- Jarrett's enshrined In LMS's Court of Legends: NASCAR champions Ned and Dale Jarrett were inducted into Lowe's Motor Speedway's Court of Legends Tuesday
afternoon as part of the week-long festivities leading up to Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The Jarretts are the first father and son to be enshrined in the speedway's Court of Legends and the induction ceremony included having their signatures, footprints and handprints immortalized in concrete near the track's main entrance. They are the 21st and 22nd members of the Court of Legends, joining fellow NASCAR legends such as Richard Petty, David Pearson, Benny Parsons, Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson, Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte. Dale Jarrett's induction came just four days before he climbs into the #44 UPS Toyota Camry for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, his final career start in stock car racing's premier division. More info and a list of those enshrined, see lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS)(5-14-2008) Comment here
- Jarrett's to be enshrined In LMS's Court of Legends: Ned and Dale Jarrett, one of only two father-and-son combinations to claim championships in NASCAR's premier division, will be simultaneously inducted into Lowe's Motor Speedway's Court of Legends on Tuesday, May 13 at 2:00pm/et. H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of the 1.5-mile superspeedway, will honor the two North Carolina natives who will have their signatures, footprints and handprints immortalized in concrete near the track's main entrance. Officials of Lowe's Motor Speedway and UPS will also announce the winner who will ride-along with Dale Jarrett in the UPS truck during pre-race ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night, May 17. The $1 million-to-win event will be Jarrett's final NASCAR start.(LMS)(5-12-2008)
- Hendrick Motorsports reopens museum: Check out Rick Hendrick's first Chevrolet. Watch a dissected Impala SS "Car of Tomorrow" being pieced together. See the cars and memorabilia of Casey Mears, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. These are just a few things visitors can do now that Hendrick Motorsports has reopened its museum. The 15,000-square-foot facility, which was closed the last four months for renovations, pays tribute to nearly 25 seasons of Hendrick Motorsports history and offers fans the latest in team-related apparel and merchandise. Admission to the museum is free of charge. Throughout the year, the museum will exhibit a rotating stable of famous Chevrolets -- such as an original All-Star Racing entry, multiple Daytona 500 champions and the inaugural Brickyard 400 winner. Featured currently are cars driven by Geoff Bodine, Tim Richmond, Ken Schrader and Ricky Hendrick, among others. Visitors will be met at the entrance by the Monte Carlo SS that Johnson drove at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch the 2007 Sprint Cup Series title. The Hendrick Motorsports museum is open to the public from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visitors can find special announcements, extended race-week hours, driving directions and additional information related to the museum at www.HendrickMotorsports.com.(HMS)(5-8-2008) Comment here
- Hall of Fame induction tonight: The International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be top-heavy with NASCAR characters. Tonight's program includes three stock-car men who helped push their sport into major-league status. The NASCAR banner will be carried into the Hall of Fame by Robert "Red" Byron, Everett "Cotton" Owens and Ralph Seagraves. On the other half of the program are Art Arfons, Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins and Frank Kurtis.
The following men will be inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame tonight in Talladega, Ala.:
Art Arfons (1926-2007): Set the unlimited Land Speed Record three times in the infamous Green Monster.
Robert "Red" Byron (1926-60): Won the first NASCAR-sanctioned race on the Daytona Beach & Road Course in 1948.
Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins (1930- ): Built engines for 61 NHRA eliminators, producing five titles and three ARHA crowns.
Frank Kurtis (1908-87): Built five Indy 500-winning cars, and his midget-car package dominated the sport for 20 years.
Everett "Cotton" Owens (1924- ): Scored 41 NASCAR wins and 38 poles as driver and car owner.
Ralph Seagraves (1929-98): Helped initiate R.J. Reynolds' sponsorship of motorsports, including NASCAR, in the 1970s.
(Daytona Beach News Journal), for more info, see the International Motorsports Hall of Fame site.(4-24-2008)
- Special Tribute For NASCAR's 60th Anniversary Honors Champions Past and Present: The past and present of NASCAR will converge on stage during the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on April 24. Standing side-by-side will be Raymond Parks, owner of the car driven by Robert "Red" Byron to the first NASCAR championship in 1949, and Jimmie Johnson, the driver who won the most recent NASCAR Cup title in 2007. Both Parks and Johnson will have their championship trophies with them during the presentation. The moment will be the highlight of a special tribute honoring the 60th anniversary of NASCAR's formation. After a short video tribute, all of the past
champions who are members of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame - both drivers and car owners - will be recognized. Those who will be present for the ceremony include NASCAR legends Ned Jarrett, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson, Ray Fox, Red Farmer and Everett "Cotton" Owens, who is also being inducted into the IMHoF that night as a member of the Class of 2008. Past Inductees that will also be in attendance include Carroll Shelby, Johnny Rutherford and Mel Kenyon. Parks was an active car owner from 1938 to 1955 and one of the most successful owners during the early days of NASCAR. Parks' teams won all five beach races held at Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1945 and 1946, as well as the first NASCAR-sanctioned race in 1948. A native of Georgia, Parks teamed up with a number of stock-car racing's driving pioneers, including Lloyd Seay, Roy Hall, Bob Flock, Fonty Flock, Ed Samples, Jack Smith, and Gober Sosebee. But it was Parks' relationship with Byron that proved to be the most successful. In 1949, Byron competed in six of the eight official NASCAR races held that year, winning two and finishing in the top-five in two others. He won $5,800, earned 842½ points and went into the record books as the first NASCAR champion, beating out eventual three-time champ Lee Petty. Ironically, Byron is one of the six people being inducted into the IMHoF this year. He and Owens are joined in the Class of 2008 by land speed record breaker Art Arfons, drag racing guru Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins, car fabricator Frank Kurtis and Winston promoter Ralph Seagraves. Opened in April of 1983, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to the preservation of the history of motorsports. Each year, the annual International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is held on the grounds of the museum to honor those men and women chosen for induction from among the greatest names in all of motorsports. The 2008 ceremony will be held April 24, at the SPEED Channel Dome, adjacent to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Individual tickets for the evening are $125 and a table of eight may be reserved for $1,000. Tickets and tables are available by calling 1-256-362-5002. For more information on tickets for the upcoming Aaron's Dream Weekend, guests should call the Talladega Superspeedway Ticket Office at 1-877-Go2-DEGA, (1-877-462-3342) or visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.(TSS)(4-16-2008)
- Bill France Sr. To Be Inducted Into U.S. Business Hall of Fame: NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. will be inducted posthumously into the U.S. Business Hall of Fame on Wednesday night in Nashville, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. France, who died in 1992, founded NASCAR in 1947 and was the sanctioning body’s first president, serving in that capacity until 1972 when he was followed by his son Bill France Jr. France is part of an illustrious 2008 class of inductees that also includes: USA Today founder Al Neuharth; Thomas Frist, Jr., M.D. Chairman Emeritus, Hospital Corporation of America; Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of the RLJ Companies and the Black Entertainment Network; John E. Pepper Jr., retired chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble; and Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay. France’s grandson, J.C. France – who races Daytona Prototypes in the Rolex Sports Car Series – will accept the induction honor on behalf of the France family. J.C. France is the son of NASCAR vice chairman and executive vice president Jim France.(NASCAR PR)(4-9-2008) Comment here
- Martin, McElreath inducted into Texas Motor Sports HOF: NASCAR veteran driver Mark Martin and open-wheel star Jim McElreath were inducted into the Texas Motor
Sports Hall of Fame in ceremonies held tonight at The Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition, Texas Motor Speedway and Happy Hill Farm Academy honored
Jimmie Johnson, the two-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion and defending Dickies 500 winner; Sam Hornish Jr., a three-time IndyCar Series champion and last season's Bombardier Learjet 550k winner; and Indy-car veteran Arie Luyendyk, who won the first nighttime Indy car race at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997, with special awards during the
ceremony. McElreath and Martin join previous inductees A.J. Foyt (2003), Johnny Rutherford (2003), Terry Labonte (2004), Lee Shepherd (2004), Kenny Bernstein (2005), Jim Hall (2005) and Eddie Hill (2006) into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame. The Bruton Smith Legends Award, a lifetime achievement award given to a legendary figure in motorsports, was presented to Luyendyk. Luyendyk is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (1990, '97) and three-time Indy 500 pole winner. Johnson was honored as the Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year. Hornish Jr., now a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie after an illustrious IndyCar Series career, was recognized with the Texas Motor Speedway Sportsmanship Award. Hornish Jr.'s charitable contributions to Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter have not gone unnoticed. For the past three years, Hornish Jr. has hosted the Sam Hornish Jr. Celebrity Bowling Tournament prior to the Bombardier Learjet 550k race weekend.(TMS)(4-3-2008)
- Texas Motor Sports HOF names inductees: Mark Martin and open-wheel star Jim McElreath have been selected as this year's inductees into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame and will be honored April 2 at The Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition, Texas Motor Speedway and Happy Hill Farm Academy announced that Jimmie Johnson, the two-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and defending Dickies 500 winner; Sam Hornish Jr., a three-time IndyCar Series champion and last season's Bombardier Learjet 550k winner; and Indy-car veteran Arie Luyendyk, who won the first nighttime Indy car race at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997, will also be honored with special awards during the ceremony.(TMS PR)(3-6-2008)
- Drivers Elected to Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: Open wheel racing champion Michael Andretti, NASCAR legend Buddy Baker and perennial drag racing king John Force will lead a class of seven racing greats into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America when the organization stages its annual induction ceremony on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at the Fillmore Detroit. These three, along with sports car ace Richie Ginther, motorcycle hero Wayne Rainey, versatile competitor Paul Goldsmith and pioneering aerobatic pilot Betty Skelton will join 167 racers already enshrined in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Tickets for the Induction Ceremony can be purchased by calling 1-800-250-RACE (7223). The Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame is operated by the nonprofit Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame of America Foundation Inc. The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a museum housing more than 40 racing and high-performance vehicles. The constantly changing collection features racers from the world of Indy cars, stock cars, Can Am, TransAm, sprint cars, powerboats, truck racing, drag racing, motorcycles, air racing and even snowmobiles. Among the highlights are Art Arfons' Green Monster jet car and championship NASCAR stock cars driven by Darrell Waltrip and Dale Jarrett.(MSHF PR)(2-16-2008) Comment here
