SUMMERSIDE – The Prince Edward Island contingent in the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame grew on Saturday night.
Wayne Gaudet, Merrill Cronin, Kevin Power and the late Carl Livingston were four of the 11 inductees honoured at the Lakeview Loyalist Resort in Summerside.
Wayne Gaudet
(Motorcycle competitor/stock car builder)
Gaudet made P.E.I. history, becoming the first Prince Edward Islander to be part of a NASCAR championship with Matt Kennseth (2003) and Kyle Busch (2004).
Gaudet’s career began at a very early age motorcycle drag racing across the Maritimes. He built his first bike – a Suzuki – and his proudest moment was setting the record for low E.T. at Raceway Park in Oyster Bed Bridge.
Gaudet turned to a successful motorcycle-racing career, before switching to stock car.
Gaudet became crew chief for Randy MacDonald in the ACT Tour, and he would go on to work with a NASCAR Busch Grant National Series team. From there, Gaudet joined Chad Little’s NASCAR Winston Cup team for three years.
Gaudet was hired by Roush Racing, which had cars in the Winston Cup and Busch Grant National Series.
Gaudet left Roush Racing to join Wood Brothers Racing team for four years as the main fabricator at the shop. Wood Brothers’s No. 21 car, driven by Trevor Bayne, won the Daytona 500 in February 2011.
Gaudet returned to the Roush/Fenway race team, where he’s presently in charge of the research and development of special projects division.
Kevin Power and Merrill Cronin
(Drag, stock car builders/track owners)
Power began his drag racing career in a 1956 Ford sedan in the early 1970s. He ran the quarter mile in the 13-second range.
His second car – a 1968 Camaro – ran the quarter mile a best at 11.11 seconds. This was .01 of a second off the national record for his class.
The establishment and development of stock car racing, in particular on P.E.I., is described as Cronin’s greatest contribution. Cronin, who tried his hand at drag, stock car and snowmobile racing, developed a love of speed and all things mechanical.
Power, Cronin and Doug Young purchased the drag track at Oyster Bed Bridge in 1981. Power and Cronin bought out Young a couple of years later.
The drag building burnt in 1984, and the decision was made to rebuild and expand a quarter-mile dirt stock car oval. Opening night in 1985 attracted between 2,000 to 2,500 spectators.
Power and Cronin improved the track with safer barriers, expanded seating, improved lighting and paved the track back in 1987.
Cronin sold out to Power, who sold the stock car track in 2010 but still operates the drag track.
It’s the longest-running drag track in Canada, some 45 years.
Carl Livingston
(Stock car competitor/builder)
Livingston started stock car racing on dirt tracks in 1966, competing in Freetown, Covehead and Charlottetown.
Livingston was one of the first cars in the long lineup waiting to get in the pit gates at the newly-built Raceway Park in Oyster Bed Bridge in 1985. He competed in street stock and modified, recording multiple triple wins. He finished third in modified points in 1987, and was given a track award for “dedication to the sport and sportsmanship.”
Livingston raced at East River Speedway in Dunstaffnage in 1987 and 1988, and made a few trips to the mainland.
Livingston raced on the MASCAR Tour in 1989-90.
After retiring due to health reasons, Livingston became the owner/sponsor for his son, Kent, from 1992 to 2007, winning the 1996 modified title.
Carl was co-owner of Livingston Welding, and assisted many racers over the years.
Class of 2017
Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees:
Late Donnie Beers (N.B). – Stock car competitor.
Bill Clarke (N.S.) – Drag racing competitor and builder.
James Cowie (N.B.) – Drag racing competitor.
Kevin Power and Merrill Cronin (P.E.I.) – Builders drag racing, stock car racing and track owners.
Wayne Gaudet (P.E.I.) – Motorcycle competitor and stock car builder.
Cyril Hall (N.B.) – Stock car promotions and track announcer.
Cy Harvey (N.S.) – Stock car competitor.
Late Carl Livingston (P.E.I.) – Stock car competitor and builder.
Gary Pozzebon (N.S.) – Drag racing builder and competitor.
Kevin Taylor (N.B.) – Tractor pulling competitor.
