WEST COAST STOCK CAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTS 2011 CLASS

WEST COAST STOCK CAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTS 2011 CLASS

            AZUSA, Calif. – Eleven racing figures from historic and modern eras were enshrined in the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame before an audience of more than 300 in ceremonies held July 1 at the Azusa Greens Country Club in Southern California.

            The induction brings the eight-year-old hall of fame’s membership to 105.

            Cary Agajanian, Beverly Hills, Calif.; Owen A. Kearns, Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Chuck Parko, Whittier, Calif. and Joe Ruttman, Upland, Calif. were present for the induction ceremonies. An additional living enshrine, Al Schmidhamer, Portland, Ore., was unable to attend due to his wife’s illness.

             Deceased inductees are Marvin Burke, Pittsburg, Calif.; Louis “Lou” Mangini, Walnut Creek, Calif.; Roger McCluskey, Tucson, Ariz.; George Seeger, Whittier; Chuck Stevenson, Sydney, Mont. and Garden Grove, Calif. and Chuck Williamson, Seaside, Calif.

            Burke, McCluskey, Seeger, Stevenson and Williamson were former drivers. McCluskey, also a U.S. Auto Club executive until his death in 1993, won back-to-back USAC stock car titles in 1969-70. Stevenson twice won the prestigious Pan American Road Race as well as the 1952 AAA Indianapolis car title.        

            Agajanian joins his father J.C. Agajanian in the hall. The elder Agajanian was enshrined with the inaugural class in 2002. Like his father, the younger Agajanian has been a race promoter at the old Ascot Park in Gardena, Calif. He also created a landmark driver representation agency, MMI, and is the industry’s foremost attorney.

            He was inducted by longtime friend and business partner Mike Curb, former California lieutenant governor and record company producer.

            “He’s built this management company (MMI) that’s transformed the motorsports industry,” said Curb of the firm that represents a number of top NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars including two-time champion Tony Stewart and Brickyard 400 winner Jamie McMurray. “He has continued the success of the Agajanian family.”

            Agajanian, who teamed with Curb and Bryan Herta to win this year’s Indianapolis 500 – the Agajanian family’s third – with Dan Wheldon, said, “This is emotional in a lot of ways. I didn’t think I’d ever attain as much (as my father) … but I’m honored that my peers would feel this way about me. We learned from my dad the sport of auto racing.”

            He pointed to the significance of halls of fame noting “memories are important to all of us.”

            Kearns, who penned a motorsports column from 1966 through 1981 while working for two Bakersfield, Calif. newspapers, has been a public relations professional since that late 1960s. He has been an employee of NASCAR since 1984 managing communications for the organization’s western weekly tracks, the K&N Pro Series West and from 1995 through 2008 the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He currently is senior manager of sport services in the company’s Integrated Marketing and Communications division.

            “Tonight’s induction into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame is a testament to a job well done on your part,” wrote Brian Z. France, NASCAR chairman and chief executive officer in a congratulatory letter read by West Coast Hall of Fame member Ken Clapp, who inducted Kearns.

            “The greatest people I’ve known in my life have been in the racing community,” said Kearns, who was unaware of his election to the Hall until his induction.

            Parko, a self-taught racing mechanic, toured across the southeast in the late 1950s with Jim Reed and inaugural Hall members Marvin Porter and Eddie Gray. Parko won an estimated 100 races as owner and mechanic, many with 2006 Hall inductee Don Noel.

            “The only thing that kept the (K&N Pro Series car) from winning multiple races was (lack of) money,” said Lloyd Dane, who inducted Parko.

            Parko, reflecting on the era in which he competed, said, “If you got beat, you went home and made it (the car) better. Whatever it took (to win).”

            Ruttman was the evening’s second inductee to join a family member in the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. His elder brother, Troy, competed in a variety of stock cars before becoming the youngest winner of the Indianapolis 500 for J.C. Agajanian.

            Ruttman competed in 225 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, won the first NASCAR Nationwide Series race he entered in 1982 at Dover International Speedway and won 13 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races – all past the age of 50. He also was the 1980 USAC stock car champion.

            “He could have done stand-up (comedy) if he had not been a race car driver,” said Kearns, who inducted Ruttman. “That’s why he connected so well with broadcasters, reporters and fans.”

            “This is a tremendous opportunity,” said Ruttman. “Troy certainly deserved it. I’m not so sure that I do but I want to thank everyone who voted for me.”

            More than 70 family members and friends attended to witness the induction of Mangini, a northern California car owner whose drivers included 2010 Hall inductee Bob Caswell. Inductor Clapp called Mangini’s Plymouths “every bit as good” as the similar cars campaigned by Lee Petty. Mangini’s award was accepted by son Allan.

            Clapp also inducted Burke, one of just six to win the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race they entered.

Master of ceremonies was Craig Armstrong, former general manager of the old Portland Speedway and current operator of Lebanon I-44 Speedway in southwest Missouri. He also inducted Schmidhamer, who enjoyed great success as a car owner in the era before NASCAR came to the west coast. His driver, Art Watts, was inducted into the Hall in 2009.

Ed Justice Jr. inducted Seeger, a post World War II competitor who teamed with Hall member Carl Dane to win several major NASCAR events in the mid-1950s. McCluskey was inducted by USAC’s Tommy Hunt. Roger McCluskey Jr. accepted on behalf of his late father.

J.C. Agajanian inducted Stevenson, who competed in many Indianapolis type car races for the Agajanian family. Stevenson’s award was accepted by Dusty Brandel, president of the board of directors of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.

Williamson, a NASCAR K&N Series young star, died in 1980 at Riverside International Raceway a month before he was to begin a NASCAR Sprint cup career with J.D. Stacy. Hall board member and longtime car owner Joe Nava made the presentation to Williamson’s brother Chuck, a well-known west coast crew chief and builder.

            The Hall, founded in 2001, memorializes significant contributors to the sport’s development and history – including designers, engineers, mechanics, drivers, race track owners, promoters, publicists and members of the motorsports media.

            Nominations for the Hall’s next class will be forthcoming in early 2012 with induction tentatively scheduled for July of next year.

Photos accompanying this story can be found at http://www.nascarmedia.com/photos-west-coast-stock-car-hall-of-fame-2011.aspx

Additional Information: Dusty Brandel

                                    (818) 842-7005

                                    Dusty.brandel@gmail.com

                                      www.westcoaststockcarhalloffame.com

           

Dusty Brandel

President of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, Inc. Worked with Mike Hollander since Tapsis, Compuserve, etc. and has posted to the website since the beginning. First Female photo-journalist to be given a garage and pit pass for the NASCAR garage, 1972 at Ontario Motor Speedway. One of first seven female writers, photographers given access to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage and pits in 1971. Past President of Greater Los Angeles Press Club, 1992-96, and first female editor of the 8-Ball publication for the Press Club

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Volume 2011, Issue 6, Posted 8:07 PM, 07.04.2011