- Childress named to N.C. Sports Hall of Fame: Richard Childress, the owner of Richard Childress Racing in Welcome, NC will be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in May. Childress is one of eight honorees in the Class of 2008. The NASCAR team owner won six Winston Cup [Now Sprint Cup] championships with Dale Earnhardt Sr. behind the wheel, the Busch Series [now Nationwide Series] Grand National championship in 2001 and 2006 with Kevin Harvick and the Truck Series title in 1995 with Mike Skinner. His team became the first in NASCAR history to win the championship in all three national series. His teams have also won two Daytona 500s. Childress was inducted into the Davidson County Sports Hall of Fame in October. He also owns Childress Vineyards in Lexington, NC. The eight inductees will be enshrined at the 45th annual induction ceremony in Raleigh on May 15. They will be introduced at an afternoon news conference at the N.C. Museum of History. Formal induction will come during an evening banquet at the North Raleigh Hilton. Banquet ticket information is available from the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame in Raleigh at (919) 845-3455 or at the Hall’s Web site, www.ncshof.com. The museum is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon until 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission to the museum is free.(Lexington Dispatch)(1-31-2008)
- Hendrick museum closes for renovations: The Hendrick Motorsports museum, located on the team's racing complex in Concord, has been temporarily closed to the public while it undergoes a full renovation. The redesigned facility will reopen in time for NASCAR's annual visit to Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. Hendrick Motorsports is located one mile from the race track. Also undergoing a facelift is Hendrick Motorsports' team store, which will reopen in a temporary location on Jan. 28. The store will operate under its regular business hours in the race shop of drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson until construction on the new facility is completed. Other areas of the Hendrick Motorsports complex, including the team race shops, will remain open to the public during the museum renovation.(HMS Site)(1-25-2008)
- Johnson Named NMPA Driver of the Year; Houston Named to Hall of Fame: There was little doubt about who was going to be chosen the National Motorsports Press Association's driver of the year for 2007. The question, instead, was whether Jimmie Johnson would personally accept the Richard Petty trophy. The answer, for the second year in a row, was no. Johnson, who repeated as NASCAR champion last season, was announced as 2007's top driver Sunday at a luncheon during the NMPA's annual convention. When he was unable to attend last year's awards presentation, Johnson videotaped an acceptance message. He did likewise this time, too, but the video wouldn't play. It's the third time in four years that Johnson was voted the NMPA driver of the year, and it was part of the spoils that went with a 10-win season by the 32-year-old native of El Cajon, Calif. Johnson is the fourth driver to win the NMPA award more than twice. Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough each captured the trophy three times, and Dale Earnhardt Sr. won it by himself four times and shared it with Tim Richmond in 1986. The trophy has been given annually by the media group since 1969.(Fayetteville Observer)
AND: On Saturday night Tommy Houston, one of the truly significant figures in the history of what was previously known as the Busch Series, joined the National Motorsports Press Association's Stock Car Hall of Fame. Like most of the men honored by the NMPA, the honor clearly moved Houston. He basked in the attention, answered every question and went out of his way to be cooperative. Houston's last words to the audience -- the dinner was near Lowe's Motor Speedway at the Concord Convention Center and Embassy Suites hotel -- were, "Thank you for remembering me, and good night."(Gaston Gazette)(1-21-2008) Comment here
- 2007 West Coast Stock Car HOF inductees announced: The 2007 inductees into the West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame shows how deep the talent runs in the West. Every one of the inductees could have been inducted in the HOF the first time around. Inductees include: Don Basile; Ed Justice Sr.; Dick Rathmann; Johnny Steel; Butch
Gilliland; Chad Little. A special tribute to the ladies of west racing.Wayne and Connie Spears: A long time west coast team owners and supporter of west coast stock car racing who won championships with Bill Sedgwick and Kevin Harvick and went on to establish one of the best NASCAR Craftsman truck series teams. The 2007 induction ceremony will be held early in 2008, date, location and times will be announced shortly. More info at the West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame PR website.(12-19-2007)
- International Motorsports Hall of Fame To Announce 2008 Induction Class: UPDATE: On December 6, 2007 the official announcement of the 2008 International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Class and unveiling of the 25th Anniversary logo for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum will be made at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum at Talladega Superspeedway, AL.(12-5-2007)
UPDATE: NASCAR legends Robert “Red” Byron, Everett “Cotton” Owens and Ralph Seagraves are among the six members of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame announced in the 2008 Hall of Fame Induction Class. The six inductees were determined by a panel of 125 international motorsports media members. Joining the NASCAR inductees in the 2008 IMHOF class are former world land-speed-record holder Art Arfons, drag racing superstar Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins and Frank Kurtis, one of the pioneers of Midget racing.(SPEEDtv.com)(12-7-2007)
- VA HOF induction Thursday, Hill to show artwork: Thursday, October 18, 2007 from 6:00 pm until the Virginia Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame will hold it first Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Limited seating is still available at $50.00 per person. To inquire please call 276-694-5554. Inductees are: H. Clay Earles, Paul Radford, L.O. Stanley, Curtis Turner, Glen Wood and Leonard Wood. Plus NASCAR artist Garry Hill, will show his artworks on Saturday, October 20th from 11am - 6pm. As an artist working only with racing subjects, Garry has created painting s for the Motorsports community at the corporate level as well as for private collectors. Currently he is publishing two very special limited edition fine art print series. "The Great Moments In Racing" series documents the history of NASCAR racing, and "The All Star" series focuses on the annual NASCAR NEXTEL All- Star Challenge races. Many of the prints are available autographed by the drivers including Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty, Bill Elliot, Dale Jarrett, Bobby and Davey Allison, Junior Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and more. To view Garry's work go on line at www.garryhill.com. See more about the VA HOF at Virginia Motorsports Museum & Hall of Fame site.(10-17-2007)
- Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame Announces 2007 Inductees: They are Jody Ridley, Paul McDuffie, Phil Bonner, Billy Carden, Bruce Brantley, Harvey Jones, Roy Shoemaker, and Linda Vaughn. Jody Ridley - The Chatsworth, Georgia driver picked up around 500 short track victories in his career. Ridley moved up to what is now NASCAR's Nextel Cup series for veteran car owner Junie Donlavey in the early 80s, giving Donlavey what would be both men's only victory in the top division with a win at Dover, Delaware in 1981. Ridley would later return to short tracks, becoming the dominating force in NASCAR's All-Pro short track division, scoring seven championships on the circuit. Now retired, Ridley continues to live in Chatsworth.
Paul McDuffie, originally from Hawkinsville, Georgia, became highly noted as the man who led Chevrolet factory racing into NASCAR in the late 50s. McDuffie's cars won the Southern 500 at Darlington with Fireball Roberts in 1958, and the inaugural World 600 at Charlotte with Joe Lee Johnson in 1960. McDuffie was killed, along with two other men, in a tragic accident at Darlington during the 1960 Southern 500. The accident occurred when Bobby Johns' out of control racer spun into the pits, hitting the pit wall. McDuffie, Charles Sweatlund, and Joe Taylor were all killed in the accident.
Phil Bonner's "Daddy Warbucks" Ford was the epitome of match race drag racing in the 1960s. Bonner was a fan favorite in the southeast, and a winner on drag strips throughout the country. He was a master of the quarter-mile in an era before the "Christmas tree" at a drag strip. When Bonner's Fords would roll to the starting line, there was no doubt the fans were going to see a great race.
Billy Carden was a true stock car racing pioneer, who started racing after World War II. Carden ran in NASCAR competition from 1949 to 1959, recording four top five finishes, 17 top tens, and 2 poles. Carden's best finish came in 1951 at Pine Grove Speedway in Shippenville, PA, where he finished third behind fellow Georgia Hall of Famer Tim Flock and John McGinley. After leaving the big circuit, Carden could be seen running the occasional late model event around the south.
Bruce Brantley, who now lives in Lawrenceville, Georgia, started driving in the early 60s, and probably won around 200 races. He raced mostly in the Atlanta area until the mid'60's, when he began running events on the NASCAR late model sportsman tour. Today, he's highly involved in vintage racing. A replica of the 1955 Chevy he built and raced is in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, AL.
Harvey Jones of Tallahassee, FL, is the first inductee not from Georgia (this Harvey Jones shouldn't be confused with the Harvey Jones from Atlanta, who is already in the GRHOF). Jones started racing in 1949, and despite being born and raised in Tallahassee, according to Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame historian Mike Bell, he probably did 70 to 80% of his racing in Georgia. He raced at Columbus, Albany, and any other track from Macon to the Florida State Line. Jones was the first track champion at the Valdosta 75 Speedway.
Roy Shoemaker was the owner, builder and promoter of the legendary Peach Bowl Speedway in downtown Atlanta. The track was a favorite among southern racers, and was located closer to the downtown Atlanta area than the Atlanta Zoo is today. Shoemaker sold the track in 1970, and passed away in 1971. A MARTA bus repair depot now sits on the site of the old Peach Bowl.
Linda Vaughn, a native of Dalton, Georgia, became internationally known as "Miss Hurst Shifter" in the 1960s, and continues to this day to be a grand ambassador for the sport on all levels. She's also a successful businesswoman, who now resides in California.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in October, prior to the annual Moonshine Festival in Dawsonville, GA. The Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame Association is a statewide organization with over 500 members. Anyone who is a fan of automobile racing may become a member. We encourage fans of all ages to join us in preserving the history of automobile racing in Georgia. For more information on GARHOFA, please visit http://www.garhofa.org.(10-10-2007)
- Baker and Hyde to be honored at NC Auto Racing HOF: Buddy Baker, the first driver to win on the Big Four tracks on Nextel Cup circuit and legendary crew chief Harry
Hyde will be honored by the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame at its annual induction ceremonies on Oct. 10 at Mooresville's Charles Mack Citizens Center. Baker, winner of 19 races and 40 pole positions, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Hyde, who headed the 1970 NASCAR Grand National [Nextel Cup] championship team and oversaw teams that made record runs at Pikes Peak and the Bonneville Salt Flats, will receive the coveted Snap-On Golden Wrench Award for his outstanding contributions to the sport. Baker, nicknamed the "Gentle Giant", wasn't go gentle on the race track. He was the first driver to win the circuit's Big Four – Daytona, Talladega, Darlington and Charlotte. His victory in the 1980 Daytona 500 remains the fastest on record with an average speed of 177.602mph. On March 24, 1970 Baker set a world closed-course record while preparing for the inaugural Alabama 500 at Talladega. That day, he posted a lap of 200.447 mph, making him the first driver to exceed 200 mph on a closed course.
Hyde's powerful race cars won 56 Winston Cup races with drivers Bobby Isaac, Bobby Allison, Baker, Cale Yarborough, Neil Bonnett, Dave Marcis, Geoff Bodine and Tim Richmond. Isaac won the 1970 series championship in Hyde's familiar orange and white #71 K&K Insurance Dodge. Bobby Unser's run up Pikes Peak in a Dodge Dart Kit Car that possessed that Hyde magic set a world record for a stock car. At the Bonneville Salt Flats, with Isaac as the driver, the K&K team set 28 world speed records, which still stand. Those records were established in 1971 in a winged Dodge Daytona.
