Doug made incredible contributions to NRHA in numerous ways. I didnt race to make money, I raced because I loved it, Force said. The Napp family began looking for land to build a drag strip along the Golden State Parkway but it was outside their price range. Preceded into the MSHFA by younger brother Tim Flock (MSHFA Class of 1999), Truman Fontell Flock had hall of fame credentials all his own. His pride in his daughter, Mariana, was unrivaled. His three crowns match those of legends Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney, Gary Scelzi, Antron Brown, and current Top Fuel king Steve Torrence. . Dixon earned back-to-back championships in 2002 and 2003 and again in 2010. Trammell won the 2021 Louis Schwitzer Award for biomedical engineering advances for driver safety. Two of the inductees at the forefront of safety improvements are Drs. NRHA Announces 2021 Hall of Fame Inductees & Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Etta served as crew chief keeping the team organized and was there to assist in any way possible, working on the car with her sons with Bobs direction, yet being a mother at the track and at home. Born in England and raised in Royal Oak, Mich, Banks raced midgets and Indy cars. Tickets are priced at $110 each, and available by calling the Museum toll-free at 877-271-3278. made some great memories for some people. NHRA Great Larry Dixon Humbled by Motorsports Hall of Fame - Autoweek With his good history at the Sacramento Mile, his eyes are set on the May 13th race for another win. Ive got a lot of thingsmy family, that two-seat carthat more than take care of me from a satisfaction standpoint.. From 1987-2006, he won 125 national events and 14 world championships. He collected the 1983 Top Alcohol Dragster World Championship, then moved to Top Fuel, where he took 18 victories and never finished lower than fourth in points between 1986 and 1989. . Compared to what so many other people are going through, this isnt that hard. In the meantime, Sonny would have the car as if it were his very own. The one thing that always impressed me about him, though, was that you never heard a conversation about Doug that had a negative note about him.. Carlisle Will Mark a Big Honda Civic Anniversary. Raceway Park was considered one of the premier tracks because Vinny and Richard constantly maintained and made upgrades to the facility. Int'l Drag Racing Hall of Fame welcomes new members | NHRA . This could have been due to the fact that in Johns first 10 seasons in drag racing competition, he did not have any wins, only made nine final-round appearances, and was on fire quite a bit. If it wasnt for her, Id be lost, shes my Mother Teresa. Share in the comments section below. The 1941 East Coast Midget champs best season was 1950 when he became AAA Big Car National Champion and finished second in National Midget points. Thinking the 1981 AQHA World Championship Show would be his last, he didnt even bother to change out of his work shirt when he showed Karen Sullivans 3-year-old mare, Miss Docs Melody, in the first go of junior western pleasure. From Buddy Anderson to Doug Wright - Check out the career summaries, detailed biographies, stats, photos, and multi-media on each member of the NHRA Division 4 Hall of Fame. We are proud to support Joses nomination to the NRHA Hall of Fame, shared Carlos Hernandez, president of the Asociacion Mexicana de Reining A.C. NRHA Affiliate. To say that he was instrumental in creating a dynasty and bettering the bloodlines of the reining horse is undoubtedly an understatement. His knowledge, guidance, and leg work to promote the NRHA Sales resulted in an improved sale and stronger market for yearlings, broodmares, and show horses, noted Melanie Smith, one of the many who nominated Doug to the NRHA Hall of Fame. He won his next world championship in 2010, becoming the oldest driver in the sport to win a championship. Dixon said, Its quite an honor. Did you miss Kyle Buschs dramatic win at Talladega, or Brandon Overtons $50,000 triumph? I didnt even know I could be or was in the running for it. We try to go to Florida a couple of times a year, just to thaw out. The automaker named the Bonneville in his honor. Growing up in a trailer park, you found the first thing with wheels that could get you out of there. Mission and Story - NH Legends of Hockey Rounding out his top five wins was his 2012 NRHA Derby Non Pro Level 4 Championship on Moonshine Juice, where he won $15,604. As it was in those days, that