speedway.... 1977 3. Atlantic Speedway.... 1977... chasing brother Jim Sewart 4. Riverside Speedway.... 1984 5. Riverside Speedway.... 1985...with trophy presenter Bobby Allen 6. 1986 7. Halifax Car Show.... 1987 8. Riverglade Speedway.... 1987 9. Petty Raceway.... 1988 10. Scotia Speedworld... 1989 11. 1989... with Ken Packham 12. Island Speedway.... 1990 13. Riverside Speedway... 1992 14. Scotia Speedworld.... ACT Tour... 1993 15. 1994 16. Oxford Plains Speedway, Maine.... 1994 17. Oxford 250, Maine.... starting lineup... 1994 18. Oxford 250... 1994... 2nd place finish! 19. Scotia Speedowrld.... 1996 20. Raceway Park, PEI.... 1996 21. Oxford 250, Maine.... 1996 22. Scotia Speedworld.... 1998 23. Riverside Speedway... 1999 24. Scotia Speedworld... 2000 25. Scotia Speedworld - PASS race.... driving Mike MacKenzie's car.... 2001 26. Scotia Speedworld.... driving Mike Riley's car.... 2002 27. Maritime Motorsports Hall Of Fame induction ceremony with presenter Ernie Ledwedge.... 2010 28. Jim & Greg Sewart... Maritime Motorsports Hall Of Fame induction.... 2010