SONOMA, Calif. — More than 500 members of the motorsports community gathered on Thursday night at Sonoma Raceway for the 21st annual induction ceremony for the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame.
While Jimmie Johnson, Jimmy Vasser, Dick Cobb, Eric Holmes and Cal Wells III were the featured inductees, SPEED SPORT President Ralph Sheheen, who also served as master of ceremonies for the event, became only the fourth media member inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In addition, the Hall of Fame welcomed Heritage class inductees Joe Huffaker Sr., Steve Lewis, Paula Murph and Emmett and Tom Malloy.
Honored in the Pioneers of Speed category were Johnny Boyd, Jack Dill, Fred Frame, Ted Horn, Frank Lockhart, Rex Mays, Jimmy Murphy, Bob Swanson, Ernie Triplett and Louis Vermeil.
Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, was inducted by his dad. Johnson won 83 Cup Series races during his career.
“The interesting road that I was on, on the West Coast, growing up racing everything from motorcycles to jet skis, buggies, stadium trucks and trophy trucks really shaped me into the driver that I became in NASCAR,” said the El Cajon, Calif., native. “NASCAR was quite different. I remember not knowing how to pass cars, so there was a huge learning curve there for me.”
Vasser, a one-time CART champion and 10-time winner in the series, drove his first race car at Sonoma.
“I remember it as Sears Point,” Vasser said. “…This was the first race track where I drove a real race car instead of a quarter midget. It was 1984.
“It’s hard to imagine, seeing the video and the things from the past. I’m a champion, not seven times,” he added referring to Johnson. “It’s a great honor.”
Cobb, who won eight track championships during 45 years of racing at tracks in California in Nevada, was also recognized.
Holmes won a trio of NASCAR West Series championships during a lengthy West Coast career, and he spoke fondly of his days racing in California.
The fifth inductee was Wells, who was inducted in the Off-Road Hall of Fame, but owned teams in various disciplines of motorsports, is now the executive officer of Legacy Motor Club, which is co-owned by Johnson.
Ken Clapp, Chairman and CEO of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, concluded the festivities with a surprise induction of Sheheen, who began his announcing career at Sonoma Raceway.
“Here we are at Sonoma Raceway where it all started for me, and I get this unbelievable honor here in front of all my friends,” Sheheen said. “Thank you, it’s going to be a great night.”
The NASCAR Foundation was also named the 2024 Knockin’ Doorz Down Philanthropist of the Year. Founded in 2006 by the late Betty Jane France, the charity raised $678,405 last month through the Gainbridge NASCAR Day Giveathon. It impacts children’s lives through the Speediatrics Children’s Fund and the annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. The NASCAR Foundation has impacted more than 1.7 million children, giving $46 million to children in need.
