Author Archives: Shane Mailman

On July 26 the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame presented a major event called One Night Only: The Top 15 to honour the Top 15 Nova Scotia athletes of all time and celebrate Nova Scotia sport.

Sponsored by Scotiabank Centre and media sponsor The Chronicle Herald, One Night Only was held at the Halifax Convention Centre. Members from the Top 15 list shared their stories with event emcee and Hall of Fame CEO Bruce Rainnie. These honoured guests included the athlete voted #1 in Nova Scotia history, Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby of Cole Harbour.

The other athletes in attendance were curling legend Colleen Jones of Halifax, Hockey Hall of Famer Al MacInnis of Port Hood, Olympic medallist for canoeing Steve Giles of Lake Echo, Kayaking World Champion Karen Furneaux of Waverley, Canada’s top gymnast Ellie Black of Halifax, Paralympic gold-medallist Jamie Bone of Dartmouth, and Olympic medallist for kayaking Mark De Jonge of Halifax. International softball star Mark Smith of Halifax provided a pre-recorded message to the crowd via video.

Proceeds from the event were shared by the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame and The Sidney Crosby Foundation. The crowd of 1,200 people at the dinner experienced the once in a lifetime opportunity to see the province’s greatest athletes all share their stories at one incredible event, as well as a surprise musical performance by Nova Scotia legend Jimmy Rankin.

The Hall of Fame launched the Top 15 project in 2017 in order to honour Nova Scotia’s rich sport heritage during Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation. A panel of sport-knowledgeable people, along with a public vote, named and ranked the 15 greatest Nova Scotia athletes of all time, who were then revealed weekly on CBC Nova Scotia from September 11 to December 18. The Top 15 athletes (in order from fifteenth to first) are: Rob McCall, Mark De Jonge, Jamie Bone, Ellie Black, Karen Furneaux, Mark Smith, Steve Giles, Aileen Meagher, Johnny Miles, George Dixon, Sam Langford, Nancy Garapick, Al MacInnis, Colleen Jones and Sidney Crosby. The Top 15 exhibit will remain on display at the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame for the rest of 2018.

On July 13 the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame launched its newly published book The Top 15: Nova Scotia’s Greatest Athletes. The book follows the countdown of Nova Scotia’s Top 15 athletes of all time, a project that took place in the fall of 2017. Proceeds from the book will be split between the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame and the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation. Books are available for purchase on Amazon Canada, through Indigo, at Bookmark in Halifax, and at the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.

Book Description (provided by Nimbus):
“At 18, Sidney Crosby became the youngest player in NHL history to record 100 points in one season. At 29, he scored his 1000th NHL point, won his third Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and was named playoff MVP. It is probably no surprise that Crosby is No. 1 on this list of Nova Scotia’s Top 15 athletes, as compiled by the province’s Sport Hall of Fame. But what other athletes have done the remarkable and, times, the impossible? This book selects athletes from hockey, boxing, swimming, and other sports and ranks them—a formidable task bound to generate debate. Who is to say if gymnast Ellie Black is better than swimmer Nancy Garapick, or NHLer Al MacInnis greater than boxing legend Sam Langford? The authors acknowledge that ranking greatness is subjective, so, in addition to the Top 15 Athletes, the book includes 15 honourable mentions, as well as fascinating sidebars such as “15 Memorable Moments in Nova Scotia Sport” and “15 Great Nova Scotia Athletes Under the Age of 25.” There is something for every sports fan in this photo-rich keepsake book packed with names, images, and little-known facts.”

The Saginaw County (MI) Sports Hall of Fame recently announced its 2018 induction class.

The Class of 2018 includes a Miss Basketball, two of the top basketball players in Saginaw County history, a Major League pitcher and an NFL player, along with the 2018 College Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year.

They will be honored at the 2018 induction banquet on Sunday, November 4th at Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw Township. The class includes:

Sue Guevara, a 1972 St. Stephen High School graduate, led a Cinderella Central Michigan University women’s basketball team to this season’s Sweet Sixteen, beating Louisiana State and Ohio State to finish the season ranked 20th in the country. Guevara, who has more than 300 coaching victories as a head coach at the University of Michigan and Central Michigan, was named the Kay Yow National Coach of the Year. Guevara, who played collegiately at Saginaw Valley State, coached softball at her alma mater and was an assistant women’s basketball coach. She has also worked as an assistant basketball coach at Ohio State, Ball State, Michigan State and Auburn.

