KNOXVILLE, IOWA (June 6, 2010) - Champion drivers Fred Linder of Ohio and Bobbie Adamson of Pennsylvania, mechanic Don Shepherd of Indiana and car owner Casey Luna of New Mexico took center stage Saturday afternoon, June 5, as they were officially inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (NSCHoF) in Knoxville. Emcee Dr. Pat Sullivan, and a solid crowd of nearly 300 guests, enjoyed the three-hour ceremony, which honored the exceptional careers of twelve inductees.
Bill and Jim Riddle accepted for their late father, driver Frank Riddle, as did Lee Robson for his deceased dad, driver Hal Robson. Debbie Brownfield accepted for her late husband, promoter Fred Brownfield, and Rhoda Krasner received the plaque for her deceased father, promoter Ben Krasner. Frank McDaniel accepted on behalf of the family of his late friend, builder/driver Hank Arnold. Additionally, historian Larry Ball, Jr., builder Jack Elam, and media member Allan Brown accepted on behalf of the families of deceased inductees Herman Schurch (driver), Clyde Adams (builder), and George Bentel (promoter), respectively.
National Sprint Car Hall of Famers who were present were Allan Brown, Shane Carson, Jerry “Scratch” Daniels, Lanny Edwards, Jack Elam, Ray Lee Goodwin, Harold Leep, Don Mack, Jack Miller, Jimmy Oskie, Lynn Paxton, “Speedy” Bill Smith, and Bob Trostle. John Gerber's son Jim Gerber and Tommy Hinnershitz’s daughter/Bruce Craig’s widow Jeanne Hinnershitz Craig were also in attendance at the banquet, which was held in the Dyer-Hudson Building on the Marion County Fairgrounds. In addition, past inductee Shane Carson represented his Hall of Fame father Bud Carson, and Earl Wagner’s widow Harriet Wagner was in attendance.
The program was dedicated to the memory of National Sprint Car Hall of Famers Clarence “Mutt” Anderson, Ken Coles, Walt James, Hal Minyard, Earl Wagner and Billy Wilkerson, and National Induction Committee members Palmer Berger, Stew Reamer and Jeff Sharpe. National Sprint Car Museum board president Mike Brooks, the 1980 track champion at Knoxville Raceway, presented the 2010 President's Award to hard-working volunteer Jim Banks of Kansas. This year’s twenty-first NSCHoF induction banquet again featured dual large screens showing photo and film footage organized by videographer Kris Krohn.
Next year's twenty-second NSCHoF induction weekend is tentatively scheduled for June 3-4-5, 2011.
- National Sprint Car Hall of Fame on Jun 07, 2010
- Article Date: 6/7/2010