The 2007 induction ceremonies will be presented by Alltel in association with Snap-On Tools. Located in Mooresville, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame celebrates the rich heritage of motorsports and its cultural contributions to society. It opened its doors in 1994 and now welcomes more than 300,000 visitors annually. More than 30,000 fans visited the Hall of Fame during Charlotte race weeks in May 2007. A non-profit museum, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame is dedicated to all forms of motorsports – from drag racing to stock cars. It houses more than 35 cars as well as numerous displays and showcases. Past inductees into the museum's Hall of Fame include Tim Flock, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, Bill France Sr., Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, Cale Yarborough, Ralph Moody Jr., Dale Earnhardt, David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip. For more information about the
museum and the 11th annual induction ceremony, log on to www.ncarhof.com.(NCARHOF PR)(10-2-2007)
- Dr. Jerry Punch to Emcee Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony: Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame officials announced that Dr. Jerry Punch, lead announcer and host of ESPN/ABC sports coverage, will emcee the 2007 Induction Ceremony honoring Matt Kenseth and Terry Labonte. "I know how much my dear friend, the late Benny Parsons, loved being involved with this special evening," Punch said. "I am extremely honored and privileged to be asked to emcee this event. I hope I can continue the passion that Benny brought to the induction ceremony; however, as we all know, there was only one Benny Parsons." The Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame in downtown Talladega is both a focal point saluting NASCAR's greatest names and a tribute to one of racing's brightest stars - the late Davey Allison. Developed in 1994, the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame has inducted one active driver and up to two inactive drivers since 1995 based on the fans' vote chosen from a ballot of nominees selected by strict guidelines.(TSS PR)(9-18-2007)
- Plans announced for Rusty Wallace HOF: The Rusty Wallace Racing Hall of Fame is announced that Bill Sanders, Founder of the Hall, and Eddie Hurley, Principal of Lakeview Management and Development LLC, have signed a Letter of Intent and reached an agreement in principle to jointly develop the Rusty Wallace Racing Hall of Fame in Morristown, Tennessee. The Hall site will be located just northwest of the I-81/US 25E Exit 8 Morristown interchange in south Hamblen County. Only an hour southwest of Bristol Motor Speedway, 40 miles northeast of Knoxville, and 22 miles from the I-40 Sevierville Exit 407 interchange, the site is in the heart of the tourism corridor of East Tennessee and NASCAR country. A press conference officially announcing this agreement and providing details will be held at the Holiday Inn-Conference Center in Morristown at I-81 Exit 8, which is adjacent to the proposed Hall of Fame site, at 12 Noon on Wednesday, August 22, 2007. It is anticipated that the founder of the Hall, the developer, area elected officials, and several others who are to be involved in the project, will be in attendance at the news conference. They will answer questions regarding it, and make themselves available for media interviews for both print and broadcast regionally and nationally. Preliminary plans for the estimated $2 million privately owned and operated project will include construction of a 10,000 square foot facility that will include a visitor center, NASCAR-themed gift shop, refreshment center, and the state-of-the-art Racing Hall of Fame display.(Rusty Wallace Racing Hall of Fame PR)(8-21-2007)
- International Motorsports Hall of Fame Announces Top-20 Finalists: The field has been narrowed and only 20 finalists remain for induction into the Class of 2008 International Motorsports Hall of Fame, IMHOF officials announced today. The final five inductees will be elected when the last round of voting begins July 30th, 2007. This year's nominees come from a variety of motorsport venues. From NASCAR are drivers: Red Byron, Jerry Cook, Cotton Owens, Marvin Panch and Rex White. Also representing NASCAR is a unique group of non-drivers: owner Carl Kiekhaefer, chief mechanic Maurice Petty and promoter Ralph Seagraves. The Sprint Car Series has three drivers up for nomination: Tommy Hinnershitz, Joe Leonard and Jan Opperman. Also from the open wheel ranks are chief mechanic Clint Brawner, chassis builder Frank Kurtis and IndyCar drivers Pete DePaolo and Tommy Milton. From sports car racing fame are drivers Rene Dreyfus and Brian Redman, as well as, engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov. Drag racing brings driver Art Arfons and chief mechanic Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins.(Talladega Superspeedway PR)(7-27-2007)
- Kenseth, Labonte Win Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame Voting: Fan voting closed this past weekend for 2007 Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame honorees, and on Saturday, Oct. 6 during Talladega Superspeedway's upcoming UAW-Ford 500 weekend, two new names will be added to this prestigious list: Matt Kenseth and Terry Labonte. The Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame in downtown Talladega is both a focal point saluting NASCAR's greatest names and a tribute to one of racing's brightest stars - the late Davey Allison. Developed in 1994, the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame has inducted one active driver and up to two inactive drivers since 1995 based on the fans' vote chosen from a ballot of nominees selected by strict guidelines.(Talladega Superspeedway)(7-19-2007)
- Two-time Sonoma winner Rudd inducted onto Wall of Fame: #88-Ricky Rudd won the inaugural NASCAR Cup race at Sonoma, so it’s only fitting that his mug was added to the track’s Wall of Fame on Friday morning. When Rudd won way back in 1989, the current Infineon Raceway was called Sears Point. He finished in the Top 5 over the next four years and has logged 10 Top 5s and 11 Top 10s to lead all drivers at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course. He also won in 2002, which was his most recent Cup victory. “I’m really honored and proud to be chosen for the Wall of Fame,” Rudd said. “It’s wonderful to be a part of the history of the Cup racing out at Infineon, and I’m just proud of the fact that we’ve had some accomplishments out there that they see worthy enough to place me on their Wall of Fame. We’ll have a copy of this on our fireplace to look at every day. I think the earlier days of Infineon a lot of the success that drivers had there was thanks to traditional road racing techniques to get around the race track. Back when I began racing at Infineon, there was only a handful of guys that you really had to focus on and deal with up at the front of the pack, because a lot of the others couldn’t adapt to driving cars the way we could.” Save Mart Supermarkets chairman and CEO Bob Piccinini was also added to the Wall of Fame for his involvement with the Cup race since 1992.(Napa Valley Register)(6-23-2007)
- Kyle Petty to be enshrined: The Boise, Idoho based World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame will hold its 13th annual induction ceremony at 7:30 tonight at Boise State's Morrison Center. Former Major League Baseball great Edgar Martinez, veteran NBA center Dikembe Mutombo and NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty will be enshrined. Tickets — $15 for adults and $5 for college students and younger — can be purchased at www.sportshumanitarian.com, Select-A-Seat outlets and the Morrison Center box office. With the addition of this year's inductees, the Humanitarian Hall of Fame, started in 1994 by Myron Finkbeiner, will have 38 members who represent, "All that is good in sport." Martinez, Mutombo and Petty will be honored for their contributions and work with their communities and charities. Petty, 46, is the first NASCAR inductee. "I just think it means a lot for the sport," he said. "In the past I don't think a lot of people would look at NASCAR as a sport. There's so many people that do good things for our sport. It's a great honor."(Idaho Statesman)(6-20-2007)
- Rudd to Enter Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame: #88-Ricky Rudd and Save Mart Supermarkets chairman and CEO Bob Piccinini will be honored during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 weekend by being inducted into the Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame. Rudd, considered one of the best road-course drivers in NASCAR history, is a two-time winner at Infineon Raceway and he has also sat on the pole four times. He won the inaugural race at then-Sears Point Raceway in 1989, edging Rusty Wallace by a scant .05 seconds, which is still a track record. Piccinini and Rudd will be inducted into the Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame on Friday, June 22, at 10:30am/et. Race fans are invited to attend the ceremony, which will be held in the Wine Country Winner's Circle. Piccinini, whose Modesto-based grocery chain has been associated with Infineon Raceway since 1992, has played a critical role in the growth of the Nextel Cup Series, not only at Infineon Raceway, but throughout all of Northern California.(Infineon Raceway PR)(6-12-2007)
- International Motorsports Hall Of Fame Inducts Donlavey, Hendrick, Ingram, Johnson, Rainey, Smith: The 17th Annual International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony marks a class of some of the greatest achievers in motorsports history ever inducted into this prestigious Hall of Fame. On Thursday night, the black tie ceremony at the Speed Channel Dome located outside Talladega Superspeedway honored the storied careers of the 2007 class - Junie Donlavey, Ray Hendrick, Jack Ingram, Warren Johnson, Wayne Rainey and Bruton Smith along with 2006 Driver of the Year Jimmie Johnson, reigning Nextel Cup Series Champion, as well as eight-time ARCA RE/MAX Series Champion Frank Kimmel. Longtime car owner Junie Donlavey was inducted by former NASCAR driver, Harry Gant. Ray Hendrick was inducted by Alabama Gang member and former NASCAR champion, Bobby Allison. Jack Ingram was inducted by NASCAR Vice-President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter. "The Professor" was Warren Johnson, inducted by Bob Frey. Wayne Rainey was inducted by longtime TV personality Dave Despain. Entrepreneur Bruton Smith was inducted by NASCAR legend Junior Johnson.(TSS PR)(4-27-2007)
- IMHOF Induction Ceremony Thursday: Each year, the annual International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is held on the grounds of the museum to honor those men and women chosen for induction from among the greatest names in all of motorsports.
* This year’s black-tie ceremony consists of a reception, banquet and awards ceremony and is set for Thursday April 26, 2007.
* The 2007 class of inductees consists of Warren Johnson, Wayne Rainey, Ray Hendrick, Junie Donlavey, Jack Ingram and Bruton Smith.
