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. 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. 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 www.garhofa.org. See more on the inductee’s on my Hall of Fame News page.(10-10-2007)
