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2016 NASCAR
HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY
HONORS FIVE OF SPORT'S GREATEST
Cook,
Isaac, Labonte, Smith, Turner Officially Enshrined |
Five
of NASCAR’s iconic figures – four drivers and one
motorsports entrepreneur – were enshrined into the
NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina
this afternoon during the Induction Ceremony held in
the Crown Ball Room at the Charlotte Convention
Center.
Those who added their names to the list of now 35
NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees, included: Jerry Cook,
Bobby Isaac, Terry Labonte, O. Bruton Smith and
Curtis Turner.
The group makes up the Hall’s seventh class in its
history.
Jerry Cook made his name in the modified division,
winning six NASCAR Modified championships, including
four consecutively from 1974-77. He joins his rival
from his hometown of Rome, New York, Richie Evans,
as only the second Hall of Fame driver whose career
wasn’t connected to NASCAR’s premier series. Cook
won 342 NASCAR Modified races in 1,474 starts. Upon
his retirement, Cook stayed with the sport and
helped shape the series known today as the NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tour. He served as the series’
director and also served as NASCAR’s competition
administrator.
“For me, it’s always been NASCAR,” Cook said. “I’ve
spent my entire life in the greatest sport in the
world and to be honored in this way – tonight – to
be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame along with
the greatest names in the sport – is the pinnacle of
my career.”
One of NASCAR’s original speedsters, Bobby Isaac
captured 19 poles in 1969 – a mark that still stands
as the record for poles in a single season. His 49
career poles are the 10th-most all time. More than
just a strong qualifier, Isaac won the 1970 premier
series championship by posting 11 victories, 32 top
fives and 38 top 10s in 47 starts. His 37 career
wins rank 19th on NASCAR’s all-time list.
“He died at the age of 45 doing what he loved to
do,” said Isaac’s former spouse, Patsy Isaac. “But
he died way too soon. Bobby would’ve loved this
honor.”
Terry Labonte raced his way to two NASCAR premier
series championships, the first in 1984, and the
second in 1996. The Texan’s 12-year gap between
titles is the longest in NASCAR history. A
consummate professional, Labonte earned the moniker
“Iron Man” thanks to his 655 consecutive starts in
NASCAR’s premier series, a record which stood until
2002. Labonte won 22 races, bookended by Southern
500 victories in 1980 and 2003. His 361 top-10
finishes ranks 10th all time.
“Before, I’d be introduced as a two-time champion,”
Labonte said. “Now I’ll be introduced as a NASCAR
Hall of Famer. And I think that’s a whole lot
cooler.”
O. Bruton Smith finished building Charlotte Motor
Speedway in 1960, the facility that became the
foundation of his Speedway Motorsports Inc. empire,
which currently owns eight NASCAR tracks hosting 12
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, the NASCAR Sprint
All-Star Race and additional high-profile
motorsports activities. He made SMI the first
motorsports company to be traded at the New York
Stock Exchange when he took it public in 1995. Smith
is the founder of Sonic Automotive group and is
active in child-related causes with his
philanthropic foundation, Speedway Children’s
Charities.
“I appreciate you all coming. I hope you have a
great season, a great racing season,” Smith said.
“I’m delighted and I’m glad to be a part of the
(Hall of Fame) here, this is great.”
Nicknamed the “Babe Ruth of stock car racing” for
his big-time personality and talent, NASCAR pioneer
Curtis Turner remains the only premier series driver
to win two consecutive races from the pole leading
every lap. Turner notched 17 wins, 54 top fives and
73 top 10s in 184 starts. He is the only driver to
win a NASCAR premier series race in a Nash and
tallied 38 victories in 79 NASCAR Convertible
Division events. In 1972, NASCAR Founder Bill France
said, “Curtis Turner was the greatest race car
driver I have ever seen.”
“At day’s end and chats catching up, Daddy would
always say, anything is possible,” said Turner’s
daughter, Margaret Sue Turner Wright, who accepted
on behalf of her father. “And it was, and for us, so
it is.”
Each of the five inductees had an inductor who
officially welcomed them into the hall. The
inductors for the five inductees: Robin Pemberton
for Jerry Cook; Randy Isaac (son) for Bobby Isaac;
Kristy Labonte Garrett (daughter) for Terry Labonte;
Darrell Waltrip for Bruton Smith; and Leonard Wood
for Curtis Turner.
Active drivers introduced each inductee during
tonight’s program: Tony Stewart for Jerry Cook; Ryan
Newman for Bobby Isaac; Kyle Busch for Terry
Labonte; Brad Keselowski for Bruton Smith; and Kevin
Harvick for Curtis Turner.
In addition to the five inductees enshrined on
Saturday afternoon, Harold Brasington was honored as
the second recipient of the Landmark Award for
Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
Brasington, who believed in the potential of Bill
France’s fledgling NASCAR business, architected
Darlington Raceway in his hometown of Darlington,
South Carolina. After completing the project, he
expected 10,000 fans to show up at the track, but
instead 25,000 spectators showed up for the
inaugural Southern 500 – NASCAR’s first 500-mile
race. The race turned out to be a mega-event that is
still run to this day. After building Darlington,
Brasington helped create Charlotte Motor Speedway
and North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham.
Prior to today’s Induction Ceremony, long-time
NASCAR broadcaster Steve Byrnes was bestowed the
fifth Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.
Byrnes’s motorsports broadcasting career spanned
more than three decades. He most recently served as
the play-by-play announcer for the NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series on FS1 and was the network’s
co-host of NASCAR Race Hub. Last April, Byrnes
passed away after a long and courageous battle with
cancer. Throughout his career, Byrnes provided
mentorship for countless young broadcasters and
provided race fans with quality insight and
entertainment as a pit reporter for CBS, TNN, TBS
and FOX.
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Source:
Josh Hamilton / NASCAR
Posted:
January 23, 2016 |
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