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Last updated on Thursday, June 7, 2018
(UNDATED) - The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame honored the exceptional careers of eight inductees at the induction ceremony in the Dyer-Hudson Hall on the Marion County Fairgrounds on June 2. The ceremony featured emcees Dave Argabright and Dr. Pat Sullivan.
Promoter Steve Beitler, champion driver Lance Dewease, mechanic Scott Gerkin and media member Bob Mays each took center stage June 2 as they were officially inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
Emcees Dave Argabright and Dr. Pat Sullivan, and a crowd of over 350 guests, enjoyed the three-hour ceremony, which honored the exceptional careers of eight inductees.
Gerkin, of Mitchell, began his mechanical career in sprint cars in 1977. He would work under the tutelage of Hall of Famer Karl Kinser and his drivers, Mark and Steve Kinser. With Steve Kinser Racing, Scott helped to build the team from the ground up in 1995, winning eighteen features including the Historical Big One at Eldora, at Syracuse, New York on the mile and the Knoxville Nationals that year. The next twenty years would see the team win six World of Outlaws championships, two Knoxville Nationals, four King's Royal titles and well over 150 WoO feature wins with Scott as crew chief. Scott was awarded the Ted Johnson Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sprint Car Racing in 2014. Scott is currently the head engine builder at One Way Technologies.
The families of deceased inductees Bryan Clauson (parents Diane and Tim, and fiancée Lauren Stewart), "Red" Garnant (son Jon), Emmett J. Malloy (sons Tom and Tim and daughter Evelyn) and Dave Steele (wife Lynn) were also on hand to honor the 2018 class.
National Sprint Car Hall of Famers who were present included Johnny Anderson, Dave Argabright, Allan Brown, Shane Carson, Doug Clark, Ray Lee Goodwin, Shirley Kear Valentine, John Mahoney, Lynn Paxton, Steve Stapp, Pat Sullivan and Bill Utz.
Also in attendance in the Dyer-Hudson Hall on the Marion County Fairgrounds were family members of the following inductees: Bobbie Adamson (son Brett Adamson), Bud Carson (son Shane Carson), Russ Garnant (nephew Jon), John Gerber (son Jim Gerber), Kenny Jacobs (daughter Kendra), Jack Miller (nephew Anthony), Elbert "Babe" Stapp (son Steve Stapp), Bob Trostle (wife Dorotha and daughter Judy Trostle), Greg Weld and Kenny Weld (niece Linda), and Chet Wilson (daughter Donna Wilson).
The program was dedicated to the memories of deceased National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees Bill Hill, Bob Kinser, John Singer, and Gil Sonner.
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation former board president Jeff Savage of South Dakota was awarded the President's Award. This year's twenty-ninth NSCHoF induction banquet again featured dual large-screen televisions showing photos organized by videographer Kris Krohn.
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