HAZLE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Eastern Motorsport Press Ass’n has anounced the class of 2025 into its prestigious Hall of Fame.
The class will be inducted during the 52nd EMPA Convention January 10-13 at the Holiday Inn in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
The membership of EMPA – which consists of professional motorsports media associates – voted to induct the selected individuals for entry into the Hall of Fame.
Heading up the class is noted motorsports journalist Mark “Bones” Bourcier, who has set the standard for excellence in motorsports journalism with hundreds of columns and features for Speedway Scene and SPEED SPORT, while his byline has appeared in Stock Car Racing, Open Wheel and Speedway Illustrated.
Jimmy Horton III is a dirt Modified superstar and recently inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame and can now add his name to the EMPA Hall of Fame. Throughout his outstanding career he has put together a win total of 466 triumphs which not only includes dirt modifieds, sprint cars and late models but in the ARCA Series.
Veteran dirt modified standout Alan Johnson has put together a career that includes feature victories at 39 different tracks and wins that total a staggering 439. Johnson was twice named the EMPA Richie Evans Memorial Northeast Dirt Driver of the year (2003 & 2006) and in 2017 he was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame.
Steve Park first rose to stardom in Northeast pavement modifieds before going onto the ranks of ARCA and NASCAR. Park can boast winning in all of the aforementioned divisions including the Cup Series when he raced for Dale Earnhardt Sr.
When it comes to NHRA drag racing one of the perennial stars is Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme. A member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Prudhomme has racked up a ton of accomplishments including four NHRA Funny Car championships coupled with countless victories.
Sprint Car kingpin Sammy Swindell is a three-time World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion and owns 394 A-main wins.
The Richie Evans Memorial Northeast Driver of the Year goes annually to an asphalt and dirt racer. And, for the first time since the award split into two categories a new pavement winner has emerged with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore unseating five-time winner Matt Hirschman.
On the dirt side Mat Williamson, who this year garnered the Super DIRTcar Series title and for the first time since 2019 has earned the EMPA Northeast Dirt Driver of the Year honors.
The Al Holbert Memorial National Driver of the Year – also one each in asphalt and dirt – is going to NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Larson for a third time (2020 & ’21) and 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion David Gravel.
The 2024 John Blewett III Young Gun award presented by New England Race Fuels, will be presented to multi-talented dirt and pavement racer Corey Day.
Earning the Chris Economaki Memorial Newsmaker of the Year Award is veteran sprint car and NASCAR driver Dave Blaney, who retired in victory lane after his win at Sharon Speedway earlier this year.
That race was also the 16th annual Lou Blaney Memorial, a race held in honor of his late father who is also an EMPA Hall of Fame inductee.
The Junie Donlavey Memorial Spirit of the Sport goes to New Jersey native Ryan Flores. After leaving home with a dream to make it in the NASCAR Cup Series, living on couches at the start, he was picked up by Roush Fenway Racing at the age of 20 working as a fabricator and eventually part of the road crew team.
His career skyrocketed after he was hired by Stewart-Haas Racing, where he would eventually become a tire changer before moving over to the Wood Brothers and now Team Penske on the No. 12 of Ryan Blaney.
The EMPA Promotional Effort of the Year recipient is Doug Rose. Since taking over the ownership of New Jersey’s Bridgeport Speedway, Rose has elevated the racing-rich dirt oval into new heights.
World Racing Group has named BAPS Motor Speedway owner Scott Gobrecht as the recipient of the Jerry Reigle Outstanding Contribution to Sprint Car Racing award winner.
Elections also took place for the EMPA Board of Directors and retaining their seats are current EMPA Vice-President Karl Fredrickson and Secretary Carol Houssock.