* Individual tickets are $125 and a table for eight may be reserved for $1,000 by calling 1-877-Go2-DEGA. Visa, Mastercard and Discover are accepted. More info at motorsportshalloffame.com.(TSS PR)(4-24-2007)
- Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame Nominees Named and Voting: Online fan voting begins April 15 for this year's Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame honorees, and on Saturday, Oct. 6, two new names will be added to this prestigious list. The Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame in downtown Talladega is both a focal point saluting NASCAR's greatest names and a tribute to one of racing's brightest stars - the late Davey Allison. Developed in 1994, the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame has inducted one active driver and up to two inactive drivers since 1995 based on the fans' vote chosen from a ballot of nominees selected by strict guidelines. Fans may vote for their driver of choice through July 15 by visiting www.talladegawalk.com. Voting is limited to one vote per day. Active driver nominees for 2007 include: Kasey Kahne, Ward Burton, Kyle Busch, Michael Waltrip, Jeff Burton, Morgan Shepherd, Kurt Busch, Robby Gordon, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Sterling Marlin, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Ken Schrader and Carl Edwards. Inactive driver nominees for 2007 include: Terry Labonte, Jim Paschal, Bill Rexford, Jack Smith, Rex White, Red Byron and Speedy Thompson. On Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, Tony Stewart and Rusty Wallace became the most recent drivers to be enshrined.(Talladega Superspeedway PR)(4-13-2007)
- Wood Brothers Museum open for Martinsville visitors this weekend: For those wanting to witness a real trip down Memory Lane, the Wood Brothers Racing Museum will be open both Friday, March 30th and Saturday, March 31st in their hometown of Stuart, Virginia. Stuart is only 30 minutes away from this weekend’s NASCAR races at the Martinsville Speedway. For hours, directions and more see www.woodbrothersracing.com.(Wood Brothers/JTG Racing)(3-30-2007)
- Elliott to be inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame: Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Rathmann (1960) and NASCAR champion Bill Elliott (1988) will head the list of 2007 inductees to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, which will have its ceremony Aug. 15 in Detroit. Also honored will be Jim McGee, the winningest chief mechanic in Indy-car history, and Leo Mehl, who led Goodyear to racing prominence before leading the Indy Racing League through its early years.(Indy Star)(2-20-2007)
- Rudd Joins Virginia Sports Hall of Fame: When the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame opened last year, it included a NASCAR exhibit with a Ricky Rudd race car. Monday, the Hall added the driver. Rudd, a Chesapeake native, joined five other sports figures and one media member in the announcement of the 2007 induction class. The class also includes James Madison and Washington Redskins wide receiver Gary Clark, University of Virginia basketball star Bryant Stith, VMI coaching legend John McKenna, NFL player and coach Charlie Sumner, former ACC and NCAA head Gene Corrigan, and Roanoke sports radio icon Jim "Carroll" Colston. The 2007 Hall of Fame's induction ceremony is scheduled for April 28 at Portsmouth Renaissance Hotel and Waterfront Conference Center. Tickets will be on sale in February, but members can reserve space early by contacting the Hall of Fame at 757-393-8031. Rudd, who holds the NASCAR record of 788 consecutive race starts from 1981-2005, ranks among NASCAR's top 50 drivers of all time. His career started on go-cart tracks, finally taking to professional racing where he was named the 1977 NASCAR Rookie of the Year. Rudd won at least one race every year for 16 consecutive years, a modern-era record he shares with Rusty Wallace. Among Rudd's victories was the 1997 Brickyard 400. The car he used in that race is on the second floor of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.(Virginian-Pilot)(12-6-2006)
- IMHofF announced class of 2007: The Board of Directors of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame announced their Class of 2007 in the Hall of Fame next to Talladega Superspeedway. The six member class, comprised of visionaries, is one that no other class has equaled. First, while there is a distinct NASCAR flavor to this class, only one of them has ever won a Nextel Cup race, and that was as a car owner. There are plenty of championships, however, with five in the NASCAR Busch Series, six in NHRA Pro Stocks and five in two separate motorcycle circuits.
The Class of 2007 is as follows:
JUNIE DONLAVEY, the longtime car owner who gave many of NASCAR's biggest stars their starts. Bill Dennis, Jody Ridley and Ken Schrader all won Rookie of the Year honors in Junie's #90 Fords. His biggest win was with Ridley at Dover in 1981. In all, an incredible 60 different drivers drove in Cup races for Donlavey.
RAY HENDRICK won more than 700 times on modified and late model sportsman circuits, and did it so well that he was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. He missed out on a national title in 1966 when he crashed in Atlanta in the final race of the season.
JACK INGRAM won three NASCAR Late Model Sportsman titles in 1972-73-74, then won the first two Busch Series championships in 1982 and 1985. When he retired in 1991, Ingram was the all time win leader with 31.
WARREN JOHNSON. Known as "The Professor", Johnson has won six NHRA Pro Stock championships, the most recent in 2001. His 96 wins are the most in Pro Stock history, and are second overall to John Force. He was named as one of NHRA's Ten Greatest Drivers in 2000.
WAYNE RAINEY won three consecutive 500cc Grand Prix World titles in 1990-91-92, and was well on his way to a fourth when a back-breaking crash ended his career in 1993. He posted 24 wins in only six seasons, and also won two AMA Superbike titles in 1983 and 1987.
BRUTON SMITH, the flamboyant owner of Speedway Motorsports, which includes tracks at Charlotte, Atlanta, Bristol, Texas, Sears Point and Las Vegas. Smith was a pioneer in the area of fan amenities, building condos at Charlotte, and being the first to light a major superspeedway. He has amassed a motorsports and automotive empire.
These six men will be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame on Thursday night, April 26th, 2007, in a ceremony at the Hall of Fame's Speed Dome. Reservations for tickets may be made now by calling the Hall of Fame office at 256/362-5002. Visa and Mastercard are accepted.(International Motorsports Hall of Fame PR)(11-19-2006)
- Maurice Petty, Barney Hall to enter NMPA hall of fame: Another member of stock car racing’s “royal” family and the sport’s longtime radio voice make up the National Motorsports Press Association’s hall of fame class for 2007. Maurice Petty was head engine builder for more than 30 years at Petty Enterprises and helped guide his brother, Richard, to 198 of his NASCAR-record 200 career wins, while Barney Hall has been working on radio broadcasts for nearly five decades. Maurice Petty, 67, helped his brother win seven poles, seven Daytona 500s and 120 poles. He also made 26 starts as a driver at the Cup level, with seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes between 1960 and 1964. He stepped away from full-time involvement in 1985, but helped Dodge work with its motors when it returned to NASCAR’s top series. Petty was diagnosed with polio as a child and now needs a walker and a scooter to get around. Hall, now 74, was working for a radio station in his hometown of Elkin when he got a job as the public address announcer at the track in Bristol, Tenn. Within a couple of years, he was working for what would become Motor Racing Network, where he still works today. The NMPA’s hall of fame is part of the Stock Car Racing Museum at Darlington Raceway. Induction ceremonies will be held in Charlotte during the NMPA’s annual convention in January.(Thatsracin)(10-27-2006)
- DW and Wilson to be honored tonight: Three-time Cup Champion, Darrell Waltrip and engine-builder and crew chief Waddell Wilson [Golden Wrench Award] will be honored by the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame at the Charles Mack Center in Mooresville, NC on Wednesday, October 11th.(10-11-2006)
- Dale Earnhardt inducted into Automotive Hall of Fame: Black ties, gowns and some of the biggest names in the automotive business recently gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in Detroit for a very special reason. Seven people were inducted into this year's Automotive Hall of Fame; and Dale Earnhardt was one of them. Earnhardt, a seven-time NASCAR Cup champion, was honored for his contributions to the automotive business on and off the race track. With 76 Cup victories to his credit, Earnhardt was also recognized for the work he did for Chevrolet and Ford. In addition to garnering wins and notoriety behind the wheel of the #3 Chevrolet, he also contributed to the automotive business by owning a Chevrolet dealership in Newton, NC. Also honored were Bill France, Jr., NASCAR, Wayne Huizenga, founder of AutoNation; Nuccio Bertone, Italian designer; Shojiro Ishibashi, founder of Bridgestone Corporation; Arjay Miller, Ford Motor Co. and Bruno Sacco, Mercedes-Benz designer. Teresa Earnhardt, President and CEO of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., accepted the award on Dale's behalf. "Dale didn't just race cars, he loved everything about cars - from their raw steel cage, to their performance," Ms Earnhardt said. "His need for speed, and championship drive, was a winning combination with American manufacturers Chevrolet and Ford. He was so very proud to wear the Chevy Bowtie emblem for all seven of his NASCAR Cup championships. He was also proud of the relationships he built with many of the people in the automotive business. Dale's legendary achievements continue to inspire the sport's new competitors and fans alike. Dale Earnhardt, Inc., the company we founded, continues his championship drive." In 2002, Ms. Earnhardt announced the Dale Earnhardt Foundation to continue the ideals and beliefs Dale carried with him during his lifetime.(DEI PR)(10-10-2006)
- Fireball to be honored in Augusta: Streets surrounding the former Augusta International Raceway will be named for former champions Glenn "Fireball" Roberts and Dave MacDonald at the third annual "Celebrating Georgia's Racing Heritage" on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. For information, go to augustavintagenationals.com. The track held one Cup Series [then Grand National] on November 17, 1963 with Fireball Roberts winning the race, followed my Dave McDonald, Billy Wade, Joe Weatherly and Ned Jarrett.(9-5-2006)
- DW and Wadell to be honored by NC Auto Racing HOF in Oct: Three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip and legendary engine builder Waddell Wilson will be honored by the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame at its annual induction
ceremonies on Oct. 11 at Mooresville's Charles Mack Citizens Center. Waltrip, winner of 84 races and 59 poles, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Wilson, who began building winning engines in the 1960s with the legendary Holman and Moody and then became one of the circuit's top crew chief and engine builders in the 1980s, will receive the coveted Snap-On Golden Wrench Award for his outstanding contributions to the sport. "Both of these men brought something different to the sport," said Don Miller, co-founder and chairman of the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. "Darrell was the stock car driver who led the competitors into corporate America's board rooms and showed they could be valuable in a firm's marketing plans with their on-track performances. He was often
criticized for being brash, but he always backed up his statements, much as New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath did in the NFL. He also was an owner/driver during a portion of his career, gaining a different perspective on the sport that now serves him well in his broadcasting career with Fox Sports. Wilson was an extremely talented engine builder before becoming a crew chief. He came from the North Carolina mountains to rise to NASCAR stardom with the powerful engines he built."
Located in Mooresville, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame celebrates the rich heritage of motorsports and its cultural
contributions to society. It opened its doors in 1994 and now welcomes more than 300,000 visitors annually. More than 30,000 fans visited the Hall of Fame during Charlotte race weeks in May 2006. A non-profit museum, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame is
dedicated to all forms of motorsports - from drag racing to stock cars. It houses more than 35 cars as well as numerous displays and showcases. For more information about the museum and the 10th annual induction ceremony, log on to www.ncarhof.com.(7-20-2006)
- 2006 West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame Banquet: The 5th Annual West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony and Banquet will be held on Friday, July 21, 2006 in Monrovia, CA. This is the 5th Annual event to honor the 2006 West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame Inductees: the 2006 inductee: 1946-1969, Beryl Jackson, Johnny Kieper, Jim Rush, Walt Faulkner, Jim Cook, Don Noel. 1970 to Present, Ray Clairidge, Mike Curb, Ivan Baldwin, Gary Nelson. This is also the same weekend of the NASCAR Grand National, West division race at Irwindale Speedway July 22, 2006. More info at stockcarreunion.com.(7-19-2006)
- 20 Finalists for Intl Motorsports Hall of Fame's Class of 2007: Cotton Owens, the highly successful race driver and car owner, and Jack Ingram, the five-time champion of what is now NASCAR'S Busch Series, head the list of the Top 20 Finalists for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame's Class of 2007. Owens won over 400 Modified and Late Model Sportsman races, then captured 40 more as a car owner. Ingram won three Grand National titles in a row, then won the newly-named Busch Series in its first year in 1982 and then again in 1985. The duo heads a group of ten candidates that are affiliated with NASCAR. Others include former Champions Red Byron, Rex White, Jerry Cook, and Ray Hendrick, car owner Junie Donlavey, engine builder and crew chief Maurice Petty, promotional guru Ralph Seagraves and track owner Bruton Smith. Grumpy Jenkins, who won six NHRA titles as a car owner, and Warren Johnson, NHRA'S all-time winner in Pro Stock with 98 victories, represent drag racing. Sports car legends Oliver Gendebein and Brian Redman, Grand Prix driver Rene Dreyfus, car owner and promoter J. C. Agajanian, and Jan Opperman, who won big in both midgets and sprint cars, carry the banner of open-wheel racing. Others on the list of 20 finalists are three-time World Land Speed record holder Art Arfons, two-time AMA Superbike champion Wayne Rainey and record-setting test pilot Chuck Yeager. Final voting will be held over the next two months, and the five-man Class of 2007 will be announced in early November.