is how a two-man team got help, from fans and mechanics walking around in the pits. Cowin was a trucker with a need for speed who began his racing career in 1973 when he and his wife invested everything they had and purchased the famed Psycho nitro-fueled drag car. Starting with the 1933 National Air Races, he won major contests over several seasons in his Chester Jeep and held the world speed record at 237 mph. And to date, Dixon has 678 elimination round-wins, 10th among all NHRA drivers ever. Olvey and Trammell said jointly. While a lot of our newer members might not be as familiar with Charles Vaughan, if you look back over the years, he has continuously supported the industry in a variety of ways. Copyright 1996-2023, NHRA. With his casual manner, he strived to not just inform but also entertain not only hardcore drag racing fans but those new to the sport. Hill was one of the stalwarts of the Mountain Motor Pro Stock class during its heyday on the IHRA circuit from the early 1970s into the 1990s. I met Doug probably 40 years ago, and he was very quiet and private about many areas of his life. Messner, born in Los Angeles on, Aug. 1, 1941, as Herman R. Messner, would soon go by the nickname, Sonny. At the age of 15, he began his career in automobiles, working for Jr. Thompson, building racecars. We may earn money from the links on this page. Leah Pruett selected as Motorsports Hall of Fame of America - NHRA An ESPN/ABC and NBC analyst and AmeriCARna host, in 2021 Evernham and inductee Tony Stewart (MSHFA Class of 2019) launched the groundbreaking SRX Series. John Force, Shelly Anderson Payne, Ron Attebury, Sonny Messner, Carol "Bunny" Burkett, Graeme Cowin, Vinny and Richard Napp, Bob Frey, and Linda Jones will be the newest inductees into the Don. Fifteen years before that, at Memphis, he was airlifted to a hospital, unconscious and with a broken leg following a ghastly accident that actually jarred one eyeball from its socket. Though Minor left active participation in drag racing behind, he continued to participate in the sand drags as a racer and later as a chassis and vehicle builder. 4 driver on the ANDRA Top 10 drivers list. In 2021, she began cheering on her daughter, Madison, and son Toby Payne as they began their drag racing careers. From seventhto secondTO THE LEAD Dale Nottestad is our featured driver on this weeks Fight For The Flag for his rebound performance at the Big 8 Late Model Spring Classic at Rockford Speedway. Shelly Anderson Payne I look forward to honoring all three of these individuals in December.. Not only was she a success on the track, she was a strong leader and supporter of her crew. He took a chance and applied for the job and got it. By 1969, the Gas class was being supplanted by the new Funny Car class, and marked the end of Baloghs illustrious 10-year racing career. He also bred and raised Tinseltown Lil Step, who went on to produce both Smart Tinseltown and Smart Lil Step. drag racing fans and racers. We have kids. In 1973 he won the Bakersfield WCS, the WCS finals at Sears Point, and was named the Most Improved Pro Driver in Division 7. Our car experts choose every product we feature. While primarily a Top Fuel driver in Australia, he campaigned Funny Cars while in the U.S. and finished as runner-up at the 1987 NHRA Winternationals. Aside from his on-track racing legacy, Meyer will be best known and built the then cutting-edge Texas Motorplex in 1986 in the Dallas-area suburb of Ennis, Texas. Force drives the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car and will kick off a new season on the drag strip at the AMALIE Motor Oil . I met my wife out there. Vazquez, Carpenter, Vaughan, Brown, Kimmel and Carrier will be honored at Sliders Night Out presented by Toyon Ranch on December 1 at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City during the NRHA Futurity. John Force, Shelly Anderson Payne, Ron Attebury, Sonny Messner, Carol Bunny Burkett, Graeme Cowin, Vinny and Richard Napp, Bob Frey, and Linda Jones will be the newest inductees into the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racings International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. He personally recreated the famed Jr. Thompson A/Gas, 1940 Studebaker sedan in 1960 for Thompson, and it was correct in every detail. I think Ive literally spent every year of my life at a dragstrip, at some point every year, Dixon said. In 1993, driving a Top Fuel dragster, Cowin was the first in Australia to run under five seconds with a pass of 4.895. 