Wheldon Leads Motorsports HoF Finalists

Dan Wheldon

Finalists for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s 2016 class, including racing legends Dan Wheldon and Davey Allison, were determined on Wednesday.

The Hall will unveil its seven new members on Friday at Daytona Int’l Speedway prior to the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The racing legends will join the Hall of Fame during the 28th annual induction ceremony presented by Bridgestone on June 29 in Daytona Beach.

In the Open Wheel category, the nominees are two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon, 1998 Indy winner Eddie Cheever, veteran driver and official Wally Dallenbach, eleven-time Indycar Series winning owner Chip Ganassi, innovative designer and safety pioneer Ted Halibrand, and three-time Indy winning owner Pat Patrick.

Quarter-milers on the ballot are master Funny Car designer John Buttera, golden-voiced announcer Dave McClelland, pioneer Paula Murphy, Pro Stock legend Lee Shepherd and Top Fuel innovators The Surfers.

The two-wheel set is represented on the ballot by 15-time AMA Grand National race winner Everett Brashear, two-time flat track nation champion Randy Goss, three-time Daytona 200 winner Dick Klamfoth, two-time world Superbike champion Fred Merkel, two-time Baja 1000 winner J.N. Roberts and thirteen-time national champion mechanic Bill Werner.

In the Historic category, voters will decide between NASCAR’s first champion Red Byron, 1963 Daytona 500 winner Tiny Lund, mechanic and builder Ray Nichels, midget/sprint car king Bob Sweikert, the first two-time NASCAR champion Herb Thomas and short-track specialist Rex White.

The ballot for the Stock Car inductee features the youngest member of the “Alabama Gang," Davey Allison, six-time NASCAR champion owner Richard Childress, two-time Cup champion Terry Labonte, legendary builder Banjo Matthews, “King of the Modifieds" Cotton Owens and 1969 Daytona 500 winner LeeRoy Yarbrough.

The At Large category features speed record achievers in 2016. Finalists include hydroplane crew chief Ron Brown, Blue Flame pilot Gary Gabelich, LSR sponsor Earl B. Gilmore, Bonneville pioneer Ab Jenkins, Goldenrod creators – the Summers Brothers and multiple-time LSR holder Al Teague.

Sports Car contenders who made the ballot are Dyson Racing founder Rob Dyson, trailblazing driver and journalist Denise McCluggage, racer and broadcaster Sam Posey, five-time 24 Hours of Daytona champion Scott Pruett, Scarab’s designer and builder Phil Remington, and driver/founder of the legendary “Group 44″ teams Bob Tullius.