TOP 20 FINALISTS FOR CLASS OF 2007 - International Motorsports Hall of Fame
J. C. AGAJANIAN: Highly respected car owner/track promoter with two Indianapolis 500 winners, in 1952 and 1963
ART ARFONS: Three-time world land speed record holder, first to run six miles/minute.
RED BYRON: First NASCAR Champion in Modifieds and Grand Nationals. One of NASCAR'S 50 Greatest Drivers.
JERRY COOK: Six time NASCAR Modified Champion, One of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers.
JUNIE DONLAVEY: NASCAR car owner, produced two Rookies of the Year (Ken Schrader, Jody Ridley).
RENE DREYFUS: Golden Era Grand Prix driver who had 36 victories and 106 finishes in 148 starts.
OLIVER GENDEBEIN: Won 24 Hours of LeMans four times, won Targa Floria three times, and the final Mille Miglia.
RAY HENDRICK: 500+ wins in NASCAR Modifieds and Late Model Sportsman, one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers.
JACK INGRAM: Five NASCAR Grand National/Busch Series titles, one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers.
GRUMPY JENKINS: Had 13 NHRA Super Stock/Pro Stock wins, then won six titles as car owner.
WARREN JOHNSON: Won 96 events and seven titles in NHRA Pro Stocks, first to run 200 mph.
JAN OPPERMAN: Won hundreds of races in sprint cars, midgets under different sanctioning bodies.
COTTON OWENS: Won 400+ Modified and Late Model Sportsman races, nine Cup races, and 40 more as a car owner.
MAURICE PETTY: Crew chief and engine builder for his brother, Richard Petty.
WAYNE RAINEY: Two-time AMA Superbike champion, won three 500cc GP World Championships.
BRIAN REDMAN: IMSA GT champion, multiple wins at Daytona, Sebring, Nurburgring and Monza.
RALPH SEAGRAVES: Special Events Director that developed R.J.R's involvement in racing.
BRUTON SMITH: Founder of Speedway Motorsports, owner/promoter of seven top racing facilities.
REX WHITE: 1960 NASCAR Cup champion, 26 career wins, 35 poles.
CHUCK YEAGER: Test pilot, set speed records in point-to-point flights.
See more on the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at motorsportshalloffame.com.(7-18-2006)
- Stewart, Wallace Win Fan Voting To Be Inducted Into Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame: Fan voting closed this past weekend for 2006 Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame honorees, and on Saturday, Oct. 7 during Talladega Superspeedway's upcoming UAW-Ford 500 weekend, two new names will be added to this prestigious list: Tony Stewart and Rusty Wallace. The Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame in downtown Talladega is both a focal point saluting NASCAR's greatest names and a tribute to one of racing's brightest stars - the late Davey Allison. Developed in 1994, the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame has inducted one active driver and up to two inactive drivers since 1995 based on the fans' vote chosen from a ballot of nominees selected by strict guidelines.
This year's active driver honoree, Stewart, 35, of Columbus, Ind., is a two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion (2002, 2005). He also won the 1997 IRL IndyCar Series Championship, in addition to multiple United States Auto Club championships as a driver and team owner. In 1998, Stewart drove for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR Busch Series, preparing him for his first full NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season with the organization in 1999. He won three races in NASCAR's top series that year, and earned Rookie of the Year honors. Three seasons later he won his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series title, following it with his second last year and joining the ranks of only 14 drivers in series history to have won more than one championship. In 2003, Stewart began the Tony Stewart Foundation, with the goal of raising funds to be distributed primarily to organizations that help care for critically ill children, as well as lending support to families of race car drivers who have been injured in motorsports. Stewart made the major announcement this past Friday that the foundation's second donation of $1 million to Victory Junction Gang Camp. Located in Randleman, N.C., the Victory Junction Gang Camp is dedicated to creating empowering experiences for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses. The camp was founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in memory of their son, Adam. Stewart now has cumulative unrestricted donations totaling over $2 million to the camp, of which he is a founding member along with the Petty's, actor Paul Newman and the Bahre family, owners of New Hampshire International Speedway.
Wallace, 49, originally from St. Louis, Mo., is being inducted as an inactive driver in his first year of official retirement. The 1989 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion has been named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, having won 55 races in his 25-year career in NASCAR's top series, ranking eighth on the all-time victory list (seventh in the modern era). He made his first start in 1980 at Atlanta, but competed in his first full season in 1984, taking Rookie of the year honors. He is also the 1991 International Race of Champions (IROC) Champion. In 2004, he became owner of a NASCAR Busch Series team and most recently has joined ABC Sports and ESPN as a lead racing analyst covering IRL and NASCAR events. Wallace and his wife, Patti, reside in Cornelius, NC, and have three children, Greg, Katie and Steve. Wallace is an avid aviator who owns airplanes and a helicopter, and also enjoys spending time on
the golf course in his free time.
Fan voting for the 2006 Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame began on April 3. In addition to Stewart, driver nominees this year included
Michael Waltrip, Jeff Burton, Morgan Shepherd, Kurt Busch, Robby Gordon, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, Sterling Marlin, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Ken Schrader and Carl Edwards. In addition to Wallace, inactive driver nominees for 2006 included Jim Paschal, Bill Rexford, Jack Smith, Rex White and Speedy Thompson. In the park, Davey Allison is remembered with a large marble monument, while drivers inducted into the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame have bronze plaques placed around the park, accessible by walkways that form the shape of Talladega Superspeedway. More info at the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame site.(TSS PR)(7-18-2006)
- Bruton, Gordon: Inductees into Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame: #24-Jeff Gordon and Speedway Motorsports Chairman and CEO O. Bruton Smith will share center stage during the Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup weekend as both will be inducted into Infineon Raceway's Wall of Fame. Gordon and Smith will join NASCAR drivers Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin,
who were the first inductees when construction of the Wall of Fame was announced at the 2005 Dodge/Save Mart 350 weekend. Other inductees include Warren Johnson from the NHRA, and Miguel Duhamel and Rich Oliver from the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). The ceremony will take place on Friday, June 23, at 11:20am/pt in the Wine Country Winner's Circle, which is adjacent to the main grandstand in the paddock. Race fans are invited to the ceremony honoring both men. The Wall of Fame is located behind the main grandstand and will be open to the public during race weekend. Smith purchased then-Sears Point Raceway in 1996 and, thanks to a comprehensive $70 million modernization project, has transformed the facility into one of the premier motor sports and entertainment venues in the country, and certainly the top road-racing venue in the country. Gordon, a native of nearby Vallejo, has simply owned the Sonoma Valley road course during his career. He holds the record for career NASCAR Cup wins at Infineon Raceway with four, including three consecutive from 1998-2000, and he has finished no worse than third in eight of his 13 starts in Sonoma, dating back to 1993. For his career, Gordon is also a four-time NASCAR Cup champion (1995, 1997-98, 2001) and a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1997, 1999, 2005).(Infineon Raceway PR)(6-9-2006)
- Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame Voting Continues: Online fan voting began April 3 for this year's Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame honorees, and on Saturday, Oct. 7, two new names will be added to this prestigious list. The Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame in downtown Talladega is both a focal point saluting NASCAR's greatest names and a tribute to one of racing's brightest stars - the late Davey Allison. Developed in 1994, the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame has inducted one active driver and up to two inactive drivers since 1995 based on the fans' vote chosen from a ballot of nominees selected by strict guidelines. Fans may vote for their driver of choice through July 15 by visiting talladegawalk.com. Voting is limited to one vote per day.
Active driver nominees for 2006 include: Michael Waltrip, Jeff Burton, Morgan Shepherd, Kurt Busch, Robby Gordon, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, Sterling Marlin, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Ken Schrader, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart. Inactive driver nominees for 2006 include: Rusty Wallace, Jim Paschal, Bill Rexford, Jack Smith, Rex White and Speedy Thompson. On Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005, Kevin Harvick and Herb Thomas became the most recent drivers to be enshrined. In the park, Davey Allison is remembered with a large marble monument, while drivers inducted into the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame have bronze plaques placed around the park, accessible by walkways that form the shape of Talladega Superspeedway. For additional information, visit www.talladegawalk.com.(TSS PR)(5-26-2006)
- NCMA Appoints Andy Papathanassiou Executive Director: The board of the North Carolina Motorsports Association (NCMA) today named Andy Papathanassiou as the executive director of the organization. He will also serve as the executive director of the North Carolina Motorsports Foundation, the educational and charitable arm of the industry in the state. The NCMA is the voice of the motorsports' industry in North Carolina representing businesses in the state that support more than 26,000 jobs. In addition to his role with NCMA, Papathanassiou began his career in the motorsports' industry in 1992. As a crew member and pit-crew coach, he won four championships (1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001) with the #24 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series team of driver Jeff Gordon before assuming his current role in which he oversees crew training and employee development. Papathanassiou will continue the work of retiring NCMA and NCMF executive director Ed McLean. For information on the NCMA go to ncmotorsportsassociation.org.(4-28-2006)
- Earnhardt, Gant, Guthrie, Roush and Wheeler to be inducted in IMHOF UPDATE TV: While most everyone expected Dale Earnhardt to be among the five individuals that will be honored next April with induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, very few would have anticipated the overall strength of the Class of 2006 being what it is. "This is one heck of a class for 2006," declared IMHOF Executive Director Jim Freeman. "We are pleased to announce that we will induct Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, Janet Guthrie, Jack Roush and Humpy Wheeler next April 27th." Earnhardt, of course, is the seven-time Winston Cup champion and Gant is one of the all-time greats in both Cup and Busch racing. Guthrie is the first female to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. Roush's race teams have won titles in drag racing, sports cars, Craftsman trucks, Busch Series and Nextel Cup Series. Wheeler is the long-time innovative promoter at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. While the quintet has a definite NASCAR flavor, three of the future inductees also have made names for themselves outside of the stock car world. Guthrie, and Wheeler have been involved in sports cars and Indy cars during their careers, while Roush has been successful in several different racing series.
