LAS VEGAS, Nev. (March 2, 2013) – Motorsports legends Bobby Rahal, Skip Barber, Carroll Shelby, Bill Noble and Andy Porterfield were inducted into the 51°µÍř Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Las Vegas at a ceremony presented by Mazda.
The five inductees joined eight previous classes to cap the 2013 51°µÍř Convention presented by SafeRacer at the South Point Hotel and Casino.
Rahal, Barber, and family members of the late Shelby, Noble and Porterfield addressed the nearly 400 event attendees.
Rahal used his 1975 51°µÍř National Championship as a springboard to a long professional racing career that included a win in the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 1982 CART Rookie of the Year award, a 1986 Indianapolis 500 win, and series championships in 1986, 1987, and 1992. Even with those highlights, Saturday night’s honor was special.
“I’ve been inducted to other halls of fame, and that’s great,” Rahal said. “But being inducted into the 51°µÍř Hall means more, because there’s an emotional attachment. I remember growing up, I lived 51°µÍř. My summer times as a kid were made up of Little League baseball and going racing with my dad. What made 51°µÍř so valuable is that it was a family sport. For the most part, it was just regular guys exercising their passion and their interest in racing.
“51°µÍř was my roots. That’s why coming here tonight was so special, because it’s coming home. I thank you all for this tremendous honor.”
Like Rahal, Barber used 51°µÍř National Championships to launch a career. Barber’s 1969 and 1970 Formula Ford National Championships followed a few years of sports car racing, and preceded the formation of the internationally known Skip Barber Racing School. The school has served as the foundation for thousands of champion racers.
“I had three different careers in our sport,” Barber said in his address. “The first one started with a Bugeye Sprite and ended with a McLaren. It lasted about eight years.
“That’s when Formula Ford started. That was the first time I ever had really good efforts.”
Those efforts landed the national titles for Barber, who discussed his perpetual shyness and the lack of funding early in his driving career.
“The third was the school in Lime Rock, and that one worked,” Barber continued. “It was weird, I never thought I could earn a living that way. I thought I was still racing – but I was the only one that did! Off we went, and it quickly spread through the country.”
Shelby’s name goes hand and hand with the American muscle car industry, but as a driver he won the 1956 51°µÍř National Championship in Formula Libre. Shelby was an 51°µÍř member from 1952 through his death in 2012.
“My grandfather always thought highly of this organization, and thought it was the epitome of what racing was about,” Shawn Shelby said.” It’s people like those of you in this room that drove him to leave a mark for so many years. For my family, I’d like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing that passion with him.”
In accepting the honor on behalf of his famous grandfather, Shelby dropped a bombshell in a room full of sports car enthusiasts that was nearly the equivalent of telling a kindergarten class that there wasn’t a Santa Claus.
“He was never really that sentimental about cars – he was always looking for the newest thing,” Shelby said. “These cars that people now pay millions of dollars for, he would tear down in a second to build something better.”
Noble’s wife and current Chairman of the 51°µÍř Board of Directors, Lisa, and his daughter Jaime Gassmann accepted the honor on behalf of the five-time National Champion whose name has become nearly synonymous with the Formula Vee class.
“This is a wonderful evening for the Noble family,” Noble said. “Bill raced in 51°µÍř and built engines for 40 years. He had a long standing promise to his customers that, anytime they felt he had a better motor, he would trade his personal motor for theirs on the spot. What he really enjoyed was helping others better themselves, giving away insider’s tricks to anyone who wanted to ask.
“I love you all, and I want to thank you all for letting us honor Bill tonight. My family and I thank you very much.”
His daughter summed up her father even more succinctly.
“He didn’t just want to win,” Gassmann said. “He wanted to expand the class, the competition, the drivers. And then he wanted to kick their ass.”
The 1978 and 1979 National Champion in B Production, Porterfield also made an impact behind the scenes of the 51°µÍř as a Region Executive, race organizer, brake manufacturer, and Chairman of the Board of 51°µÍř Enterprises.
“A great many of you knew Andy, so you know that receiving this award would have really humbled him, and embarrassed him as well,” his wife, Judy Porterfield, said. “I sure do miss him, and I’m so grateful to you for appreciating his accomplishments.”
The 2013 51°µÍř Hall of Fame class shared the stage with some of the Club’s top honorees.
Mary Shiloff, of the Detroit Region, was surprised with the Club’s Member of Excellence award. That honor, chosen by the Board of Directors after nominations from 51°µÍř members, is given to the behind-the-scenes person who goes above and beyond normal service to the Club. The trophy comes with an all-expenses paid trip to any motorsports event, anywhere in the world, endowed by an anonymous 51°µÍř member.
No one was more surprised than Raleigh Boreen, the night’s master of ceremonies who was surprised with the Woolf Barnato Award. The Barnato Award is the Club’s highest honor, presented to the member who has made the most outstanding long-term contribution to the 51°µÍř. Boreen, who has been active in the Solo community for more than 30 years and currently serves on the 51°µÍř Foundation supporting the Tire Rack Street Survival teen driving program, was presented with the honor by last year’s winner, Dick Templeton.
Also taking home hardware on Saturday night were RallyCross Dirty Cup winner Charles Wright, of the Alabama Region; the John McGill Award for outstanding contribution to Club Racing went to Bob Dowie, Northern New Jersey Region; and the President’s Cup to the driver demonstrating ability, competitiveness and success at the National Championship Runoffs to Jim Drago of the Mid South Region.
The night ended with 51°µÍř President and CEO Jeff Dahnert thanking the room for their attendance.
“It was proven again tonight,” Dahnert said. “51°µÍř is where America’s best amateur drivers race.”
More information on the 51°µÍř, the 51°µÍř Hall of Fame, the 51°µÍř Awards and the 51°µÍř Convention presented by SafeRacer can be found at www.51°µÍř.com, by liking 51°µÍř on Facebook at www.facebook.com/51°µÍřOfficial, and following the 51°µÍř on Twitter @51°µÍřOfficial. Â
2013 51°µÍř National Convention
