Motorsports Hall of Fame Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ron Watson
February 13, 2009 248-349-7223
pr@mshf.com
BERNSTEIN, HOBBS, PARKER, RICHTER, UNSER JR, WHEELER AND WEATHERLY TO
BE INDUCTED INTO MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME OF AMERICA
NOVI, MI – Racing legends Kenny Bernstein, David Hobbs, Scott Parker, 
Les Richter, Al Unser, Jr.,
H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler and Joe Weatherly will be inducted into the 
Motorsports Hall of Fame of
America when the organization stages its annual induction ceremony on 
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at
the Fillmore Theater in Detroit.
“Innovation and competitive spirit are hallmarks of the class of 2009,” 
says Hall of Fame president Ron
Watson. “These men have exemplified leadership and teamwork both on the 
track and in the front
office.”
Kenny Bernstein became the King of Speed in 1992 when he was the first 
NHRA driver to break the
300 MPH barrier. He is a four-time NHRA Funny Car champion and an IHRA 
World Funny Car titlist.
After changing classes to Top Fuel, Bernstein garnered two additional 
NHRA driving crowns, becoming
the first to win championships in both nitro categories. He is still 
actively involved in drag racing as an
owner. He holds the unique distinction of being the first and only race 
team owner to have collected
wins in each of America’s three major motorsports series: NHRA drag 
racing, NASCAR, and CART.
David Hobbs is currently a television broadcaster on Speed Channel whose 
sports car driving career
spanned three decades. While accumulating some 40 major victories at all 
levels of motorsports, he
captured the 1971 U.S. Formula 5000 championship and the 1983 SCCA Trans 
Am title. Hobbs also
raced competitively at the Indy and Daytona 500s, in Formula One and 20 
times at the 24 Hours of Le
Mans.
Scott Parker dominated the nation’s flat dirt tracks on his Harley 
Davidson, establishing two all-time
records with 94 national event wins and nine Grand National 
championships at the time of his retirement
in 2002. Parker was named American Motorcyclist Association Pro Athlete 
of the Year three times
during his 22-year career.
Les Richter was an eight-time Pro Bowl football player with the Los 
Angeles Rams before becoming
one of the co-owners of Riverside International Raceway and helped turn 
that track into one of the finest
in the world. He also co-founded the International Race of Champions, 
became a vice president of
NASCAR and played a dominant role in the development of California Speedway.
Al Unser, Jr. is known in racing circles as “Little Al” but his 
accomplishments are as big as his family
name. Unser visited Victory Lane at the Indianapolis 500 twice and was 
also a two-time season series
winner in CART and the International Race of Champions. He will join his 
father Al Unser Sr. and his
uncle Bobby Unser in the Hall of Fame.
H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler is known as a consummate promoter and public 
relations genius. Wheeler
was the innovative president and general manager of Lowe’s Motor 
Speedway in Charlotte, North
Carolina for nearly three decades. He was instrumental in making it one 
of the premiere racing facilities
in the world, being the first to offer extensive VIP suites and 
condominiums.
Joe Weatherly began his racing career and won three championships on 
motorcycles before switching
to NASCAR, winning the 1953 Modified championship. Then, he went on to 
win the Grand National
(now Sprint Cup) championship in 1962 and 1963. He ranks 19th in 
all-time Cup wins with 24. He died
in a 1964 accident at Riverside Raceway in California.
Tickets for the induction ceremony can be purchased by calling 
248-349-RACE (7223).
The Motorsports Museum & Hall of Fame is operated by the nonprofit 
Motorsports Museum and Hall of
Fame of America Foundation Inc. The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 
is a museum housing more
than 40 racing and high performance vehicles, and showcasing the stories 
of 175 Hall of Famers known
as the Heroes of Horsepower. The constantly changing collection features 
racers from the world of Indy
cars, stock cars, Can Am, TransAm, sprint cars, powerboats, truck 
racing, drag racing, motorcycles, air
racing and even snowmobiles. Among the highlights are Art Arfons’ jet 
car and stock cars driven by
Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd and Bill Elliott.
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