South Boston banquet to host VMHoF

First Virginia Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductions Jan. 25 in South Boston.

SOUTH BOSTON, VA (JAN. 9, 2003)--The Virginia Motorsports Hall of Fame will hold its first induction ceremony during the 2002 Big Daddy's South Boston Speedway Awards Banquet, scheduled for 6 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 25 at the World of Sports in South Boston, Va. The first inductees will be Virginia motorsports legends, the late Ray Hendricks and the late Wendell Scott. Both men will be represented by their families at the induction.

Hendrick, a legendary driver known for his hard-charging driving style, recorded hundreds of wins at South Boston during his storied career, many of them coming when he was piloting the famous winged No. 11 Modified coupe fielded by Jack Tant and Clayton Mitchell. The Richmond star won five track championships at South Boston, four of them while competing in the NASCAR Modified division and one in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman division.

Danville, Va., native Scott was the only African American driver to regularly participate in the NASCAR Grand National (now Winston Cup) series. On Dec. 1, 1963, he became the first and only African American driver to win a Grand National race, with the victory coming in Jacksonville, Fla. In 1999, Scott was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala.

The Speedway announced its plans for the establishment of the Virginia Motorsports Hall of Fame in early 2002 following Ward Burton's Daytona 500 victory. Burton's win marked the first time a Virginian had won the "Great American Race."

"After Ward's win at Daytona, we learned that Virginia did not have an organization that recognized Virginia's motorsports legends," commented Big Daddy's South Boston Speedway General Manager Cathy Rice. "Recognizing this void, we announced that we would organize a Virginia Motorsports Hall of Fame to recognize and preserve the history of Virginia's motorsports legends, and at the same time, help Virginia's next generation of motorsports heroes."

The activities of the Hall of Fame will surpass just the induction ceremony, including the establishment of a Virginia Motorsports Walk of Fame at Big Daddy's South Boston Speedway. Throughout the year, the Speedway will initiate numerous fund-raising events, with the proceeds distributed to up-and-coming Virginia racers. The Danville (Va.) Register and Bee will assist the Hall of Fame in its fund raising efforts.

The advisory board of the Virginia Motorsports Hall of Fame includes four Virginia natives: Atlanta Motor Speedway General Manager Ed Clark; Barbara Bass of the South Boston-Halifax County Museum of Fine Arts and History; motorsports artist Garry Hill; and legendary Winston Cup car owner Junie Donlavey.

In addition to the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, festivities on the night of Jan. 25 will also honor the four division champions of the 2002 season at Big Daddy's South Boston Speedway

Tickets for the Awards Banquet and Hall of Fame Induction are $30, and may be purchased by calling the Speedway toll-free at 1-877-440-1540. A social hour will open the festivities at 6 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m., and award presentation at 8 p.m. Attire for the function is semi-formal.

For 46 years, Big Daddy's South Boston Speedway has been the fans' choice for affordable family entertainment. Another exciting racing season at "America's Hometown Track" begins March 15. For the Speedway's complete 2003 schedule and more information on Big Daddy's South Boston Speedway, log on to www.southbostonspeedway.com.

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