A six-person list of racing pioneers, legends and modern-day champions joined “The First Lady of Motorsports” in a colorful and accomplished 2019 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) inductee class announced today at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).
The Class of 2019 was unveiled in a press conference at DIS – site of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ Coke Zero Sugar 400 – by Motorsports Hall of Fame of America President Ron Watson and Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile.
The seven MSHFA Class of 2019 honorees, the top vote-earners from an impressive list of 43 nominees from all walks of motorsports, include automotive and racing pioneer Augie Duesenberg (Historic), three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti (Open Wheel), engineering genius Phil Remington (Sports Cars), motorcycle road racing World Champion Kevin Schwantz (Motorcycles), championship-winning driver/owners Don Schumacher (Drag Racing) and Tony Stewart (Stock Cars) and popular motorsports ambassador and iconic race queen Linda Vaughn (At Large).
“Deserving and dynamic are two words that come to mind when I think of the accomplished men and woman that comprise the Class of 2019,” Watson said. “This group has won hundreds of races and dozens of championships in competition and the hearts and adoration of millions of race fans both at and away from the track.”
The Class of 2019 will be enshrined into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in its 31st annual induction ceremony next March, the traditional black-tie gala that will be the crowning event of a two-day, multifunction MSHFA induction celebration on March 11-12 in Daytona Beach.
After traditionally holding its annual induction in the summer for decades, the MSHFA returns to the spring date in 2019 for the second consecutive year. The date shift puts the MSHFA induction amid a mass of March motorsports and automotive activity in Florida. The IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, the IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring, plus the AMA Daytona SuperCross, Flat Track TT and DAYTONA 200, as well as Bike Week in Daytona Beach, all take place in a 10-day period that now includes the MSHFA induction.
“Moving to March places our annual induction ceremony right in the middle of one of the most diverse and busy times for motorsports and automotive events all year in Florida,” Watson said. “The initial date switch earlier this year was very well-received, and we look forward to building on the success.”
With the host venue expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, the 2019 MSHFA Induction Ceremony will be preceded on March 11 by the traditional “Heroes of Horsepower” reception and strolling dinner at the MSHFA Museum, located in the Daytona International Speedway Ticket and Tours facility.
For more information, visit the MSHFA at www.mshf.com or call 386.681.6843.
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorsportsHOF/ and Instagram and Twitter at @MotorsportsHOF.