3 Women Highlight 9-Member Motorsports Hall of Fame of - Autoweek NHRA Division 4 Hall of Fame Since then, he has always helped this sport grow. Our thanks go to Stand 21s Yves Morizot and the Racing Goes Safer Foundation for making that possible.. The 35th Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Induction Celebration will honor the next class of racing royalty at the Motorsports Hall of Fame's home in Daytona Beach, Florida. Motorsports Hall of Fame of America announces 2021 induction class Carpenter, the quintessential horseman with an eye for greatness, continues to impact the industry through the many horses he bought and sold, and with his legacy of working tirelessly to promote reining, and reiners. Anderson-Payne, the daughter of IDRHoF member and champion Alcohol Funny Car driver Brad Anderson, grew up in the sport of drag racing. In 1951, Flock was runner-up to Herb Thomas (MSHFA Class of 2017) for the Cup Series title despite shading the 2017 inductee in wins, Top 5s, Top 10s, poles and laps led. Gosh, its hard enough to find funding to go racing, let alone in the middle of a pandemic. Later, Evernhams own team won 23 poles and 13 Cup races. She had a life-threatening crash in 1995 that nearly ended her racing career. The equine industry mourned the loss of Doug Carpenter when he passed shortly before the 2020 NRHA Futurity. But you know, theres a lot of people who love their sport and for one reason or another cant continue on. There is such excitement at being able to finally recognize all of these honorees, said Leslie Baker, Executive Director of the RHF. No driver was paralyzed or failed to return to competition. Despite all the records and accolades, many consider Forces greatest achievements to be his 2007 comebacks from the tragic death of teammate Eric Medlen in a testing accident and his own serious injuries in a 300 mph crash later the same season at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas. Ted then started Masters Entertainment Group. GAINESVILLE, Fla. On Thursday night, 16-time NHRA world champion John Force was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class. NHRA Southeast Division Hall Of Fame Recieve 1 Spectator Admission to Events 2014 Nelson DesChamps 2014 Gary Johns 2014 Carl Weisinger NHRA Hall of Fame Committee Members (Past & Present) Bobby Boyd Buster Couch Lex Dudas Don Garlits William "Bill" Holt Art Malone Carl Weisinger. He is a man of distinguished character, generous spirit, and unbridled enthusiasm both within the horse industry and throughout his personal and business life.. Whether its in the show pen, through breeding great horses, or supporting his fellow reiners, there is no doubt that Jose Vazquez will continue to be a part of the reining industry for years to come. Ed McCulloch delivered an IHRA World Championship in 1988 and a prestigious U.S. Nationals win in 1990 in the Miller Funny Car, and Cruz Pedregon would notch win the NHRA Winston World Championship in Funny Car in 1992, and won the U.S. Nationals three times in four years (1992, 1993 and 1995). Roy Hill, Billy Meyer, and Larry Minor will be inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in March in Gainesville, Fla. John Force, Shelly Anderson Payne, Ron Attebury, Sonny Messner, Carol Bunny Burkett, Graeme Cowin, Vinny and Richard Napp, Bob Frey, and Linda Jones will be the newest inductees into the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racings International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, March 9, 2023. On Wednesday, December 1, these honorees, as well as 2020 NRHA Hall of Fame inductees the late Sally Brown and the late Jerry Kimmel, and 2020 NRHA Dale Wilkinson Award recipient Mike Carrier, will be recognized and celebrated during Sliders' Night Out presented by Toyon Ranch. After driving, Shelly went on to ESPN as a drag racing commentator. Ted and Linda in all would own four drag strips, including one they build from the ground up in Van Wert Ohio. Banks made his mark as a driver and longtime United States Auto Club (USAC) official. Etta was a fixture at the starting line and in the pits as the Glidden family raced their Ford Pintos, Fairlanes, Mustangs, and Thunderbirds (as well as one year with a Plymouth Arrow) against some of the very toughest competitors in Pro Stock class history. A common thread among Vazquezs winningest horses? After several terrible accidents involving both himself and fellow drivers, Force worked