Finalists for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 2014 class have been determined. The Hall will unveil its seven new members on Friday, January 24 at Daytona International Speedway prior to the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The racing legends will join the Hall of Fame during the 26th Annual Induction Ceremony on August 6, 2014 at the Fillmore Theater in Detroit.
In the Open Wheel category, the nominees are veteran driver and official Wally Dallenbach, nine-time Indycar Series winning owner Chip Ganassi, championship owner Carl Haas, innovative designer and safety pioneer Ted Halibrand, two-time Indy 500 winner "The Flying Dutchman" Arie Luyendyk and three-time Indy winning owner Pat Patrick.
Quarter-milers on the ballot are "Blue Max" owner/driver Raymond Beadle, Mercury's racing boss Fran Hernandez, six-time NHRA Pro Stock Champion Warren Johnson, golden-voiced announcer Dave McClelland, pioneer Paula Murphy and one of the first Funny Car drivers Gene Snow.
The two-wheel set is represented on the ballot by fifteen-time AMA Grand National race winner Everett Brashear, off-road great Dick Burleson, ten-time Motocross champ Ricky Carmichael, three-time AMA flat track king Ricky Graham, three-time Daytona 200 winner Dick Klamfoth and two-time world Superbike champion Fred Merkel.
The ballot for the Stock Car inductee features the youngest member of the "Alabama Gang," Davey Allison and championship owners Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick and Jack Roush. NASCAR Cup champions Terry Labonte and Rusty Wallace are also up for consideration.
The At Large category is for boaters only in 2014. The nominees are accomplished racer and builder Donald Aronow, owner and promoter extraordinaire Ole Bardahl, winningest crew chief of the turbine era Ron Brown, championship racer and co-founder of the APBA Historical Society Buddy Byers, Jr., 3-time world champ Tom Gentry and ten-time Gold Cup winner Dave Villwock.
In the Historic category, voters will decide between NASCAR's first champion Red Byron, land speed record holder John Cobb, Brickyard's first president Carl G. Fisher, 1963 Daytona 500 winner Tiny Lund, mechanic and builder Ray Nichels, midget and sprint car king Bob Sweikert and stock car champ Marshall Teague.
Sports Car contenders who made the ballot are IMSA founder John Bishop, four-time Trans Am champ Tommy Kendall, racer and broadcaster Sam Posey, Scarab's designer and builder Phil Remington, Chaparral driver and team manager Hap Sharp and driver/founder of the legendary "Group 44" teams Bob Tullius.
The Motorsports Museum & Hall of Fame of America is operated by the nonprofit Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame of America Foundation Inc.