Finalists Named for 2014 International Motorsports Hall of Fame
The renowned International Motorsports Hall of Fame, located in Talladega, Ala., announced its 22 finalists for the 2014 induction class.
The list of finalists reads like a “Who’s Who” across numerous forms of motorsports which include open wheel, sports car, drag and stock car racing. The top 20 and ties (as is the case this year) will be on the second ballot to an esteemed motorsports media voting panel. The panel will select the final individuals who receive 51 percent of the total number of votes to be the 2014 induction class. Those names will be announced in December. The 2014 International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 1.
To be eligible for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, an individual must be retired in his or her line of work in motorsports for at least five years. However, that person may still be active in the sport in a different capacity. The 22 individuals eligible for the 2104 International Motorsports Hall of Fame are listed alphabetically below, along with a quick description:
• Michael Andretti – Winningest driver in CART with 42 triumphs
& the 1991 CART Championship
• Raymond Beadle – 3-time NHRA Funny Car Champion
(1979-81) & 3-time IHRA Funny Car Titlist (1975-76, ’81;
NASCAR Championship team owner with driver Rusty Wallace in
1989
• Keith Black – Winning engine builder/engineer in drag and boat
racing, setting several world speed records
• Harold Brasington – Creator/builder of NASCAR’s original
superspeedway – Darlington Raceway – as well
as Rockingham Speedway
• Clint Brawner – Chief mechanic for Mario Andretti’s USAC
National titles in 1965, ’66 & ‘69
• Joie Chitwood – 1939-40 AAA East Coast Sprint Car Champion;
Noted safety advocate
• Harvey Firestone – Founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber
Company
• Tommy Hinnershitz – Seven AAA National Sprint Car
Championships
• David Hobbs – Sports Car racer who set four all-time Continental
Formula records
• Ted Horn – Three consecutive AAA National titles (1946-48)
with 12 wins
• Connie Kalitta – 10-time NHRA National event winner. First
driver over 200 mph in Hot Rod race
• Joe Leonard – Won titles in both motorcycle (AMA) in 1956-57
and car series (Indy Car) in 1971-72
• Roger McCluskey – Won titles in three divisions of USAC –
Sprints (1963, ’66), Stocks (1969-70) and Champ Cars (1973)
• Tom “Mongoose” McEwen – A 5-time winner in NHRA, who
was an incredible promotional showman
• Danny Ongais – “Flyin’ Hawaiian” had success in motorcycle,
drag, Formula 1 and Indy car racing
• Marvin Panch – 17-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner;
1961 Daytona 500 winner
• Les Richter – Former manager of Riverside Raceway; co-founder
of IROC; former NASCAR VP
• Troy Ruttman – 1952 Indy 500 champ; three-time AAA Sprint
Car champion
• Sir Henry Segrave – Set three land speed records, water speed
record; 1923 French Grand Prix winner
• Lee Shepherd – 4-straight NHRA Pro Stock titles (1981-84); Won
both Pro Stock NHRA and IHRA titles in 1983
• Leonard Wood – Innovator of modern pit stop; Crew Chief for
Wood Brothers Racing, formed in 1950 and still racing today –
having 98 triumphs
• Chuck Yeager – Noted Air Force Test Pilot; In 1947, first pilot to
travel faster than sound
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.
