Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I wanted to start a discussion about Racing Hall of Fames and their value in preserving the history of our sport. Across the country, we have numerous Hall of Fames recognizing drivers, mechanics, promoters, and others who have contributed to dirt track racing. Some are highly respected, while others seem to pop up with little credibility.

A few questions to get the conversation rolling:

Do you think there are too many Dirt Track Racing Hall of Fames, or do they each serve an important role in different regions?

What makes a Hall of Fame truly valuable? Is it the selection process, the people involved, or the way they preserve history?

Have some Hall of Fames become watered down by inducting too many people too quickly?

How should a Hall of Fame balance honoring grassroots racers versus nationally recognized stars?

Personally, I believe a Hall of Fame should be selective and truly honor those who left a lasting impact on the sport. Some organizations do a great job at this, while others seem to induct people just to fill a quota. What do you think?

Let’s hear your thoughts!

I don't follow the racing close enough, nor do I have history on my side to say who should or shouldnt be in a hall. I just want to say that when a Hall starts to feel obligated to honor some evry year just because thats what we do, you are watering it down. To me a Hall is for the very few very elite and there are not 7 in that group every year.

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

Here would be my takes on all of this:

Do you think there are too many Dirt Track Racing Hall of Fames, or do they each serve an important role in different regions?

Being a history nerd, I don't think there are too many hall of fames. Each do serve a purpose and honoring and preserving history in order to help impact future generations especially if it is a HOF & museum. Whether it is track HOF or regional or pavement/dirt, etc to me if it is something that honors the past and the people who did it then I am for it. 

What makes a Hall of Fame truly valuable? Is it the selection process, the people involved, or the way they preserve history?

For me its the history. I truely do not care about the selection process as it is so subjective and the people involved depending on the HOF or board can be a variety of expletives. 

Have some Hall of Fames become watered down by inducting too many people too quickly?

I don't think so. The whole you have to wait x amount of time after retirement has always been ridiculous to me. If anything, I typically have an issue with some HOF's not only in racing but in other sports or music waiting so damn long to induct people deserving

How should a Hall of Fame balance honoring grassroots racers versus nationally recognized stars?

It is because of the lack of preserving of history (through no ones fault really) as to why grassroots racers are not recognized as much. Really I think more focus needs to be done on what some of these guys went through and how innovative some were just to survive in the sport. To me, and I am even younger compared to most on here, I find it more facinating reading about and seeing what the guys in the 30's -60's had to go through racing and the challenges.

Personally, I believe a Hall of Fame should be selective and truly honor those who left a lasting impact on the sport. Some organizations do a great job at this, while others seem to induct people just to fill a quota. What do you think?

I disagree with the being too selective. To me, there are more people out there that should be in hall of fames than what are. I know some people like to say, "its supposed to be the hall of fame, not the hall of good," well BS. By some of those individuals standards then only 5-7 people total should be in every hall of fame. There are a number of people that bring a lasting impact to the sport that may not have as many wins as the "legends" of the sport but, to me that does not mean that they are not hall of famers.