Tickets will go on sale on November 7th for the 16th annual induction ceremony that will take place on the Thursday evening of the first race weekend of 2006 at Talladega. The induction will be held in the Speed Channel Dome at the Hall of Fame. In addition to the five inductees, the 2005 Driver of the Year will also be honored that evening.(IMHOF PR)(11-3-2005/4-24-2006)
UPDATE SPEED will air a one-hour special from the 16th Annual International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on May 1 at 10:00pm/et from the SPEED Dome in Talladega. This year's inductees include Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, Janet Guthrie, Jack Roush and Humpy Wheeler. The special will re-air at May 6 at 1:00pm/et.(Speed Channel)(4-25-2006)
- McLean Retiring as Executive Director of NCMA and NCMF: In a joint announcement the North Carolina Motorsports
Association (NCMA) and the North Carolina Motorsports Foundation (NCMF) today announced that Ed McLean, their founding executive director, is retiring from management of the organizations and will resume management of his McLean Marketing Group. McLean shepherded the organizations through their first four years of growth and directed their efforts to bring the business of motorsports
in the North Carolina to the attention of the citizens of the state, the government and the business community. "Ed has contributed greatly to the entire North Carolina motorsports community during his tenure as director," said NCMA chairman Richard Petty. McLean will be available to both the NCMA and NCMF to assist in the transition to a new executive director for the organizations. Ed has
been awarded a lifetime membership in the NCMA through his McLean Marketing Group and will continue to be a part of the NCMA.(NCMA PR)(4-7-2006)
- Ranier Racing Museum Grand Opening: The Prestonsburg Convention and Visitors Bureau and The City of Prestonsburg, KY announce thed Grand Opening of the Ranier Racing Museum. The Museum will open Tuesday, March 21st and will be open from 2pm until 7pm with a dedication ceremony taking place at 5:30pm. The Museum will be located in downtown Prestonsburg at the tourism building also known as the old post office at the corner of Court and South Central Avenue. Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served and entertainment will be provided. Many prominent racing icons will be in attendance, including Buddy Baker, former Ranier driver and current NASCAR announcer, and Waddell Wilson, former crew chief and famed engine builder. The complete collection of
racing memorbilla from Ranier Racing Team will be on permanent display including the 1983 Daytona 500 Championship Trophy. Certain former NASCAR collection cars will be on display for public viewing. Any parties interested in donating or showcasing their Ranier Racing collection may contact the museum directly. Normal operating hours will be weekdays, Monday thru Friday, 9:00am until 4:00pm and certain weekends. Please call 606-886-1341 for more information and group visits. The public is invited to attend the Grand Opening Ceremony and celebrate the history and family of the Ranier Racing Team.(3-15-2005)
- Texas HOF Inductees: Drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein, Indy-car designer and team owner Jim Hall, NASCAR team owner Jack Roush, winner of the Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year Award, and former NHRA racer Raymond Beadle, winner of the Bruton Smith Legends Award are the 2006 inductees into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame. Truck Series drivers [#11] David Starr is the recipient of the 2006 TMS Sportsmanship Award. The Hall inductees and the award winners will be honored at the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame Gala on April 5 at the TMS Speedway Club Ballroom. Proceeds from the event go to Happy Hill Farm in Granbury, an academy and home for disadvantaged children.(Dallas Morning News)(3-1-2006)
- Rusty and Scott Inducted: Rusty Wallace and Wendell Scott were inducted into the Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame Monday night [Feb 13th] at the Rotary Club of Oceanside in Daytona Beach, FL.. Stock Car Hall of Fame is a fundraising event to benefit "Camp Rotary" for clients of the Association of Retarded Citizens, Interact Club of Atlantic High School, Volusia County Sheriff's Department 100 Deputies 100 Kids, Stewart Marchman Center, YMCA Youth Campaign, Project Harmony, Bill Walter Melanoma Race, polio eradication and other local, national and international charities. More info at www.stockcarhalloffame.oceansiderotary.org.(2-14-2006)
- Rusty to be named “Missouri Sports Legend”: Rusty Wallace will be named “Missouri Sports Legend” during the February 12th Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s annual Enshrinement Banquet and Ceremonies in Springfield, MO. Over 1,600 people are scheduled to attend the event, which is the largest annual sports banquet held in the state of Missouri. Inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, Wallace will be receiving the highest level of recognition that the Hall of Fame bestows upon select members. Since the establishment of this award, the following individuals have been recognized: Stan Musial, Len Dawson, Payne Stewart, Jack Buck, Norm Stewart, Bob Broeg, Don Faurot, John Q. Hammons, Buck O’Neil, George Brett, Hank Stram, Lamar Hunt, and Red Schoendienst. Wallace will be the 14th Missouri Sports Legend. In addition, the Hall of Fame will induct 14 individuals from diverse sports backgrounds, including: St. Louis Cardinals manager, Tony La Russa, Kansas City Royals’ all-time saves leader, Jeff Montgomery and Bob Chandler, the creator of “BIGFOOT – The original Monster Truck”, to name a few.(RWI Racing PR)(2-10-2006)
- Wood Brothers to be inducted into VA HOF: Wood brothers: Glen and Leonard Wood [current owners of the #21 Nextel Cup team] are among eight Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2006 inductees at the 35th annual awards banquet in Portsmouth, VA on April 22. The Wood's have given more than 50 years to the growth of auto racing. They have been at it longer than any other continuous NASCAR Nextel Cup team. Among some top drivers the pair featured were: A.J. Foyt, Cale Yarborough, Neil Bonnett, Kyle Petty and Ricky Rudd. The Wood Brothers team has featured 17 of NASCAR's top 50 drivers. The duo has 97 series wins, and many credit the brothers as inventors of the modern pit stop. The Hall, established in 1972, is for athletes, coaches, administrators and other contributors to Virginia sports. Candidates must meet certain criteria for induction. Among them, they must have lived in Virginia for at least four years or achieved national or international recognition while attending a Virginia college or university. For information on tickets call (757) 393-8031 or go to the Web site at www.vshfm.com.(from the Richmond Times Dispatch)(2-2-2006)
- Three Inducted into NMHOF: O. Bruton Smith, Paul Sawyer and Butch Lindley were inducted into the National Motorsports Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Charlotte, N.C. on Jan. 21. Smith, whose Speedway Motorsports Inc. empire currently includes race tracks hosting Nextel Cup Series events in Charlotte, Atlanta, Bristol, Texas, Las Vegas and Sonoma, Calif., debuted in NASCAR in the late 1950s when he, along with driver Curtis Turner, built Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 1.5-mile track opened in 1960, one year after Daytona International Speedway. Although he later lost ownership the track because of financial difficulty, Smith eventually was able to regain control. Years later, it became one of the first to feature sponsor suites, condominiums overlooking the track and lights for night racing, something never before attempted on a 1.5-mile facility.
The late Sawyer founded Richmond International Raceway, developing it into a 3/4-mile short track that annually sells out two Nextel Cup night races. Sons Wayne and Billy Sawyer were on hand for their father's induction, with Wayne Sawyer recalling his father's well-known work ethic. "There was the right way, the wrong way and Paul's way," Sawyer said. "There was more than one occasion when I left his office after being told that, and no doubt times when I did so with his footprint on my backside."
The late Lindley's legacy includes Late Model Sportsman championships in 1977 and 1978, as well as points finishes of third or better in 1979, '80 and '81.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(1-24-2006)(
- NMPA to induct three in Hall: On Saturday night in Charlotte the National Motorsports Press Association will induct three new members. Mega-track owner and veteran promoter Bruton Smith will be honored in person. NASCAR pioneer promoter Paul Sawyer and two-time Late Model Sportsman Series champion Butch Lindley will be inducted posthumously. It marks the first time in decades that the press organization's induction ceremony has been held anywhere other than either Darlington or Florence, S.C. The NMPA Hall Of Fame for years has been located at Darlington Raceway as part of the Joe Weatherly Stock Car Racing Museum. But there's a possibility that the hall might be moved sometime soon, maybe to the Charlotte area.(ThatsRacin)(1-20-2006)
- The City of Prestonsburg is pleased to welcome the Ranier Racing Museum to downtown Prestonsburg KY. The museum will be located at the tourism building also known as the old post office at the corner of Court and Central Avenue. A dedication ceremony will be held inside the Mountain Arts Center Lobby in Prestonsburg KY on Saturday, January 14th from 6:30p - 8:00p. Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served and entertainment will be provided. Many prominent racing icons will be in attendance and autographs will not be allowed. The complete collection of racing memorabilia from Ranier Racing Team will be on display including the 1983 Daytona 500 Championship Trophy. The museum itself will not open until a later Grand Opening Ceremony. The public is invited to attend the Dedication Ceremony and celebrate the history and family of the Ranier Racing Team.(1-13-2006)
- Rusty to be inducted into Missouri HOF: Rusty Wallace, who just retired from drivng the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in the Nextel Cup Series, will be named a Missouri Sports Legend during the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremonies Feb. 12. Becoming the 14th Hall of Fame member to receive the Missouri Sports Legend award, Wallace will attend the enshrinement reception and bronze bust unveiling ceremony at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame from 12noon-2pm on Feb. 12. He also will be recognized that evening during the enshrinement banquet. Among the Hall inductees is St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa.(Cup Scene Daily)(1-3-2006)
- Motorsports HOF to move: The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is planning to leave its Novi, MI home and the board of directors is expected to announce the new location on Dec. 15. The choice appears to be between Jackson and a spot in the Detroit area. The hall, which features race cars, motorcycles, antiques and memorabilia, plans to leave its 11-year location in the Novi Expo Center. Hall president Ron Watson said several short-term and permanent locations are still in the running. Jackson officials say they hope to boost the hall's fortunes with ties to Michigan International Speedway in nearby Brooklyn.(Detroit News)(11-25-2005)
- Tim Flock to be inducted into Alabama Sports HOF: NASCAR Legend, the late Tim Flock, will be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame ballots for the Class of 2006. The newly elected eight inductees now bring the total of all inductees since 1969 to 257. The 2006 induction banquet will take place in the Birmingham Ballroom, at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel, Sunday, May 21, 2006.(ashof.org), more info about Tim Flock at timflock.com(10-11-2005)
- NC Auto Racing HOF to Honor Pearson and Yates: David Pearson and Robert Yates, two of racing's elite competitors, will be honored by the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame at its annual induction ceremonies on Oct. 12 at Mooresville's Charles Mack Citizens Center. Pearson, a three-time NASCAR champion and one of stock car racing's most celebrated drivers, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Yates, a championship team owner and engine builder, will receive the coveted Snap-On Golden Wrench Award for his outstanding contributions to the sport. "Both of these men brought something different to the sport," said Don Miller, co-founder and chairman of the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. "David was an extremely talented driver and Robert was an equally talented engine builder before becoming a team owner. Both men set a competitive standard for the sport that continues to be the yardstick by which success is measured today."
Pearson achieved everything possible in his NASCAR racing career that began in 1960 and lasted through 1986. His career statistics are nothing short of amazing. With 105 victories and 111 poles, he ranks second in both categories to Richard Petty on the all-time race winners' list and all-time pole winners' list. In starts, his 574 ranks him ninth on that all-time list. He also was crowned the 1966, 1968 and 1969 NASCAR Grand National Champion [now NEXTEL Cup].
