DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – An impressive group of motorsports legends and leaders will be on hand, Tuesday to honor the class of 2019 inductees at the 31st annual Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Induction Ceremony Presented by Firestone at the Shores Resort and Spa Hotel.
This year’s honorees 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/owners Don Schumacher (Drag Racing) and Tony Stewart (Stock Cars) and iconic motorsports ambassador Linda Vaughn (At Large).
Those worthy motorsports figures will be ushered into the Hall of Fame by a constellation of stars who are Hall of Famers already or are on the short list of future Hall of Famers, all legends in their own right.
Seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson will introduce Stewart. Scott Dixon, the 2008 Indianapolis 500 champion and a four-time and reigning IndyCar titlist fresh off a second-place finish in today’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, will be present to introduce Franchitti. Don Prudhomme (MSHFA Class of 1991), a four-time NHRA Funny Car champion, will present “First Lady of Racing” Vaughn for induction. Jack Beckman, the 2012 NHRA Funny Car champion, will induct his team owner, Schumacher, and Schwantz will be presented by Mel Harris, former President of Suzuki America.
Remington will be presented for induction by Peter Brock, the noted automotive designer, author and photojournalist who worked on Cobras with “Rem” at Shelby American. Duesenberg will be introduced by Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles.
When you combine those luminaries with Honorary Chairman Chase Carey, Formula One Group CEO and Executive Chairman; the entertaining David Hobbs (MSHFA Class of 2009) of NBC Sports acting as Master of Ceremonies, and more than 25 returning inductees, the 31st Annual Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Induction Ceremony presented by Firestone is sure to be a night to remember.
This year marks the fourth year the induction ceremony has taken place in Daytona Beach. The MSHFA moved to Daytona Int’l Speedway in 2016, from Novi, Mich. The Hall is housed in the speedway’s Ticket and Tours Building located in front of the famed 2.5 DIS tri-oval.
The MSHFA Museum will be the site of Monday night’s annual Heroes of Horsepower Reception at 7 p.m. At that event, the seven new inductees’ bronze busts that will be displayed permanently in the Hall are unveiled.
Two other events also are on tap as part of induction-related activities: on Monday at 12 p.m., the Inductee Luncheon will be held at the Daytona 500 Club in the DIS infield, adjacent to Gatorade Victory Lane. On Tuesday at 9:30 a.m., the Inductee Breakfast Presented by Toyota will be held in the Rolex 24 Lounge in the speedway’s stadium grandstands.