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)