Rick Havercroft owns a long history of umpiring in the Saginaw area, beginning in 1979. He was inducted into the Michigan Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame, having umpired in 12 Men’s Major Fastpitch national tournaments and 14 International Softball Congress World Tournaments. He works as a college umpire and Amateur Softball Association umpire. The Saginaw Township native was the Mid-American Conference umpire coordinator from 2006-15 and continues to officiate Michigan high school football and basketball games.

Tory Jackson is the career scoring leader in Saginaw County history, finishing his Buena Vista High School basketball career with 2,518 points, the fourth most in Michigan high school history. The 5-foot-10 guard led the Knights to Class C state titles in 2004 and 2006, finishing his senior season averaging 30.5 points. He played at Notre Dame, playing in a Notre Dame-record 136 games, including 122 starts and 93 wins. His 694 career assists and 211 career steals rank second in Irish history. Jackson, who scored 1,231 career points at Notre Dame, played in the NBA’s Developmental League for one season and then in Mongolia.

Danielle Kamm graduated from Nouvel Catholic Central High School, claiming the Miss Basketball title after her senior season before heading to Marquette University. The 6-foot-2 center averaged 18 points and 11.8 rebounds as a senior, finishing her high school career with 1,825 points and 1,275 rebounds. She led the Panthers to an 88-13 record in four seasons, including a Final Four appearance, three regional titles and four district titles. Kamm, who also starred in volleyball and softball for the Panthers, scored 1,079 points to rank 21st in Marquette history. Her 671 rebounds rank 10th and 95 blocks fifth in Marquette history.

Dennis Konuszewski played football, basketball and baseball at Bridgeport High School, turning baseball into a college career at the University of Michigan and a professional career in the Pittsburgh Pirates system. The right-handed pitcher was 21-6 during his career at Bridgeport, including one no-hitter, earning Michigan High School Baseball Player of the Year honors after his senior season. He was drafted in the 15th round of the 1989 draft by the New York Yankees, but he chose to play at Michigan. After his junior season, the Pirates took Konuszewski in the seventh round of the 1992 draft. He played six years in the Pirates system, making an appearance on Pittsburgh’s Major League team in 1995. He retired in 1997 and coaches Little League baseball, leading the North Saginaw Township Little League team to the Junior World Series in 2017.

Terrance Roberson, a 6-foot-7 forward, started four seasons at Buena Vista High School, leading the Knights to two Class B state titles. He averaged 23 points and 15 rebounds during his senior season in 1994-95, earning a spot on the Parade All-America team for the third time, joining Kenny Anderson, Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning as the only three-time honorees. He played at Fresno State for Jerry Tarkanian, finishing his career as the second-leading scorer in Fresno State history with 1,690 points. He played for the Idaho Stampede in the Continental Basketball Association and played three games for the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA. He played professionally for 11 years in Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Israel, Finland, Mexico, France, Switzerland, Romania and Canada.

Stuart Schweigert starred in football, track and basketball at Heritage High School, leading to a standout career at Purdue and in the NFL. In track, he claimed the Division 1 state title in the 100-meter dash as a junior in 10.60 seconds. In football, Schweigert played quarterback and defensive back, running for 1,650 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior, adding 500 yards and four TDs passing. He added 50 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups on defense. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year at Purdue, helping the Boilermakers win a Big Ten title. He played in four bowl games and finished as the Purdue’s career interception lead with 17. He earned first team all-conference honors twice and second-team all-conference honors twice. The Oakland Raiders drafted him in the third round of the 2004 NFL draft. He played five seasons in the NFL, finishing with 362 tackles, four interceptions, five fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles in 53 career NFL games. He played two years with the Omaha Nighthawks in the United Football League.

Saginaw High School’s 1999 football team featured six players who went on to play in the NFL and three who earned Super Bowl rings. The Trojans were 7-2 during the regular season, falling to Midland High and Heritage. But Saginaw High finished the regular season by outscoring its opponents 162-7 before heading into the playoffs, where they beat Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, Heritage, Hudsonville and East Lansing before knocking off Birmingham Brother Rice, 14-7, to win the Division 2 state title. Of the 37 players, 24 played college football, including 10 that played Division 1 football. Six players – Charles Rogers, Ron Stanley, Jerome Jackson, Tory Humphrey, LaMarr Woodley and Roy Manning – played in the NFL and three – Stanley, Woodley and Humphrey – won Super Bowl rings. Another player – Charleston Hughes – remains one of the top pass rushers in the Canadian Football League, while another player – Anthony Roberson – played in the NBA.