with a team to develop safety improvements that earned him the 2008 MSEC Motorsports Achievement Award by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) for his work in improving race car safety. He won his 16th championship in 2013. In 2003 he won the Non Pro Level 4 Reserve Championship at the NRHA Futurity, winning $24,664 on Sugar Like Juice, and took third, and $18,457, in 2019 on Xtra Winding Step. even banned for awhile by the sanctioning body. Stephen Olvey and Terry Trammell (Open Wheel). Sliders Night Out presented by Toyon Ranch is a must-attend event on the social calendar for our reining community. An advocate for doing whats right, Vaughan was instrumental in the move of the NHRA Futurity from its home in Ohio to Oklahoma City. A young man, Ryan White, had contracted the disease after receiving an injection to treat his hemophilia. The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) announced its 2023 Induction Class Saturday during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. One of the attributes we look at for the Hall of Fame is character. . I dont really know a life without it. On his way to his second title, he swept the grueling Western Swing through Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma, Calif., that features non-stop activity in three far-flung venues with wildly different conditions. Steve Plueger, my brother Louie, Austin Coil, Bernie Fedderly, I wouldnt be standing here without them because I was a real loser, Force continued. Redline Technology, Inc. SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION 4 HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS, THE BIG COUNTRY RACE WAY IN TEXAS JOINS DIVISION 4 OF NHRA MEMBER TRACK NETWORK, Texas Area Drag Geezers Christmas Luncheon. Enriquezs racing career has been linked with his friend and fellow Hall of Famer Gene Adams in the late 1960s-early 1970s in what was collectively known as Jr. Fuel dragsters. He also bought or sold other top performers including Jac Be Quick, Roosters Wrangler, Hes Dun his Time, and Bueno Chexinic. By his mid-20s, he was at the top of the discipline, which involves competing against the clock on extended cross-country, primarily off-road courses. Eight years later, as a newly selected member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, he would say the same thing. It was at the Riverside Drag Strip where he met Don Garlits. Bob accepted the job and was with NHRA from 1985-2012. Out of respect for the Hall and the other honorees, Dixon kept the names of his Class of 2021 colleagues a secret. God protects me because of her.. Burkett passed away in April 2020 after leaving a mark on the sport of drag racing. 2023 International Drag Racing Hall Fame Ceremony Thursday March 9, 2023 Hilton UF Conference Center 1714 SW 34th Street Gainesville, Florida 2023 Inductees Shelly Anderson-Payne, Ron Atterbury, Carol ''Bunny'' Burkett, Grameme Cowin, John Force, Sonny Messner, Vinny & Richard Napp. He also started John Force Racing, which is not just a racing team but also a machine shop for parts, fabrications and paint shop, chassis shop, decal shop, and a museum housing historic racecars. I fell in love with drag racing. LaHaie, Vance & Hines inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Former NHRA Top Fuel world champ Dick LaHaie and motorcycle drag racing legends Terry Vance and Byron Hines were. Over 85,000 fans jammed Raceway Park for that first NHRA Summernationals. Aboard Goon, Chester won the prestigious Greve Trophy at the 1939 National Air Races. He became a two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 2017 with Journey. After the Mazmanian partnership dissolved, he teamed with Gary Dubach and Joe Pisano in 1966-67 and with Tim Woods of Stone, Cook and Woods fame to campaign a 1968 Shelby Mustang the Swindler A car on a national match race tour. When Sonny found out, he wanted to be a part of the recreation, so a plan was worked out; Sonny would pay for all the materials and parts. The next class of racing legends takes a bow to the wayback machine, as several inductees in the 2023 class made their marks more than a half century ago. Im very proud but still humbled and flattered by the nomination. He and Ali also are parents to sons Donovan, an Ivy Tech student, and Luke, who will enter high school this year. The 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Is Big and Bold. He has worked for some of the most prestigious race teams in the sport from the 1980s and