Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs and Al Unser Sr. were inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame on Saturday night. The trio was recognized for their outstanding contributions to the motor sports world through-out the course of their illustrious careers. Hendrick became a NASCAR car owner in 1983 actually winning an XFINITY Series race with Dale Earnhardt behind the wheel. A year later, his team made its Cup Series debut and driver Geoff Bodine won at Martinsville in what was then called the All-Star Racing team. Hendrick drivers have now won 239 more Cup Series races, led by Jeff Gordon with 93 wins and Jimmie Johnson with 75 wins. His team has won eight Daytona 500s, the last coming in 2014 with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Gibbs entered NASCAR after a stellar career as an NFL head coach with the Washington Redskins where he won three Super Bowls. A racing enthusiast, Gibbs first entered the motorsports world as an NHRA team owner, where his teams won two NHRA Pro Stock championships. His first venture into NASCAR was in 1992 with driver Dale Jarrett and the next year they teamed up to win the Daytona 500. Gibbs’ drivers have 128 Cup Series wins and his driver, Kyle Busch, won both the last race of the 2015 season at Homestead and the series championship.
Unser Sr. won a record-tying fourth Indy 500 in 1987 and holds the record for most laps led in Indy 500 history at 644.(Motor Racing Network)
AND: Other awards given by the NMPA included:
NMPA Spirit Award for contributions to motorsports: NASCAR.com writer & breast cancer survivor Holly Cain;
Richard Petty Driver of the Year: Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch;
Ken Patterson Helping Others Award (for a public relations representative): Jon Edwards, publicist for Jeff Gordon;
NASCAR radio Broadcaster of the Year: PRN’s Mark Garrow;
Writer of the Year: ESPN’s Ryan McGee.