For more information, please go to www.saginawcountysports.com.

The BC Sports Hall of Fame has opened a brand-new exhibit in the Hall, celebrating some of the most important moments in BC sports history. Defining Moments in British Columbia Sports displays iconic artifacts from some of BC’s most memorable sports moments.

Funded by the Province of British Columbia through the Canada 150: Celebrating B.C. Communities and their contributions to Canada grants program, the exhibit documents and honours a diverse range of impactful and historic sporting moments in BC and by athletes from across the province, inspiring and educating a new generation of youth by teaching them about all that BC has accomplished- both locally and on the world stage.

“On behalf of the BC Sports Hall of Fame, I want to thank the Province of British Columbia and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture for this funding,” says Allison Mailer, Executive Director of the BC Sports Hall of Fame. “The Defining Moments entrance exhibit truly celebrates our province’s sport legacy. The opening text panel says it best: Extraordinary athletes, World firsts, Unbelievable comebacks, Dynamic team dynasties, Trailblazing pioneers, Fearless leaders, Eloquent storytellers. The fabric of British Columbia’s rich sports heritage is woven together by each of these and more.”

“This exhibit gives British Columbians a wonderful new way to learn about our most inspiring athletes,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “I hope many people will visit and delight in the great sporting achievements of the past 100 years.” The exhibit highlights the successes that athletes from across BC have accomplished throughout their careers, including moments from the lives of Terry Fox, Rick Hansen, Nancy Greene, Karen Magnussen, Steve Nash, Christine Sinclair, and many more. Artifacts from many of the BC Sports Hall of Fame’s Honoured Members are also included in the display. Over 25 items illustrate the story of over 40 athletes across 10 decades of sports and define momentous occasions in BC sports history.

Just a few of the artifacts on display in the Defining Moments entrance exhibit:

• Nancy Greene’s ski boots and gloves
• Piece of wooden goalpost from BC Lions’ first-ever CFL win in 1954
• Sport BC Athlete of the Year Trophy
• 1st Canucks NHL face-off puck
• Harry Jerome’s world record medals, displayed as a set
• 1954 Miracle Mile stopwatch
• 1979 Soccer Bowl Trophy won by Vancouver Whitecaps
• 2012 Canadian Olympic women’s soccer jersey

STILLWATER, Okla. – Seven individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of wrestling will be inducted into the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, it was announced Friday.

Dale Estep, Tony Macias, Greg Newell, Darren Peaster and Nick Williams were chosen for Lifetime Service to Wrestling, while John Henry Ward will receive the Outstanding American award and Larry Tettleton will be presented the Medal of Courage honor.

The Lifetime Service to Wrestling award is awarded annually to coaches, officials and contributors who have given a minimum of 20 years of service to wrestling. The Outstanding American honor is given to former wrestlers who are highly successful and use the disciplines learned in wrestling in their profession and the Medal of Courage is presented to a wrestler or former wrestler who has overcome what appear to be insurmountable obstacles.

The seven new honorees will be inducted during a banquet set for Sunday, Oct. 14 at what was formerly the Jim Thorpe Museum and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame at 4040 North Lincoln in Oklahoma City. A reception begins at 3 p.m., with dinner at 4 p.m. and the induction ceremony at 5 p.m.

Reservations are $55 per person and can be purchased online at www.ok-nwhof.ticketleap.com or by contacting Howard Seay at [email protected] or (918) 639-8868.

2018 HONOREE BIOS:

Dale Estep was a two-time state champion wrestler at Geary High School and competed collegiately at Adams State for two years before returning to the state to attend Southwestern Oklahoma, where he graduated. He took over as head coach at Noble High School in 1968 and held that post for 22 years, racking up an impressive 223-38 dual record. Estep’s teams had 15 top-10 state tournament finishes and he coached 12 state champions along with 21 All-Staters. In all, he spent 34 years at Noble as a coach, teacher and athletic director. Estep also served a long stint as a state coordinator for the International Wrestling Exchange program that brought teams from Japan, New Zealand, Germany and Poland to Oklahoma.

