Forum: Northern California Sprint Car (go)
Moderators: StuDeedooo

FYI for those interested.

MSPA to Honor Northern California Racing Elite

The Motor Sports Press Association (MSPA), comprised of Northern California writers, photographers and broadcasters who cover the sport, will honor the elite of the region’s racers and others who have made significant contributions to the sport, during its 43rd annual post-season Awards and Green Flag Dinner March 7 in Oakland.

Fans are welcome to attend the awards dinner, to be held at Francesco’s Restaurant that evening at 6 pm, as 11 people will be honored for their 2005 efforts in stock cars, sprint cars, road racing and drag racing, while others will be acknowledged for their lifelong contribution to racing or inducted into the MSPA hall of fame. Ticket information is available at (408) 733-6135 or (510) 339-9450.

Honorees include:

Infineon Raceway, who will receive the Gordon Martin Award for their Outstanding Contribution to Motor Sports.

Tim Keading, Open Wheel Driver /Oval Track

Bobby Hogge IV, Closed Wheel Driver/Oval Track

Johannes von Overbeek, Closed Wheel Driver/Road Course

Brandon Aleckson, Open Wheel Driver/Road Course

Matt Scott,, Paul Tyler Rising Star.

Mike Ackitiff/Jimmy Odem, Bill Spencer Motorcycle Racer

Gary Koster, Motor sports Athlete of the Year

Those to be inducted into the MSPA Hall of Fame include:

Charlie Curryer, Starting in 1936 he promoted “Big Car” and stock car Races in Northern California. He promoted motorcycle races at Hughes Stadium and the Sacrament Junior College. In 1933 he promoted the first professional midget race in the world a Sacramento site.

• Johnny Anderson, 1974 MSPA Oval Track Driver of the Year. 1974 and 1980 Gold Cup winner, 1978 champion of the World of Outlaws Western Tour. He had 19 NARC main events eins, 25 BCRA main events wins. He was the 1976 NARC champion, the 1974 West Capital Supermodified champion and won many events in New Zealand and Australia.
• Mike McGreevy, 1965 and 1966 USAC National Midget Champion. He won the BCRA midget title in 1958, 1960 and 1962. Won the BCRA Indoor crown in 1965. Among his 33 USAC career midget feature wins were the Hut Hundred in 1968 and the Night Before the 500 in 1967.
• Kenny Roberts, Modesto; a three-time (back to back) international world champion in Formula One Grand Prix 500 cc motorcycles and a two-time AMA Grand National champion in the U.S.
• Mert Lawwill, AMA Grand National Champion in 1969 and the top professional on the AMA National circuit during the 1960’s and 1970’s. He won the Sacramento Mile in 1965. He is 15^th on the all-time AMA Grand National winners list and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1998. He is best known for being on of the featured riders in the 1970’s movie classic On Any Sunday.
• Jan Opperman, Raced with BCRA in 1965 and 1966. He started the Indianapolis 500 in 1974 and 1975. He crashed in the 1976 Hoosier Hundred USAC Silver Crown race. He returned to racing in late 1977 and in mid-1978 returned to NARC where he won his very last main event at Calistoga. Another terrible accident at Jennerstown in Pennsylvania in 1981 ended his racing career. Jan died in 1997 at the age of 51.
• Jack McCoy, Jack is the winningest driver in the history of the Winston West Grand National Series with 54 victories. He was a two-time champion in the series winning titles in 1966 and 1972.
• Russ Reed, a staff photographer for the Oakland Tribune for over 30 years and was the first media member to bring national attention to racing in Northern California. His photo of a multi—car pile up at the Oakland Stadium was named Life Magazine’s sports photo of the year in 1952. He was given the Look Magazine sports photo of the year in 1954 for a spectacular shot at the Contra Costa Speedway.
• Walter T. Ross, Walter raced in Northern California starting in 1957. He raced all of the tracks in Northern California. In 1962 Walter purchased a Pontiac and the following year his car was winning the West Coast stock car races with championship drivers like Ron Horaday Sr and Marvin Porter. Soon Walter was driving the car at tracks like Stockton 99, Vallejo, Kearney Bowl and Clovis, Riverside and West Capital. A 1972 accident ended his driving career. He became a car owner and in 1970 was elected to the Board of Directors of NARC and over the years became the successor to Louis Vermiel.
• James Paniagua, James is puching age 90 and a decorated WWII vetran who has started many race car drivers on their path to greatness. Jeff Gordon and Paul and Bobby McMahn among them. Jame’s love for the sport stems from his firm believ that racing brings families together and nothing is more important to him than family. Paul and Bobby McMahn are his grandsone.