Drag Race Central | Presented by Summitracing.com

Sat, 21 Aug 2004, 02:57 PM

Halls of Fame

By Norm Froscher

Earlier this year your servant passed along the information on nominees to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega.

Darrell Waltrip, who won championships in 1981, 1982 and 1985, led all candidates in the first round of voting in his first year on the ballot. In all, seven nominees made the Top 20 for the first time. In addition to Waltrip, drag racers Joe Amato and Bob Glidden, Grand Prix champions Rene Dreyfuss and Nigel Mansell, powerboat superstar Chip Hanauer and Indy 500 winner Tommy Milton all made the finals. Remember, that original list included nine drag racers. Out of that huge list, the 20 finalists include (in alphabetical order):

Joe Amato, Red Byron, Jerry Cook, Pete DePaolo, Rene Dreyfuss, Harry Gant, Bob Glidden, Janet Guthrie, Chip Hanauer, Ray Hendrick, Jack Ingram, Nigel Mansell.

And Tommy Milton, Jan Opperman, Cotton Owens, Wayne Rainey, Ralph Seagraves, Waltrip, Humpy Wheeler, Rex White.

Okay, so who received the ballot from this corner to advance to the finals, which will decide the six inductees next April?

Amato, DePaolo, Glidden, Mansell, Waltrip and White.

That means 14 of my 20 didn't make the cut, but on the positive side, maybe 6 out of 20 ain't all that bad. In baseball, that would be approaching .300 at the plate. We'll see, The final six who advance will be announced later this year.

***

Now, while still on Halls of Fame, that brings up the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Legends in Racing, its individual "Hall".

We've chronicled in the past how the founder and charter president of that organization -- and yes, I'm a past president -- could be kept out.

It is sort of like it would be with the IMHOF not having Bill France, or maybe even Bill Jr., both of whom have been inducted.

So, this year, when I received the "Legends in Racing" ballot from hard-working voting chairman Rocky Entriken, I typed back the following, along with a copy to several folks I figured might be interested.

Here is that epistle. And some reaction:

"Rocky: I know it's drastic, but I have decided not to vote for anyone else on the Legends in Racing ballot until the late Bob Russo, founder and charter president of the organization, is inducted. That's it pure and simple. It's a disgrace the organization hasn't recognized him long ago and he himself moved elsewhere to help establish another Hall of Fame.

"Whether you personally liked him or not, he should have gone into Legends in Racing the year following his passing and our great loss.

"So here's my ballot
"Modern Era Non-Driver
"Bob Russo

"Thanks,
"Norm Froscher H23
"Motorsports Journalist and Author"

Immediate reaction from several to whom I copied that ballot included:

Jay Wells, long-time drag racing and motorsports public relations expert:

"Hey Norm,

"Absolutely, Russo was the PR man of the LA media...he knew everyone...sure did help me in my early stages...much appreciated by him...Atta boy, Norm...Great point!!!

Jay"

>From Dusty Brandel, AARWBA President:

"I agree, Russo should have been in a long time ago...but, you can't force members to vote for him.

"Russo moved elsewhere ‘cause they paid him....and dropped all efforts to look for sponsorship for the AARWBA HOF, after Ontario closed. Which is a real shame! It should have been a great HOF with some real PR efforts from top members.

"Thanks,
"Dusty"

There was also a response from a member who shall remain nameless, but said he refused to vote for Russo because of a personal relationship between he and the nominee. And that is understandable. I would probably do the same thing, under his circumstances.

However, I feel that this some 500-member organization should still remedy that situation. So he was paid by another HOF. What's a pr person to do -- go with the lowest bidder?

Not on this year's ballot, because it's probably too late, but Entriken said he may include my response in a later newsletter of the organization, which I said would be fine.

And on next year's vote, mine will still be the same:

Modern Era -- Non-driver:
Bob Russo
Period, end of ballot.

(Editor's note: Norm Froscher's comments on Halls of Fame are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Drag Race Central, its editors or anyone who has been passed over for any Hall of Fame, including Pete Rose.)

P.S. Here are the five individuals who received votes from this corner for the 2005 IMHOF Joe Amato -- You know him.
Pete DePaolo -- Indy racer, 1925 Indy 500 winner.
Nigel Mansell -- Winner of both Formula One and CART titles.
Jan Opperman -- Winner of hundreds of open wheel races, under several sanctioning bodies.
Darrell Waltrip -- Three Cup titles, three-time Driver of the Year.