Tony Macias was a four-time state qualifier at long-time powerhouse Perry High School in the late 1950s, finishing with a 62-8-1 career record and winning one state championship before going to Oklahoma. He earned All-America honors as a sophomore and helped lead the Sooners to the 1960 national title, but injuries cut short his career. Macias began a long coaching career while still attending OU, starting the Noble High School program in 1960 before going on to coach at Guthrie High School and Southeast High School He led Southeast to one state championship and two state runner-up finishes, then left in 1972 to coach at Southwest Oregon Community College. Macias spent one year there, leading SWOCC to their first-ever winning season and a 14th-place national finish before returning to Perry to open a restaurant that he ran for the next 44 years before his death in 2017. Macias helped with the Perry youth wrestling program for decades, including taking several teams to Mexico City to compete.

Greg Newell grew up in Kansas and graduated college from Bethany College in the state before starting a 25-year coaching career. He got his coaching start in Larned, Kansas and was there for seven years, then moved to Durant, Oklahoma in 1980. Newell started the school’s physical education program in 1982 and worked as a wrestling official for four years before returning to coaching in 1986 when he began both the junior high and high school wrestling programs at Durant. He went on to coach in Durant for 18 years before his retirement, building a competitive program that resulted in dozens of former wrestlers going on to become coaches themselves. Newell still works closely with Durant wrestling, including serving as radio broadcaster for the team.

Darren Peaster enjoyed a productive career on the mat, finishing as a three-time state placer at Claremore High School in addition to earning All-America honors at both Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Central Oklahoma. Peaster graduated from UCO in 1987 and spent three years as an assistant coach with the Bronchos before going into the high school ranks. He was an assistant for two years at Ponca City and four at Choctaw, helping the Yellowjackets capture a pair of dual state titles and two state tournament championships. He took over as Putnam City High School’s head coach in 1996 and was there two years before going to Catoosa High School, where he spent 11 years. Peaster guided Catoosa to two dual state crowns and a couple of state tournament championships in earning Coach of the Year honors twice and in 2007 he was a finalist for the National High School Coach of the Year award. Peaster racked up 254 career wins, coaching one four-time state champion and several three-time winners before retiring from coaching in 2013, though he still serves as director of student services at Catoosa.

Nick Williams was a three-time state placer in high school, winning a state title as a senior, and then was a three-year letterman at Oklahoma State in the mid-1990s before embarking on a lengthy coaching career that continues today. He spent one year at Mangum and six at Madill before taking over the Altus High School program in 2004. Williams’ teams have won 14 district titles and five regional championships and he’s had seven top-four state tournament teams, including a pair of runners-up. He has coached 20 state champions, 19 All-State participants and 11 high school All-Americans in compiling a 223-78 dual record. Williams has served as vice president of the Oklahoma Wrestling Coaches Association in addition to coaching in the All-State dual.

John Henry Ward was a 1965 state champion for Tulsa Rogers High School and then was a rare two-sport collegiate All-American at Oklahoma State. He was a two-time Big Eight champion and placed third in the national tournament in 1969 for the Cowboys, then earned All-America honors on the gridiron that fall at defensive tackle. Ward was a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 1970 and played on two Super Bowl teams during a six-year career in the NFL. Ward spent much of his adult life dedicated to public service, including a 13-year stint as Executive Director of the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma. He also served 10 years as Executive Vice President of the Poultry Federation of Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Ward, a member of both the OSU Athletics Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, died in 2012 after a battle with cancer.

Larry Tettleton was born with limited physical abilities on his right side and saw very limited action on the mat, but his contributions to the sport are substantial.   Larry’s disability hasn’t affected his positive attitude, his enthusiasm for teaching and coaching or his motivational skills in getting the best out of those he comes in contact with. Tettleton got involved in wrestling as a junior high manager and continued in that role throughout high school and college, where he helped Central Oklahoma to the 1992 NCAA Division II national championship. Larry became an assistant coach at Edmond North High School in 1994 and in 12 years during three stints as an assistant coach there helped the Huskies to an 86-41-2 dual record and the 2013 state championship. He has also spent 11 years as head junior high coach in Edmond, having compiled an impressive 130-23 dual record with eight conference championships, two state titles and one Oklahoma Junior High Coach of the Year award. Tettleton has coached 15 individual state champions, nine high school All-Americans – including two champions – and two collegiate national champions. Larry decided to expand his involvement with wrestling in 2012 when he became an official. He’s quickly became one of the best in working local, regional and national events and in 2016 was selected Oklahoma USA Official of the Year. Tettleton was named recipient of the “Champion of Character” award by the Edmond City Council in 2013.