Yates has been one of NASCAR's premier engine builders for more than 30 years. He built the engines that carried Bobby Allison to his 1983 NASCAR championship and Petty to his 200th victory at Daytona in July 1984. After years of hard work under the hood, he took his career to the next level by purchasing a race team in the late 1980s. His two race teams have since posted more that 50 victories in addition to the 1999 championship in NASCAR'S premier division with driver Dale Jarrett.
The 2005 induction ceremonies will be presented by Alltel in association with Snap-On Tools. Alltel provides communications to 13
million customers in more than 26 states and has information service clients in 54 countries and territories.
Located in Mooresville, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame celebrates the rich heritage of motorsports and its cultural
contributions to society. It opened its doors in 1994 and now welcomes more than 300,000 visitors annually. More than 38,000 fans
visited the Hall of Fame during Charlotte race weeks in May 2005.
A non-profit museum, the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame is dedicated to all forms of motorsports - from drag racing to stock
cars. It houses more than 35 cars as well as numerous displays and showcases. Past inductees into the museum's Hall of Fame include Tim Flock, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, Bill France Sr., Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, Cale Yarborough, Ralph Moody Jr. and Dale Earnhardt. For more information about the museum and the ninth annual induction ceremony, log on to www.ncarhof.com.(8-30-2005)
- Benny to be inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame: NASCAR champion Benny Parsons and Indianapolis 500 winner Tom Sneva, two of the most popular drivers in American motor sports, will be among a group of nine racing personalities inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on Thursday [August 18th] in Detroit. Better known as a TV [NBC/TNT] racing analyst by today's viewers, Parsons won the 1973 Winston Cup championship in one of stock car racing's most dramatic finishes. He also won the 1975 Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600 and the final race at Ontario Motor Speedway, the 1980 L.A. Times 500. Other inductees: Hurley Haywood; Tommy Ivo; Danny Foster; Jay Springsteen; NASCAR's John Holman and Ralph Moody; Indy 500 winner Troy Ruttman. The nine will join 126 already enshrined in the Motorsports Hall of Fame in Novi, Mich.(Los Angeles Times)(8-17-2005)
- Earnhardt leads INHOF candidates vote: With Dale Earnhardt leading the way, NASCAR candidates dominated first round voting for the Class of 2006 at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. This was a switch from the previous two years when stockcar legends managed to grab only three of the ten spots available. Following Earnhardt, who had one of the highest vote totals ever, NASCAR-related candidates took the first six spots, eight of the top ten places, and 12 of the 22 total finalists. There were 22 candidates instead of 20 because of a three-way tie for 20th. Earnhardt's NASCAR peers include, in alphabetical order, Red Byron, Jerry Cook, Harry Gant, Ray Hendrick, Jack Ingram, Cotton Owens, Les Richter, Jack Roush, Ralph Seagraves, Humpy Wheeler and Rex White. The non-NASCAR contingent is equally talented, and is likely to grab some spots in the final group of five inductees as well. Other finalists include Indy Car standouts J. C. Agajanian and Pete DePaolo, Formula 1 star Rene Dreyfus, sports car drivers Gene Felton, Janet Guthrie and Brian Redman, sprint car legends Tommy Hinnershitz and Jan Opperman, drag racing's Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins and motorcycle champion Wayne Rainey. Ballots for the final round of voting will be mailed to the voting panel next week. The announcement of the Class of 2005 will be made on Wednesday, Nov. 2nd.
The date of the 2006 Induction Ceremony will be Thursday night, April 27th. It will be in the Speed Channel Dome at the Hall of Fame, and will be a black tie affair with a sit-down dinner and receptions both before and after. Tickets are $125 each, or $1,000 for a table of eight. For more information, please call 256/362-5002.(IMHOF PR)(7-23-2005)
- Infineon Raceway Unveils Wall of Fame: Legendary drivers Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin will retire from the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series after the 2005 season, but their legacies will live forever at Infineon Raceway. Wallace and Martin, who have combined for three victories and three pole positions at Infineon Raceway over their careers, were honored during a ceremony on Friday in the Winner's Circle as the raceway announced the construction of a Wall of Fame. Wallace and Martin were honored as the Wall of Fame's first inductees - the ceremony took place during the Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series weekend. The Sonoma Valley facility has featured the best in motor sports over the last 37 years, and raceway officials decided to establish a Wall of
Fame, which will honor those who have excelled not only in their form of motor racing, but more importantly, at Infineon Raceway.
Both drivers were presented with granite plaques by Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway. The plaques were
etched with each driver's likeness, as well as their form of motor racing, and the date of induction. The plaques will be on display in the
Wall of Fame, which is being constructed behind the main grandstand and will be open to the public.
"The Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame provides a wonderful means to celebrate the rich motor racing history of this facility," Page said. "
Both Rusty and Mark have performed so well on this track and have done so much to build this sport in Northern California. I can think of no two names we'd rather feature as our first inductees."
Both Wallace and Martin have been road-course specialists at Infineon Raceway over the years. Wallace won the event in 1990 and 1996 and has two poles (1989, 2000). He has also led the most races (eight) and is fourth at the raceway in all-time earnings ($882,205). Moreover, Wallace placed outside the top seven just twice from 1989-1996. "I've always enjoyed coming to Sonoma and we've always run well here, so this is a big honor for me to be one of the first drivers to be inducted into the Wall of Fame," Wallace said. "The bottom line is that it has always been one of the most fun races of the year."
Martin, meanwhile, won the event in 1997, and has 13 top-10 efforts in 16 starts at Infineon Raceway. He has placed outside the top 10 just once since 1994, and is second in all-time earnings ($955,737). "This is a great honor for me," Martin said. "We've had some great races here and I will miss the road course, but it's an honor to know that I will always be a part of the history in Sonoma."
The Wall of Fame will include competitors from all forms of motor racing at Infineon Raceway, including NASCAR, NHRA POWERade Drag Racing, American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), open-wheel cars, sports cars, and more. It will also include those who have made significant contributions to the raceway over the years. A raceway committee will oversee the selection process on an annual basis.(Infineon Raceway)(6-25-2005)
- Living Legends of Auto Racing Museum relocates, to reopen: Living Legends of Auto Racing Museum in Daytona Beach, FL, will reopen on Saturday. The museum has relocated to Sunshine Park Mall in South Daytona. Several auto racing "legends" are expected to sign autographs and greet fans during Saturday's grand opening, including Marvin Panch, Jack Anderson, Mac McDonald, Pal Parker, Hilly Rife and Harold Cardwell. The museum, now in its fourth year of operation, is expanding its hours. The facility will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. six days a week, Monday through Saturday. There is no admission fee, but donations are welcome. The museum is the brainchild of the Living Legends of Auto Racing Board, founded 12 years ago by local racing aficionados. The museum highlights the auto-racing scene from 1903 -- the era of Malcolm Campbell and his contemporaries -- till the present. It also showcases contributions of so many connected with racing, from drivers and car owners to sponsors, techs, crews, design engineers and even the media who have helped turn the once dirt-track hobby to a billionaire industry. The museum is unique in a number of ways. First, it has no paid staff, but is run entirely by a dedicated corps of volunteers. The board organizes fund-raising events throughout the year, both for its own benefit as well as to share proceeds with communtiy agencies. Supporters can pay $15 for a one-year membership. Those older than 65 are offered a lifetime membership fee of $100. Museum manager John Peoples, a retired research photographer with Princeton University and photo-journalist, puts current annual museum membership at approximately 600, with about 100 lifetime members, scattered all around the globe. The museum publishes a quarterly newsletter, "The Cannonball," with racing trivia, biographbical sketches, racing lore and the like, as well as an annual Yearbook and Press Guide. At the same time, merchandise, souvenirs and related items sold at the museum help add to the coffers. For more information, call (386) 257-2828 or go to the Web site: www.livinglegendsofautoracing.com.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(5-25-2005)
- Irvan to be inducted in West Coast HOF: The inductees for the 4th Annual West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame induction ceremony July 22, 2005 have been announced by Tim Meyer director of the West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame. Fifteen names make up the West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame 2005 induction class.
Drivers: Allen Adkins, Len Sutton, Sam Hanks, Dick Meyer, and Ernie Irvan.
Owners-Mechanics-Manufacturers-Sponsors: Bob Estes, Vel Miletich, Floyd Johnson, Tom Hamilton, Leon Ruther, Richard Elder and James Rush.
Promoters-Officials-Media Members-Event/Series Sponsors: Ron Ail, Harry Schilling, and Marion Collins.(West Coast Stock Car Hall Of Fame)(5-13-2005)
- Winston Cup Museum opens in Winston-Salem, N.C. JKS Motorsports is proud to announce The Winston Cup Museum, a tribute to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company's 33-year NASCAR sponsorship. The museum is designed to preserve NASCAR history and Winston-Salem's ties to the largest spectator sport in the country. The museum opens to the public Wednesday, May 11th at 10:00am/et. A striking wall mural chronicling 33 years of Winston Cup racing covers three walls of the inside of the building, and a
timeline of the sponsorship is near the entrance to the museum. Among the permanent displays are tributes to such RJR-sponsored programs as The Winston Million, the Winston No Bull 5 and The Winston. The museum houses authentic race cars from different eras of the 33-year NASCAR Winston Cup Series. In addition to the different race cars, the museum houses trophies, driver uniforms, helmets, winner's checks, autographed pictures and original racing posters. General Motors, Ford and Dodge all furnished conceptual cars and special paint schemes. Some of the displays are permanent, but other portions of the museum will be on a rotation to
include all of the cars.