into the second decade of the 21st Century and won the 1989 NHRA Top Fuel world championship with the late Gary Ormsby and, as team manager, the 1992 NHRA Funny Car world championship with Cruz Pedregon at Larry Minor Motorsports and the 2009 NHRA Top Fuel world championship with Tony Schumacher at Don Schumacher Racing. Staff Report March 10, 2023. Hancock also noted Carpenters penchant for privacy. In 2021, Donnie, Marion and Steve were recognized by the East Coast . Itd be strange to not have drag racing. In 1965, Raceway Park opened and would be forever linked to the Old Bridge Township. Sonny attends all of the California Drag Racing Nostalgia functions and keeps the Dragster in top running condition. Raceway Park launched the careers of several drag racers and was home to some of drag racings most memorable moments, including the famed Don Garlits SR30 blow over in 1986. News of his selection shouldnt have been all that startling to Dixon. Prieto was never one to turn a blind eye to what he considered to be a problem (or worse) found himself working in the automotive enthusiast media, while also getting involved with Top Fuel cars. Pat Garlits Award Linda Jones Founders Award Bob Frey She began racing when her husband Mo bought her a red 64 Mustang and she won her very first race the day afterward. He was instrumental in the push for global recognition of our sport, including reinings acceptance as the first Western discipline recognized by the Fdration Equestre Internationale.. He also located many of the cars in the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing that are on display today. He and his brother campaigned a front engine Top Gas dragster for two years. Robert Bones Balogh, Lee Beard, Don Enriquez. When Billy Meyer bought the IHRA from Larry Carrier, Ted and Linda left the IHRA for one year. The people we have now Robert Hight, Jimmy Prock, David Grubnic, Chris Cunningham, Joe Barlam, my son-in-law Danny Hood, Tim Fabrisi and then my kids. All logos and images are reserved. Including the Class of 2022, 278 "Heroes of Horsepower" are in the MSHFA. Although Burkett had tons of success, she also had her misfortunes. But the owner wanted a big down payment, which Ted did not have. All of a sudden, he was building cars for the likes of Gary Beck, James Warren, Roger Coburn, and Dennis Baca. Later the longtime Salt Lake City mayor set 21 more records in office, including ones for Pontiac just before his death. She suffered two terrible crashes in 2005 but came back in 2006 and had a solid campaign that season. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The Summernationlas grew in popularity with the racers and fans due to the cooler springtime weather. All of the inductees, even in the past and those to come, Im excited to be a part of it, said Force, who was introduced by his long-time friend, confidant and former publicist David Densmore. She stayed involved in the sport by becoming a crew chief as the family continued racing. The National Reining Horse Association has a history steeped with great and dedicated horsemen and women. This led to Linda becoming the CFO of not only the IHRA, but the Bristol Dragway and Bristol NASCAR track as well. Roland Leong, one of the most successful NHRA team owners of the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, will be enshrined into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame at a ceremony in May at the Honolulu Country Club. The Patricia Garlits Memorial Award is given out annually to a woman who has contributed to the sport of drag racing through their professional activities- at the track-and/or their personal activities-off the track-which promotes the sport in a positive manner or to the success of the sport. Glidden stood beside her legendary husband, Pro Stock superstar and Hall of Fame driver Bob Glidden, throughout his checkered career of 85 NHRA class wins and 10 NHRA World Championships. Linda now is the CFO at Masters Entertainment Group. Our car experts choose every product we feature. Ive got it good.". Fonty Flock, Ray Evernham, Darrell Gwynn included in 10-member Hall Class. Through last months Class of 2022 induction, 279 Heroes of Horsepower are currently in the MSHFA, a number that will grow to 288 with the 35th Induction Class. Yeah, in that moment. This was followed by a stint at Petersen Publishing Book Division, editing drag racing-related titles, plus Hot Rod Industry News,a trade publication for the performance parts aftermarket.