 

America’s shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation and now features interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. It also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport.

For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.or

 

 

 

 

It’s ISHA Silent Auction Time

Start thinking of items that you can donate to the ISHA Founder’s Fund Silent Auction to be held in conjunction with the ISHA Conference hosted by the 49ers Museum on September 26-28.

We are asking for all items to have a minimum $50 retail value.  If you have any questions or something that could be added to a package, please email Dana Hart at [email protected]

ISHA 2018 Silent Auction Form

The Chicago Cubs wanted to showcase their history and give their visitors some interactive surprises when visiting their offices at Wrigley Field.  The project team at Xibitz, Inc. worked with the architects/designers to collaborate and fabricate an interactive graphic wall, reminiscent of the “train schedule” moving signs in Penn Station, NYC and the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.   In addition, Xibitz created showcases, video arrays and other environmental graphics for a totally engaging environment that makes any visit to the Cubs Front Office a memorable experience.

Xibitz, Inc. is a custom fabrication company based in Grand Rapids, MI, providing design support, engineering of designs, fabrication, installation and complete turn-key project management.  Contact Susan Fisher with any questions or requests:

[email protected]
Mobile: 310 897 7265
www.xibitz.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A six-man list of racing pioneers, legends and modern-day champions joined “The First Lady of Motorsports” in a colorful and accomplished 2019 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) inductee class announced at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).The Class of 2019 was unveiled in a press conference at DIS – site of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday night – by Motorsports Hall of Fame of America President Ron Watson and Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile.

The seven MSHFA Class of 2019 honorees, the top vote-earners from an impressive list of 43 nominees from all walks of motorsports, include automotive and racing pioneer Augie Duesenberg (Historic), three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti (Open Wheel), engineering genius Phil Remington (Sports Cars), motorcycle road racing World Champion Kevin Schwantz (Motorcycles), championship-winning driver/owner Don Schumacher (Drag Racing) and Tony Stewart (Stock Cars) and popular motorsports ambassador and iconic race queen Linda Vaughn (At Large).

“Deserving and dynamic are two words that come to mind when I think of the accomplished men and woman that comprise the Class of 2019,” Watson said. “This group has won hundreds of races and dozens of championships in competition and the hearts and adoration of millions of race fans both at and away from the track.”

The Class of 2019 will be enshrined into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in its 31st annual induction ceremony next March, the traditional black-tie gala that will be the crowning event of a two-day, multifunction MSHFA induction celebration on March 11-12 in Daytona Beach.

After traditionally holding its annual induction in the summer for decades, the MSHFA returns to the spring date in 2019 for the second consecutive year. The date shift puts the MSHFA induction amid a mass of March motorsports and automotive activity in Florida. The IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, the IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring, plus the AMA Daytona SuperCross, Flat Track TT and DAYTONA 200, as well as Bike Week in Daytona Beach, all take place in a 10-day period that now includes the MSHFA induction.

“Moving to March places our annual induction ceremony right in the middle of one of the most diverse and busy times for motorsports and automotive events all year in Florida,” Watson said. “The initial date switch earlier this year was very well-received, and we look forward to building on the success.”

With the host venue expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, the 2019 MSHFA Induction Ceremony will be preceded on March 11 by the traditional “Heroes of Horsepower” reception and strolling dinner at the MSHFA Museum, located in the Daytona International Speedway Ticket and Tours facility.

For more information, visit the MSHFA at www.mshf.com or call 386.681.6843.

The MSHFA Class of 2019:

Augie Duesenberg (Historic) – August Samuel Duesenberg, with inductee brother Frederick Duesenberg (MSHFA Class of 1997), built some of the greatest racing cars of their generation. With Fred as the designer and Augie handling the manufacturing, they built some of the last “hand-made” race cars that dominated the Indianapolis 500 in the mid-1920s. Augie also served as crew chief for the brothers’ Duesenberg racing team. As engine builders for cars, boats and aircraft, their motors appeared in many race-winning vehicles including those driven by three Indianapolis 500 champions (1924, ’25, ’27).

