Welcome to The West Coast Stockcar Reunion Hall of Fame
The Hall Of Fame was founded in 2001 by Tim Meyer publisher of Racing News West to honor the many WEST COAST drivers, car owners, track owners, promoters and all of those involved in making Stock Car Racing what it is today.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Each year, in consultation with leading experts including participants, media, and historians, the West Coast Stock Car Reunion Hall Of Fame select its nomineers from an extensive list of potential inductees. Generally, nomineers must have contributed subsantially to the sport of West Coast Stock Car Racing. This contribution may be as as driver, car owner, media member, mechanic, track owner, or other significant personality. Nomineers are either retired, deceased or have moved from one area of participation to another, or have been active in their primary field for at least 25 years.
WEST COAST STOCK CAR REUNION HALL OF FAME, Inc. HURRICANE, UT 84737 Tim Meyer 435-635-2257 • FAX: 435-635-2298 EMAIL: tim@stockcarreunion.com
LATE MODEL STOCK CAR RACING
First of all, the term "Stock Car" as it pertains to the history of west coast racing refers to "Late Model Stock Cars". Of all the racing that occurred on the west coast, the stock car races seemed most popular. They drew the largest crowds and usually had the largest car counts. In the beginning, many, if not most, of the cars were near-showroom examples of what was being offered to the American car-buying public, at the time, a far cry from the so-called "stock cars" racing of today. It was common to see cars on the track that had literally been driven off of a dealer's showroom or lot. Numbers and dealer identification were painted onto the sides and the top of the car, a seat belt was installed along with a strap around the door post, and away they went. Most cars ran with full glass in the car, including headlights and windshield wipers. Hubcaps were removed (for faster tire changes) and most cars had hood straps to keep the hood from flying up in case of front end damage that might occur during the race. The change from pure stock began as factory became involved, by the early 60's the bodies and running gear where near stock but beefed up to hold up better on the rough tracks. Lights, Glass and exterior chrome was removed for safety as well to reduce weight. Jack McCoy's book, The Real McCoy covers most of the changes that accured during the 60's and 70's. Not until the late 80''s and early 90's did stockcar racing become "funny Cars" similar to what was being run at dragstrips. The 50's and 60's were the glory days of "stock car" racing.
SOME THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE HALL OF FAME REPRESENTS
It's All About The Emotions You-look into there eyes, and you know it is a special moment. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a special achievement for any person, whether their field is racing, basketball, business, and entertainment, whatever. A Hall of Fame member is recognized as one of the best and brightest of their industry. Sometimes people are unhappy about who is inducted and who is passed over and that's healthy debate. I am on the voting panel for several different hall of fame organizations, and I can assure you that each is always a tough vote. So many deserving people, and so few spots. Every voter wants to cast and honest, objective vote, and its very difficult when you are forced to narrow your selection, scratching off deserving names. It becomes kind of like that famous motto of Chicago Cub's fans " Wait till next year." I've also been privileged to MC several haul of fame inductions. If you haven't attended such a gathering, I urge you to do so. If you love the sport, you'll be moved and thrilled during the induction ceremony at the hall of fame, regardless of the affiliation. I've been lucky enough to see many dramatic and exciting things during my career great races, thrilling finishes, stirring comebacks, confrontations, on and on. But some of the most memorable and emotional moments I've witnessed happened not at a noisy, rugged racetrack, but in a crowded banquet hall during an induction ceremony. Standing there with the inductee's in front of the audience is an incredible thrill. As a search for words during their acceptance my mind races and I can picture in my mind years earlier, when that person was at the hay day of his career. Most of the time, inductee's have a bit of gray hair, and a few wrinkles. Most have mellowed a little bit, but it's still easy to spot their greatness in their confident walk, their piercing eyes, and their firm handshake. These guys were and still are my hero's, and I am sometimes so excited to be a part of their induction I'm at loss for words. Maybe they'll begin talking about a special car owner or driver, or maybe they'll be staring at a special woman sitting near by, the one with a tear streaming down her face, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, clutching a tissue. After a moment, the tears come despite efforts to fight them away. Sometimes, I get a lump in my throat that just won't go away. When you're standing right nest to that person, in such a visceral, personal moment, you can actually feel the emotion they are trying to express. It is contagious. But in addition to tears, there is almost always laughter. They might recall funny stories, and weather it is tears or laughter, the audience is sharing the moment right along with you. You've heard performers talk about feeding off the crowd's energy, and the same is true at a Hall of Fame induction. The people sitting out there, leaning forward in their chairs, they love the sport as much as the inductees. Most of them have seen the goods times and bad times and all the gray times in between, and they can deeply relate to it all. You can feel their energy, their love for the hall of fame and everything it stands for. When a man cries, they cry to even if it's only on the inside. When he laughs they share his laughter and the passion and zest that brought him to this induction. It is part of the bond that we all share, the love for the sport that drives us to do what we do, whether it is racing, writing, wrenching, or simply watching. Going to the Hall of Fame is a great moment, and I congratulate all those going into motor sports halls of fame this year.
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE WEST COAST STOCK CAR REUNION HALL OF FAME
The mission of the West Coast Stock Car Reunion Hall of Fame is to preserve the history and heritage of the important role that west coast stock car racers played and to perpetually recognize and enshrine outstanding participants within the sport and to annually induct those “worthy of the honor”. The goals of the Hall Of Fame is to establish a permanent facility which will become accessible to racing fans for viewing, study and research of west coast stock car racing. The establishment of records, archives, photos, memorabilia and artifacts, including stock cars, driver’s uniforms, helmets etc., and permanent plaques representing all inductee profiles and sketches. Emphasis will be on the latter (plaques) and these will be the pre-eminent display, highlighting all inductees since the inception of the “Hall of Fame” in 2002. Provide a viewing area for video and movie acquisitions and there will be a gift store opportunity for various souvenirs pertaining to stock car racing. The strategies of the Hall of Fame will be to educate the public at large and auto racing fans in particular about west coast stock car racing roots, from concept through growth periods to its near demise and periods of regeneration. To facilitate acquisition of a permanent structure and its attendant displays, a significant fund raising effort will continue via personal contacts by an active board finance committee and with planning and direction by a professional volunteer advisor. The public will also be invited to loan any privately held stock car racing memorabilia, artifacts or collectible through temporary rotating displays. The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame will maintain a web-site to present its concept, through the internet. Ongoing up-grades to this site will allow “virtual” visitations which will ultimately encourage actual on-site visitation. We will secure a building site for the display, museum and office which will be integrated with the itinerary of area tour providers on a regular schedule. The West Coast Stock car ReunionHall of Fame was conceived in 2001, as an ongoing organization to memorialize significant contributors to the sports development and history-including designers, engineers, mechanics, drivers, race track owners, promoters and publicists. The role of this organization is the continuation of the concept of worthy inductees is the primary role and intent and the secondary role is to raise awareness of those historic figures and their accomplishments. The third element that the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame must achieve is the national recognition of the organization and its continuing mission to perpetuate the entire history of west coast stock car racing and it’s place in American sports and its overall contribution to stock car racing in particular. The challenge to the West Coast Stock Car Reunion Hall of Fame (and to all fans, supporters and competitors) is to raise public awareness of our mission, to continue the legacy of all of the previous inductees and to assure that the “flame” never dies. To accept this challenge is to accept responsibility for planning and funding to develop a physical plant that properly represents this organizations rightful place in the history and in the future. The challenge each year, is to arrange and to conduct appropriate induction ceremonies, at a public venue and to secure media interest for these ceremonies.
