Economaki Named Third Squier-Hall Award Recipient

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Economaki Named Third Squier-Hall Award Recipient

Veteran motorsports journalist and broadcaster Chris Economaki was a fixture on NASCAR TV broadcasts in the 70s and 80s.  Photo - Getty Images

Veteran motorsports journalist and broadcaster Chris Economaki was a fixture on NASCAR TV broadcasts in the 70s and 80s.
Photo – Getty Images

Former ‘Paperboy’ Chronicled NASCAR’s Rise To Major League Sport

Known for more than 50 years as the “Dean of American Motorsports,” the late journalist and broadcaster Chris Economaki has been named the third recipient of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Economaki will be honored during NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony festivities on Jan. 29, 2014 and featured in an exhibit in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

Economaki, who died last year at age 91, was the editor, publisher and columnist for National Speed Sport News for more than 60 years, a weekly racing publication he began selling at race tracks at the age of 14. He began his television broadcast career with ABC in 1961 and with CBS Sports helped make the Daytona 500 one of racing’s marquee events.  Continue reading

The NASCAR Hall of Fame: Where You Just Don’t Read About History, You Relive It

myrtle-beach-charlotte-2-593The story of NASCAR dates back to over 60 years. Sixty plus years of history, miracles, and magical moments. There were some elements of NASCAR that were lost as it grew. Elements of its beginning and the people, places, and things that built this sport. These important moments were never supposed to be forgotten, but they indeed vanished as time went on and the sport grew. When the NASCAR Hall of Fame opened in 2010, the ever so important steps in racing’s history were brought back to life in a remarkable way. The creators of the hall nailed their duty to retell the history of NASCAR, and they did in a way that was never thought of. They make fans aware of every little step that laid the foundation of the sport, and what continues to innovate this 200 MPH game of chess today. Continue reading

2014 NASCAR Hall Of Fame Class Announced

2014 NASCAR Hall Of Fame Class Announced

nascarinductees052213Flock, Ingram, Jarrett, Petty and Roberts Comprise List Of New Inductees

NASCAR announced May 22nd, the inductees who will comprise the 2014 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The five-person group – the fifth in NASCAR Hall of Fame history – consists of Tim Flock, Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett, Maurice Petty and Fireball Roberts. Next year’s Induction Day is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014, broadcast on Fox Sports 1 from Charlotte, N.C.

The 54-member NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met Wednesday in a closed session in Charlotte, N.C., to vote on the induction class of 2014. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France made the announcement this evening in the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s “Great Hall.” Continue reading

NASCAR Stars Headline NASCAR Hall of Fame Pit Party at Coca-Cola 600

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Keselowski, Kenseth, Kahne and Other NASCAR Stars Headline NASCAR Hall of Fame Pit Party at Coca-Cola 600

Brad Keselowski, defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, will be among the drivers making appearances at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Pit Party.  Photo - CMS/HHP

Brad Keselowski, defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, will be among the drivers making appearances at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Pit Party.
Photo – CMS/HHP

Defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski will join NASCAR stars Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne, legends Bobby and Donnie Allison and team owner Joe Gibbs for appearances at a one-of-a-kind infield Pit Party sponsored by the NASCAR Hall of Fame at the Coca-Cola 600 on May 26.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Pit Party will be a fan-friendly event taking place on pit road from 12:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. before the only 600-mile race on the NASCAR circuit. The party will feature driver appearances, live music from national recording artist Benton Blount, concessions, racing displays and more. Access to the Pit Party is included with the purchase of a pit pass or a driver introduction pass. Continue reading

NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Fifth Class of Nominees Announced

NASCAR Hall of Fame logoFamed Engine Builder Petty, Short Track Star Phillips Among 25 Eligible

Larger than life figures who built NASCAR lap by lap and bolt by bolt from the post-World War II era into the 21st century comprise the 25 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014.

NASCAR today announced those 25 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s fifth induction class, and included among the diverse group are five newcomers whose achievements are cornerstones of the sport’s origins and continue to fuel its growth in contemporary times.

Of the 25 nominees, 20 return from last year’s group. Five are first-timers with varying backgrounds in the sport: second generation NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion Dale Jarrett; Maurice Petty, for more than three decades the chief engine builder for Petty Enterprises; five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion Larry Phillips; race track builder and owner Bruton Smith; and 1960 NASCAR premier series champion Rex White.

From that list, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote onNASCAR.COM. Voting Day for the 2014 class will be May 22. Fans can attend the announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

This round of nominees was selected by a 21-person Nominating Committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks. The committee’s votes were tabulated by accounting firm Ernst & Young.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame’s 2014 inductees will be determined by a 54-member Voting Panel, which includes the entire Nominating Committee, media members, manufacturer representatives, retired competitors (drivers, owners and crew chiefs) and recognized industry leaders. In addition, the fan vote will result in the Voting Panel’s final ballot. Fan voting on NASCAR.COM opens today, April 10 and closes May 21 at noon.  Continue reading