The NDLMHoF has recently selected former car owner James “Brownie” Brown to the group’s governing board.
Brown has been in and around dirt racing for over 40 years. He was car owner for top dirt racer Ray Cook for many years along with contributing sponsorship to a number of other dirt late model teams. His knowledge, history and business end of the sport will be a great benefit to the hall of fame.
Prior to the running of the recent annual World 100 at Eldora Speedway, the 2012 National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Class was announced. This year’s selections are:
Drivers
Mike Balzano from West Virginia
Kenny Brightbill from Pennsylvania
Ray Guss Jr. from Illinois
Don Hobbs from Indiana
Doug Ingalls from Texas
Contributors
Keith and Tader Masters from Mastersbuilt Chassis in Indiana
Raye Vest, car owner from Maryland
Sportsman
Jimmy Owens from Tennessee
Thanks to Eldora Speedway and its staff for allowing us the time for this presentation.
The 2012 class for the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame will be announced Saturday night at approximately 6 PM at Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway prior to the running of the 41st annual World 100. Next year’s coming class will be five drivers and two contributors and the Hall’s annual Sportsman’s award. The Hall of Fame wishes to thank Larry Boos and the entire Eldora staff for allowing us time for this presentation. Be there to find out which legends will be chosen.
In between rain drops the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame presented its induction ceremony for its 2011 Class at the Florence, Kentucky Speedway prior to the running of the annual Lucas Oil sponsored North-South 100. Driver inductees Don Bohlander, William “Fats” Coffey, Kevin Gundaker, Bill Morgan and Rance Phillips were on hand to receive their accolades. Ramo Stott could not attend but was contacted via phone hook-up and interviewed during the presentation by track announcer Brad Greer. Car builder Roscoe Smith was in attendance to accept his Contributing Induction and 2004 Inductee Ronnie Johnson was there to receive induction posthumously for his parents Joe Lee and Doris Jean Johnson. During the ceremony the Hall’s annual Sportsman Award went to racer Dale McDowell while a Lifetime Achievement Award was given to long time promoter Dean Miracle. Spirit Awards were also presented to drivers Bub McCool and Jeep Van Wormer for their charity work projects. Racer Jonathan Davenport received the R.P.M. 2010 Driver of the Year Award and race promoter and 2003 Hall of Fame inductee Carl Short served as this year’s V.I.P. guest inductee.
Bill Holder, Directing Chairman of the Hall of Fame, hosted the affair, while Bret Emrick of WoO, James Essex of Lucas Oil, Chris Tilley of STARS, Tim Lee of Illustrated Late Model Magazine and Bob Markos of the Hall of Fame combined efforts to emcee the event. It was once again another touching and sentimental ceremony enjoyed by these greats of dirt late model racing and their many followers and fans.
Special appreciation goes out to the King Family and Florence Speedway for allowing the Hall of Fame time for the presentation and to Arizona T-Shirts and Hoosier Midwest for the plaques and jackets presented to the inductees. An early afternoon auction held at the Hall was well attended and quite successful to help benefit the organization. The Hall would like to send thanks for the generosity of the drivers and teams who donated items to be auctioned off.
The induction ceremony for the 2011 Class of the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame will be Saturday August 13th at Florence Kentucky Speedway at 6:00 P.M. prior to the running of the annual Lucas Oil North South 100. This year’s driver inductees are Illnois’ Don Bohlander, Kentucky’s William “Fats” Coffey, Missouri’s Kevin Gundaker, South Carolina’s Bill Morgan, Georgia’s Rance Phillips and Iowa’s Ramo Stott. All driver inductees have made serious indications they will attend. Contributing awards will be presented to Roscoe Smith and the family of Joe Lee and Jean Johnson. This year’s Sportsman Award will go to Georgian Dale McDowell and popular Dirt Late Model racers Bub McCool and Jeep Van Warmer will receive Hall of Fame Spirit Awards. A benefit auction will also be held earlier in the day beginning at 1 p.m. at the Hall of Fame building. A number of race car panels from some of today’s top racers will be auctioned off with proceeds going to benefit the Hall of Fame.
With the NDLMHoF reunion approaching June 4th at Florence Speedway, a number of inductees are confirming their appearances. 1980 World 100 winner Charlie Swartz will be making an appearance along with past World 100 winners Ed Sanger, Verlin Eaker and Charlie Hughes. Race promoter Carl Short and past Eldora Speedway owner Earl Baltes, who just celebrated his 90th birthday will be in attendance. A number of others including Jeff Purvis, Larry Moore, Rodney Combs, Dick Potts, Billy Teagarden, Bob Pierce, Ray Godsey, Rick Aukland, John Mason, Donnie Moran, Pat Patrick, the Thomas Family and Larry Shaw have expressed strong interest in being present for the festivities.
The ceremony is from 12 PM to 3 PM at the Hall of Fame building at Florence Speedway.
(wedge photo courtesy of John R Messinger)
Well respected promoter and contributing member to the 2002 Hall of Fame Class B.J. Parker passed away April 4th. A pioneer in promoting auto racing, Mr. Parker began by operating the Dixie Speedway in Midfield Alabama back in 1967. He would organize his ever popular Southern All-Stars Late Model group in 1983 and would continue until selling the sanction in 2004. Thru the years about every top DLM driver in the country has competed with SAS, which was a true testament to its founder. B.J. Parker was 78 years old and will be missed by many. The NDLMHoF sends its condolences to his family, surviving wife and daughter.
It seems hard to believe, but there have been ten induction ceremonies for the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame(NDLMHoF). In all, there have been almost a hundred inducted during that period. Officers of the Hall of Fame have decided that it’s an occasion worth celebrating.
To that end, there will be a ten-year reunion at the Hall of Fame on June 4th, the afternoon of the Ralph Latham Lucus race. The response has been outstanding with a high percentage of the inductees indicating they will attend. The hours for the gathering will be 12pm to 3pm with all fans invited to attend free of charge and mingle with their favorite drivers of years past.
Hall of Fame sponsor Arizona Sports Shirts has prepared a collectable T-shirt which can be purchased, and which carries drawings of all the inductees’ cars. It will be a great piece of memorabilia to have many inductees sign.
Some of the inductees who have indicated that they will be attending include Jeff Purvis, Larry Moore, Rodney Combs, Dick Potts, Billy Teagarden, Bob Pierce, Ray Godsey, Charlie Swartz, Rick Aukland, John Mason, Donnie Moran, Pat Patrick and many others.
It should be quite a gathering. Put it on your racing calender!!
Congratulations to 2004 Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Johnson for receiving the first Bob Cross Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award given to him at the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Awards Banquet. It is well deserved.
2003 HoF Class Inductee Johnny Johnson of Morning Sun, Iowa passed away February 19th at age 75. Johnson, an inductee in the Contributors category for his known generosity and support to racers and race series was also a promoter and racer himself. His long time sponsorship, J&J Steel, was seen on the sideboards of racers for many years, including fellow Hall of Famers Scott Bloomquist, Billy Moyer, Freddy Smith, Ronnie Johnson and Rodney Combs, among many others. Johnson’s work as a promoter covered a number of dirt tracks including 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa. He was also a major sponsor of the IMCA Late Model Dirt Series. His driving career was quite successful, winning a number of races and qualifying for the World 100 on three occasions. Johnson’s best season behind the wheel was in 1976 when he captured 16 feature victories. He was an avid supporter of the NDLMHoF which sends its condolences to his entire family.
