Eugene Pettipas

Eugene Pettipas for his major impact on Canadian Maritime motorsports and his successful racing career. A resident of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Eugene Pettipas has devoted his life to his passion - anything fast on four wheels. His involvement in auto racing runs the gamut from competitor to builder to team owner and sponsor. In 1969 Eugene began his racing career in drag racing where he had multiple wins. The next year he took his 1969 Corvette to the track and entered road racing. Go-Karts attracted him in 1981 and for two years he raced them with the Atlantic Motorsport Karting Association. Eugene purchased his second 1969 Corvette in 1989 and during the next nine years had many class wins and became a fixture on the Canadian road racing circuit and in Maritime road racing. In 1991 he won both the GT-1 championship and the Halifax Moosehead Grand Prix. During 1986-1988 he was instrumental in building the Maitland International Raceway and during 1991-1992 was Track President at Eugene Pettipas Atlantic Motorsport Park. Eugene retired from active racing in 1997, but not from the sport. He has sponsored many racers through his business ventures Dairy Queen and Heritage Cedar Homes. Today Eugene owns the Pettipas Racing Team through which his two sons Aaron and Leigh continue the family racing tradition. In November 2008 the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame inducted Eugene Pettipas into its ranks.