Bob Hayward

Last updated
Bob Hayward. Bob Hayward.jpg
Bob Hayward.

Robert D. Hayward (October 28, 1927 - September 10, 1961) was a Canadian powerboat racer who was a three-time winner of the Harmsworth Cup as the pilot of Miss Supertest III . [1]

From Embro, Ontario, Hayward was raised on his family's chicken farm and joined the Supertest racing team as a mechanic in 1957. Piloting Miss Supertest III, Hayward won the Harmsworth Cup in 1959, 1960, and 1961. A month after winning his third Harmsworth Cup, Hayward was killed while racing Miss Supertest II at the Silver Cup regatta on the Detroit River. The boat flipped over at 175 mph, breaking Hayward's neck. He was 33 years old. After his death, the Supertest team retired from racing. [2]

Hayward was inducted in the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2000. [3] A YMCA in London, Ontario, where he lived at the time of his death, is named after him. A stretch of water at the Bay of Quinte near Deseronto, Ontario is known as Hayward Long Reach. Hayward was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1960. [4]

Canada Post issued a commemorative stamp in 2011 honouring the hydroplane racingboat Miss Supertest III, her driver Bob Hayward and businessman Jim Thompson, who designed and built her.

Thistle Theatre, a community theatre company, in Hayward's home town of Embro, ON put on an original play about his life, racing and death. Shows are upcoming in March 2024.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hockey Hall of Fame</span> Ice hockey museum in Toronto, Canada

The Hockey Hall of Fame is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup. Founded in Kingston, Ontario, the Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1943 under the leadership of James T. Sutherland. The first class of honoured members was inducted in 1945, before the Hall of Fame had a permanent location. It moved to Toronto in 1958 after the NHL withdrew its support for the International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, Ontario, due to funding issues. Its first permanent building opened at Exhibition Place in 1961. The hall was relocated in 1993, and is now in Downtown Toronto, inside Brookfield Place, and a historic Bank of Montreal building. The Hockey Hall of Fame has hosted International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) exhibits and the IIHF Hall of Fame since 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Byron</span> American racing driver

Robert Nold "Red" Byron was an American stock car racing driver, who was successful in NASCAR competition in the sanctioning body's first years. He was NASCAR's first Modified champion in 1948 and its first Strictly Stock champion in 1949. Along with Bob Flock, he is considered one of the best drivers of the era. He won the first NASCAR race at Daytona Beach and Road Course and won the inaugural NASCAR Strictly Stock driver's championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Heggtveit</span> Canadian alpine ski racer

Anne Heggtveit, is a former alpine ski racer from Canada. She was an Olympic gold medallist and double world champion in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Bondurant</span> American racing driver (1933–2021)

Robert L. Bondurant was an American racecar driver who raced for the Shelby American, Ferrari, and Eagle teams. Bondurant was one of the most famous drivers to emerge from the Southern California road racing scene in the 1950s, and achieved success in North America and in Europe. His Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving has been responsible for training generations of American racing drivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Sweikert</span> American racing driver (1926–1956)

Robert Charles "Bob" Sweikert was an American racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis 500 and the 1955 National Championship, as well as the 1955 Midwest Sprint car championship - the only driver in history to sweep all three during a single racing season.

The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame (CMHF) is a hall of fame run by the Canadian Motorsport Heritage Foundation as a not-for-profit charitable institution that "honours and recognizes the achievements of individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to Canadian motorsport as drivers, owners, team members, motorsport builders, sponsors and significant contributors, as well as those who have distinguished themselves in the new Media category." It was established in 1992 by Gary Magwood and Lee Abrahamson, with assistance by Automobile Journalists Association of Canada founding president and motorsport reporter Len Coates, to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of the various Canadian motorsports communities. The CMHF has moved location six times over the course of its history due to difficulties garnering sponsorship and community support creating financial trouble, and has been housed at The Canadian Motorsport Heritage Museum, in Toronto's Downsview Park since 2010.

Miss Supertest III was a hydroplane designed and built by Canadians that won the 1959 Detroit Memorial Regatta and the 1959, 1960 and 1961 Harmsworth Cup races—the only four races she ever entered. She was the only three-time Harmsworth Cup winner and the first non-U.S. winner in 39 years.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) is hall of fame that honors motorsports competitors and contributors from the United States from all disciplines, with categories for Open Wheel, Stock Cars, Powerboats, Drag Racing, Motorcycles, Sports Cars, Aviation, At Large, Off-Road and Historic. Periodic recognition is given to specialty categories including Speed Records, Business and Technology. Its annual Induction Ceremony is attended by notables throughout the motorsports community and is reported on widely.

The Jukasa Motor Speedway was an auto racing track located near Cayuga in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada.

Allan George Balding was a Canadian professional golfer, who won four events on the PGA Tour. In 1955 he became the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event in the United States; Canadians Ken Black, Jules Huot and Pat Fletcher had won PGA Tour events in Canada.

Robert Lewis McLean was a successful Canadian racing driver. McLean's driving career culminated in 1965 with the Canadian Driving Championship title. McLean died in 1966 at the Sebring International Raceway during an endurance race while driving a Ford GT40.

Tom D’Eath is an American hydroplane and racecar driver from Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Muncey</span>

William Edward Muncey was an American hydroplane racing legend from Detroit, Michigan. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame and hydroplane historian Dan Cowie described Muncey as "without question, the greatest hydroplane racer in history." Muncey was nicknamed "Mr. Unlimited" and won 62 races, which was the most races in the history of the sport until Dave Villwock broke his record in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Thompson (powerboat racing)</span> Canadian engineer (1926–2021)

James G. Thompson was a Canadian businessman, philanthropist, and sportsman. He was best known for designing and building the Miss Supertest hydroplanes.

Arthur Challinor Asbury is a Canadian hydroplane boat racer. He was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2001

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean Chenoweth</span> American hydroplane racing pilot

Dean Alan Chenoweth was an American hydroplane racing pilot. Known for piloting the famous Miss Budweiser boat and the winner of four American Power Boat Association Gold Cups, he was killed at age 44 in a racing accident on the Columbia River.

Maurice Petty was an American NASCAR crew chief and engine builder for Petty Enterprises, of which he was part owner. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2011. He was subsequently enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014. He was the first engine builder to be inducted into that Hall.

Norris McDonald was a Canadian journalist and member of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.

Robert Charles Tullius was born 7 December 1930 in Rochester, New York. He is best known as a race car driver and racing team owner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Westwick</span> Canadian sports journalist

William George Westwick was a Canadian sports journalist. He wrote for the Ottawa Journal from 1926 to 1973, was mentored by Basil O'Meara, then served as the paper's sports editor from 1942 until retirement. Westwick regularly covered ice hockey, Canadian football, and boxing; and had a reputation for not hurting anyone, being accurate, and unquestioned veracity. As the sports editor, he sought for his staff to report the facts first, then develop a personal writing style with time, and mentored his successor Eddie MacCabe. Westwick was the son of Harry "Rat" Westwick, and was inducted into the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

References

  1. "Harmsworth Victory".
  2. "Bob Hayward Tribute".
  3. "Bob Hayward at the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2011-02-09.
  4. "Honoured Member Robert Hayward". Archived from the original on 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2014-07-29.