The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is proud to announce its inductees for 2013: Dale Inman, Rusty Wallace, Rick Hendrick and Don Schumacher.
“I am very excited to announce Dale, Rusty, Rick and Don as the 2013 Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees. All four of these men have accomplished a great deal in motorsports and truly deserve recognition for all that they have done,” said IMHOF Executive Director Grant Lynch.
Dale Inman
Dale Inman retired in 1998 as a NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup crew chief. He is best known for being the crew chief of Richard Petty for three decades. Together they won 193 races, 129 poles and seven championships in 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1979. Inman was also crew chief for Terry Labonte when they won the 1984 championship. His contributions to racing led him to receiving the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame’s first Golden Wrench award in 2000. In 2008, he helped unveil the first artifact at the NASCAR Hall of Fame – the Plymouth Belvedere that Petty drove to 27 wins in 1967.
Rusty Wallace
Rusty Wallace retired from NASCAR at the end of 2005 with a stellar resume. Wallace won the 1979 United States Auto Club Stock Car Rookie of the Year award, the American Speed Association championship in 1983 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 1989. Wallace was also named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers for his 55 career wins. In 2005 NASCAR Illustrated named him Person of the Year. Wallace is currently a broadcaster on ESPN and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.
Rick Hendrick
Rick Hendrick is current owner of the NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports, founder of the Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Marrow Program. In the late 1970s, he founded a drag-boat racing team that won three consecutive national championships. Throughout his career as a team owner, Hendrick has won 14 NASCAR Championships including ten Sprint Cup Series, one Nationwide Series and three Camping World Truck Series. He recently gained his 203rd victory at Michigan International Speedway with Dale Earnhardt Jr. On December 4, 2009, Hendrick was presented with the Bill France Award of Excellence by Betty Jane France. Given only on rare occasions, NASCAR’s highest honor recognizes significant contributions to the sport.
Don Schumacher
Don Schumacher owns nine NHRA drag racing championships and 179 event titles. As a pioneering Plymouth Funny Car driver from 1968 to 1974, he won five NHRA titles, nine IHRA titles and the prestigious 1970 U.S. Nationals. In 1972, Schumacher won the Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars Championship for Funny Cars. He also won the 1973 American Hot Rod Association World Championship. Don’s son, Tony, began racing NHRA sportsman cars in the early 1990s. In 1998, Don Schumacher Racing was assembled with Tony as one of seven drivers. The team currently competes in the NHRA Top Fuel class and has won seven championships. In 2007, Don was inducted into the Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
Honoring its first class in 1990, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony has enshrined more than 100 inductees from all forms of racing. A Hall of Fame induction is one of the greatest crowning achievements in motorsports. For more information on the International Motorsports Hall of Fame visit www.motorsportshalloffame.com or call 256-362-5002.