The Winston Cup Museum is located at 1355 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive in Winston-Salem, N.C. Normal business hours are 10
a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Twenty percent of the proceeds
from ticket sales will go to three charities: the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C., Brenner Children's Hospital and the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, both in Winston-Salem. The Winston Cup Museum is presented by JKS Motorsports and is not affiliated with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Reynolds American, Inc. of which R.J. Reynolds is a subsidiary or NASCAR. For additional information, please visit www.winstoncupmuseum.com)(5-11-2005)
- DW Inducted into Hall of Fame: Darrell Waltrip was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame last night — the highest honor for any race driver — and he credited his success to ''all the people around me. Other people are responsible for what I've been able to accomplish,'' he said, ''starting with my parents. My mom and dad were hard-working people. We had a lot of hard times, but we didn't cry much. We laughed a lot.'' Waltrip, 58, said his wife Stevie, ''the first person who believed in me,'' was ''responsible for a lot of my success.'' Team owner Junior Johnson was ''in the right place at the right time'' to help guide him to three points titles. ''Our sport's not about cars,'' Waltrip said. ''It's about people, and I've been blessed to be surrounded by great people all of my life.'' Waltrip, who moved to Franklin from Owensboro, Ky., in the late 1960s to pursue his racing career, won 84 races, tied with Bobby Allison for third all-time. He retired from full-time driving after the 2000 season and became a racing commentator for Fox Sports. Waltrip will be calling this weekend's races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Waltrip was introduced last night by his younger brother Michael, who said, ''He's a wonderful person, a great role model on and off the track. He broke the mold on what a race driver was supposed to be about.'' Last night's other inductees were legendary Formula One driver Nigel Mansell; Bob Glidden, the National Hot Road Association's winningest driver and 10-time champion; Joe Amato, the NHRA's all-time Top Fuel winner; and Chris Hanauer, considered the all-time greatest hydroplane racer.(Tennessean)(4-29-2005)
- Waltrip to be inducted into Hall of Fame - Thursday - UPDATE: Three-time NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip heads the latest class of inductees into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Waltrip is joined by longtime drag racing stars Joe Amato and Bob Glidden, powerboat champion Chip Hanauer and Formula One and CART champion Nigel Mansell. Waltrip won Winston Cup titles in 1981, 1982 and 1985, driving for Junior Johnson. He also had 84 wins — tied for third all-time with former inductee Bobby Allison — 54 poles, and was named Driver of the Year three times. Amato had 54 NHRA Top Fuel wins and five division championships, both records. He also finished in the top 10 in points in each of his 19 seasons. Glidden captured 10 NHRA Pro Stock titles and another one in the IHRA. When he retired, Glidden was the NHRA's winningest driver in any class with 85 career victories. Hanauer won seven Unlimited Hydroplane national and world titles and 61 national events, including a record 11 Gold Cup races. The five-member class will be inducted on April 28, 2005.(AP)(11-11-2004)
UPDATE: On Thursday night at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, DW plans to talk about people and memories, including 33 years ago when he walked into Talladega to run this week's race as a rookie. DW started 25th and finished 38th in his very first Cup race on May 7, 1972. It's ironic that 33 years later, that DW is getting inducted into the hall of fame at the track where he started my career.(see DW's article at Allwaltrip.com)(4-27-2005)
- Winston Cup Museum to hold ceremony: The Winston Cup Museum will house authentic Winston Cup race cars from different eras of the sponsorship, trophies, uniforms, helmets, winner's checks, autographed pictures, wall murals and framed/signed original racing posters. The museum will be on a constant rotation of General Motors, Ford and Dodge conceptual cars and special paint schemes. The museaum will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 10th, 2005. The museum will open to the public on May 11 at 12:00noon/et. It's located at 1355 Martin Luther King Drive, Winston-Salem, NC, in the old Bob Neill Pontiac dealership that is currently being renovated. Tickets will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 5-12. Children under 5 will be admitted free.(MSNBC)(4-26-2005)
- Bruton to be honored Saturday: Greater Charlotte Sports Hall of Fame will be honored at a dinner celebration and tribute on the evening of April 16, 2005, at the Panthers Den at Bank of America Stadium. Proceeds from the event will benefit Charlotte/Mecklenburg Senior Centers, Inc.
The four 2005 inductees are:
- Bobby Jones, collegiate and professional basketball player
- Bruton Smith, motorsports pioneer
- David Thompson, collegiate and professional basketball player
- Hoyt Wilhelm, professional baseball player (posthumous award)
John M. Belk, former Charlotte Mayor and recently retired chief executive of the Belk department store organization, is honorary chairman of the event. The gala event (formal business attire) will feature a cocktail reception with live music beginning at 7 p.m., followed by dinner at 8 p.m. The awards presentation ceremony will include video tributes to the inductees and introductions by friends and colleagues. A silent auction of sports memorabilia and other items will be held. Tickets to the charitable event are $150 each. For information or reservations, call 704-369-0383 or visit the
charlottehalloffame.com website. The inaugural inductees of the Greater Charlotte Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 were: Jim Beatty, the late Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Mullins and Floyd "Chunk" Simmons. Members of the 2005 Greater Charlotte Sports Hall of Fame's selection committee that chose the 2005 honorees include Jim Babb, Jim Beatty, Jeff Beaver, John M. Belk, Dell Curry, Ron Green, Sr., Bill Hensley, Max Muhleman, Judy Rose, Dick Thigpen, and H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler. The Greater Charlotte Sports Hall of Fame was established in the fall of 2003 as an entity to recognize and honor outstanding sports figures from the Charlotte region and to create greater public awareness of the area's rich sports history and heritage.(carolinanewswire.com)(4-15-2005)
- Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Banquet: will be held tonight at the Texas Grand Ballroom in The Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway. Who will be honored:
HOF Inductees: Terry Labonte, Lee Shepherd (posthumously)
Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year: Tony Kanaan
Bruton Smith Legends Award: Lloyd Tuby
Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Sportsmanship Award: Kyle & Pattie Petty
Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Vision Award: Dr. Dean Sicking
* Terry Labonte won at Texas Motor Speedway in 1999 and is a two-time Nextel Cup Series champion (1984, 1996). He is retiring
from the series after the 2006 season. Terry owns a Busch Series team for which his son, Justin, is the driver of the #44 Coast Guard car.
* Lee Shepherd won four consecutive National Hot Rod Association championships in 1981-84. He was on his way to a fifth
straight title when he died in a testing accident in Oklahoma on March 11, 1985.
* Tony Kanaan won the June Bombardier Learjet 500k in June 2004 in a photo finish with teammate Dario Franchitti. Kanaan
came back last October to clinch the IRL IndyCar Series Championship with his runner-up finish at Texas. Kanaan is testing and will not be in attendance at the banquet.
* Kyle & Pattie Petty have long been known for their charitable work and contributions throughout the NASCAR community.
* Dr. Dean Sicking has helped revolutionize safety in motorsports with his development of the SAFER barriers or "soft
walls". He is a graduate of Texas A&M University.
* Lloyd Ruby raced for more than 30 years in open-wheel cars, including 18 appearances in the Indy 500. The Wichita Falls,
Texas, native has been called "The Greatest Driver Never to Win the Indy 500".(TMS PR)(4-13-2005)
- Construction Begins on Martin Museum: The construction equipment is out in Batesville, Arkansas this morning as crews begin building Nextel racing star Mark Martin's museum. The Batesville native opened a Ford dealership in his hometown last year with plans to build a museum next door to hold all of his racing memorabilia. Crowds lined the street in the town the day the dealership opened. Martin is also building a home nearby. The 46-year-old racer is retiring from full-time Nextel Cup competition after this season. He finished sixth this past weekend in the Daytona 500. Officials at the dealership said the museum will house many of Martin's trophies and several of his cherished race cars, uniforms and other mementos. But the trophies will only be from the second half of his career. Martin said that his early awards went into the trash on one of his many moves with his wife.(kait8.com/AP)(2-22-2005)
- Benny to be honored: NASCAR champion Benny Parsons, Indianapolis 500 winner Tom Sneva and LeMans 24-Hour king Hurley Haywood will lead a group of nine racing greats into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America annual induction ceremony Aug. 18 at the State Theatre in Detroit. Parsons, Sneva and Haywood will be enshrined along with drag racer Tommy Ivo, motorcyclist Jay Springsteen, powerboat racer Danny Foster, car owners/builders John Holman and Ralph Moody and 1952 Indy 500 winner Troy Ruttman. The Class of 2005 will join the 126 racers already enshrined in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, located in Novi. Currently a NASCAR analyst on NBC, Parsons won the 1975 Daytona 500 and the 1980 Coca-Cola 600, as well as 19 other Winston Cup races. Tickets for the induction ceremony are available by calling 800-250-7223.(Detroit Free Press)(1-22-2005)
- Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductees: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series veteran Terry Labonte and long time drag racing veteran Lee Shepherd will be the next inductees into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 14, at Texas Motor Speedway during the Samsung/RadioShack NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race weekend. Labonte and Shepherd join inaugural award winners Johnny Rutherford and A.J. Foyt as members in the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. Labonte has won on short tracks, intermediate tracks, superspeedways and road courses in his 26-year NASCAR career. The 2006 season will be his final one as a driver. Along the way "Texas Terry" won the 1984 and 1996 Cup Championship after finding his love for racing at the age of seven in quarter-midgets in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Shepherd was one of the best drag racers ever to compete in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and International Hot Rod
Association (IHRA). The soft-spoken Texan won four straight NHRA championships in 1981-84 and was on his way to a fifth consecutive title the drag racing world was rocked by news that he had died in a testing accident in Oklahoma on March 11, 1985. Shepherd was the first driver to win both the NHRA and IHRA Pro Stock championships.
In addition to Labonte and Shepherd being inducted, the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame has announced other award winners.
Jim Hall of Midland, Texas, has been named the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Bruton Smith Legends Award winner. Hall helped revolutionize open-wheel racing with his development of the famous Chaparral race car. Tony Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Championship and earned the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Racer of the Year Award. Texas Motor Speedway added soft walls in the past year and in so doing Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame has honored the designer of the SAFER barrier walls, Dr. Dean Sicking, with the Vision Award. It is no secret the amount of time and resources Kyle Petty gives to charity, and in particular the Victory Junction Gang. Kyle and his wife Pattie will be honored with the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Sportsmanship Award. The 2005 Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Awards Luncheon will be on Thursday, April 14, in The Grand Ballroom at Texas Motor Speedway. The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame benefits the children of Happy Hill Farm in Granbury, Texas, in association with Speedway Children's Charities.(TMS PR)(1-14-2005)
- Appalachian State University Receives Petty Racing Collection: Lynda Petty, wife of stock car racing legend Richard
Petty, has donated a large collection of materials documenting her husband's career to the Appalachian State University Libraries
Stock Car Racing Collection. The donation, which covers 1958-2003, includes newspaper and magazine articles, fan letters, scrapbooks, promotional and charitable materials, awards of recognition, photographs, books, and race programs. During his long and successful driving career (1958-1992), Petty won seven NASCAR Winston [Netxtel] Cup championships and holds the record for most victories, with 200. Known affectionately as "the King," he won the Most Popular Driver award nine times. Since his retirement in
1992, Petty has remained involved in racing. He owns Petty Enterprises, which fields entrants in NASCAR's Nextel Cup, Busch
Series, and Craftsman Truck Series. The Petty family has been in the racing business for four generations; Richard's father Lee was a three time Cup champion, and his son Kyle and grandson Adam followed in the family tradition. The donation is currently being
inventoried and organized for public use, and there are plans to produce a Web page with finding aids detailing the contents of the
Petty collection. The Stock Car Racing Collection, located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains where the sport was born, is the
only library in the country open to the public that focuses specifically on stock car racing. It contains more than 500 books, periodicals, and videos; an extensive clippings file covering more than 1300 subjects; photographs; posters; and promotional materials. Financial and material donations are welcomed. For more information go to: appstate.edu.(Carrick PR)(12-6-2004)
