MOORESVILLE, N.C. — It was a “wow” moment, and I still can’t believe I’ve been inducted into the prestigious National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
The ceremony took place during the first weekend of June at the home of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum in Knoxville, Iowa.
Inductees, friends, families and race fans gathered Friday afternoon on the second floor of the museum, located outside of Knoxville Raceway at the Marion County Fairgrounds, as several Hall of Famers reminisced about their careers.
Great stories from Jimmy Sills, Shane Carson and others had the crowd laughing throughout the afternoon.
Everyone was looking forward to watching the USAC sprint cars Friday night but rain washed out the event.
Saturday morning, more than 400 people gathered in the fairgrounds’ Dyer Hudson Hall for a beautiful luncheon and a wonderful induction ceremony hosted by Bob Baker, executive director of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum. Hall of Famers and SPEED SPORT columnists Dave Argabright and Pat Sullivan served as emcees.
The duo did an excellent job of providing a brief, yet in-depth overview of each inductee’s career and why they earned enshrinement. Once introduced, we each stepped to the stage where Baker presented us with a plaque, the same as the one that will be permanently on display inside the Hall of Fame.
We also received lapel pins, indicating we are members of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Argabright and Sullivan then alternated interviewing the newest Hall of Famers.
After numerous photos were taken, it was time to return to my table and compose myself. I’ve never been a big crier. There’s nothing wrong, of course, if you are; it can be very healthy. It’s just not the way I’m wired. However, I will tell you, I definitely got choked up while being interviewed on stage. It stunned my family, too, as they are not used to seeing that kind of emotion from me.
The magnitude of being inducted into such a hallowed Hall of Fame, takes your breath away! When I walk among the columns that display the plaques of each inductee, it’s mind-blowing to think I’m enshrined among them. The names are truly the greatest in our sport.
On the media side, it includes journalists and broadcasters such as Chris Economaki, Robin Miller, Doug Auld, Jack Miller and Greg Stephens. Racers include legends Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Unser, Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Doug Wolfgang and Brad Doty. These are my heroes as I’m sure they are for those of you reading this.
How the heck did I get here?
It’s an interesting question that I have thought about a lot. First, there are all the people who supported me through the years, beginning with my parents, Ralph and June Sheheen. They instilled the passion for racing and the work ethic it took to succeed in a highly competitive industry. I have to thank my mom as well for making sure that after my dad died when I was 12, that I had all of the support I needed. No matter what it was, my mom sacrificed so I could chase my dreams. I can’t thank them enough for their love and support.
Then, there are the TV executives, producers, directors, etc., who have given me the on-air opportunities I needed to make my dreams a reality. Jim Michaelian, Jim Roller, Patti Wheeler, Pat Patterson, Tom Gee, Eric Mann, Jacob Ullman, Rick Miner, Frank Wilson and Pete Richards are a few of those to whom I will always be indebted.
Next up are my broadcast colleagues, all of the behind-the-scenes people including camera crews, audio personnel, graphics coordinators, etc. Of course, I have to thank all of my fellow personalities that I have worked alongside covering sprint car racing. The late, great Steve Evans, Mike Joy, Dr. Dick Berggren, Bobby Gerould, Dave Reif, Tony Bokhoven and especially my great friend and booth partner Brad Doty. It’s very rare for TV commentators to develop tremendous chemistry. I’ve only truly experienced it twice. The first time was with Brad and recently with Jeff Emig on Supercross telecasts.
Certainly, I owe all of the great racers, legends like Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Doug Wolfgang, Donny Schatz, Danny Lasoski, Craig Dollansky, Brent Kaeding, Jimmy Sills, Freddie Rahmer, Jac Haudenschild, Johnny Herrera and many more, for providing so many amazing moments to call.
Finally, there is my family: my wife Kimberly, my daughter Olivia and my son Lucas. None of this happens without their love and support. As proud as I am to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, I am even more proud of my family. It has been an incredible journey to this point and I can’t wait to see what is next.
After the induction ceremonies, we were treated to a night of spectacular racing as the stars of USAC’s non-winged sprint car series thrilled the crowd with Jake Swanson making a last-lap pass of Brady Bacon for the victory.
Thanks to dear friends Richard and Jennifer Marshall, who were once again kind enough to invite me to enjoy the races from their suite in the Bryan Clauson Tower. Congrats to the Marshall family on Richard’s cousin, Bobby Marshall, one of the original Outlaws, on his induction to the Hall of Fame as well.
One final thank you to Lori and Charlie Cutter for their tremendous hospitality. They invited me to spend the weekend at their Racers Retreat in nearby Pella, Iowa. Lori went well beyond expectations to make sure that my stay in their rental property made an already unforgettable weekend even more amazing.
The accommodations are outstanding and available to all. If you are attending races at Knoxville or touring through the lovely town of Pella on vacation, check out the Cutters’ Racers Retreat through Airbnb.
This story appeared in the June 28, 2023 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