Dario Franchitti (Open Wheel) – From 2007-2012, Dario Franchitti was as good as any driver in open wheel racing history, winning four championships and three Indianapolis 500s – 2007, 2010 and 2012 – in six seasons, which includes the year he took off (2008) to try his hand at NASCAR. Born in Scotland, Franchitti came to the U.S. in 1997 and the following year he won three races and a season-best five poles with Team Green. He began his string of Indy 500 victories and championships in his final year with Andretti Autosport (2007) and continued the run to two more Brickyard victories with Chip Ganassi (MSHFA Class of 2016).

Phil Remington (Sports Cars) – Wherever Phil Remington went, wins and championships followed. The WWII flight engineer was one of the most successful chief engineers in sports car racing history. As chief engineer at Shelby-American, they captured the 1965 World Manufacturers Championship and built the Ford GTs that became in 1966 and 1967 the first American cars to win Le Mans. Next, “Rem” helped Holman and Moody win the 1968 Daytona 500. Later that year he joined Dan Gurney’s All American Racers, where over the next 40-plus years he was central to the team’s success in everything from the Indianapolis 500 to sports car racing.

Don Schumacher (Drag Racing) – Don Schumacher’s first career in drag racing was impressive but his second has made him one of the all-time greats. As a Funny Car pilot, “The Shoe” won the 1972 Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars, 1973 AHRA World Championship, five NHRA national events and about 70 percent of his 560 match races. He retired from driving to devote more time to his business and family. Since his return more than a decade later, Don Schumacher Racing has amassed 16 NHRA world championships through 2017, including son Tony’s eight titles, and more than 300 wins. DSR was the first team to win Top Fuel and Funny Car titles in the same year, which it has done four times.

Kevin Schwantz (Motorcycles) – Kevin Schwantz started riding at four, became a top motocross rider in his teens, then switched to road racing, where he became a Daytona 200 winner, 500cc World Champion and 25-time victor on the international Grand Prix circuit. He finished second to Eddie Lawson (MSHFA Class of 2002) in the 1986 Daytona 200, and the following year began his epic rivalry with Wayne Rainey (MSHFA Class of 2008). Rainey took the 1987 title, but runner-up Schwantz won five of the six last races, then followed with a victory in the 1988 Daytona 200. His world championship came in 1993 and in 125 GP starts, Schwantz prevailed 25 times, the second American all-time behind Lawson. The FIM later retired his No. 34.

Tony Stewart (Stock Cars) – Where there’s Smoke, there are victories and championships for Tony Stewart, both as a driver and more recently as a team owner. Few modern drivers come close to his versatility, speed and quiet assistance to racers in need. The only person to win championships in IndyCar (1997) and NASCAR (2002, 2005, 2011), Stewart also won the 1994 USAC National Midget Series, 1995 USAC Triple Crown and 2006 IROC titles. His 2011 Cup crown was the first by an owner-driver since Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee Alan Kulwicki (MSHFA Class of 2010). As an owner, he has won an additional Monster Energy Series championship with Kevin Harvick (2014), the 2017 Daytona 500 with Kurt Busch, and his four-car team has been a dominant force so far in the 2018 Monster Energy Series.

Linda Vaughn (At Large) – The “First Lady of Motorsports” transformed the role of beauty queen into an enduring ambassadorship. It’s hard to imagine anyone more beloved by fans and racers alike in the history of the sport. The Dalton, Georgia native carved her own niche after winning the Miss Atlanta Raceway title in 1961 and Miss Pure Firebird immediately thereafter. Best known for her long association with Hurst Industries, where she became “Miss Hurst Golden Shifter” after besting 200 contestants for the title. Vaughn appeared in the motorsports-oriented films Gumball Rally (1976), Burnout (1979) and Stroker Ace (1983). Already recognized by the MSHFA, she was presented with the Bob Russo Heritage Award in 2004. Her eponymous autobiography was published in 2016.

About the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) held its first induction ceremony in 1989. The facility was headquartered in Novi, Michigan from 1989-2015 and relocated to Daytona Beach, Florida in 2016. The MSHFA is the only hall of fame that encompasses the full spectrum of American motorsports: cars, motorcycles, off-road, powerboats and airplanes. The overriding mission of the MSHFA is to celebrate and instill the American core values of leadership, creativity, originality, teamwork and spirit of competition embodied in motorsports. The MSHFA is operated by the nonprofit Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame of America Foundation Inc. Learn more at www.MSHF.com or call 386.681.6843. The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorsportsHOF/ and Instagram and Twitter at @MotorsportsHOF.