The Georgia Racing Hall of Fame – Dawsonville, Georgia. Photo by Justin Poole
The announcement of the newest inductees into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, Georgia moved one step closer this week, as the Hall of Fame announced the “Fast 15” semi-finalists for the class of 2013.
The 2013 semi-finalists include Dick Anderson of Chamblee, GA, Charles Barrett of Cleveland, GA, Hank Blalock of Decatur, GA, Dick Brannan of Dawsonville, GA, Charlie Burkhalter of Athens, GA, Frank Christian of Dahlonega, GA, Tommie Clinard of Macon, GA, Freddy Fryar of Chattanooga, TN, Bobby Johns of Miami, FL, Jabez Jones of Toccoa, GA, Huston Platt of Buford, GA, Sam Sommers of Sylvania, GA, Jimmy Thomas of Columbus, GA, Charles Tidwell of Macon, GA, and Frank Warren of Augusta, GA.
The five new GRHOF inductees will be chosen by an 18 member panel of voters to make up this year’s class.
The announcement of the 2013 Georgia Racing Hall of Fame inductees will be made during the Hall of Fame’s fourth annual Memorial Day Weekend event, scheduled for Saturday, May 25 at the Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, GA. The event begins at 9 am with a swap meet, a car show and the inductee announcement at Noon. For more info, visit georgiaracinghof.com.
The 2013 Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Induction banquet will be held on Dec. 13, 2013 at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, located inside the Dawsonville Municipal Complex in Dawsonville, Georgia.
A limited number of seats for the banquet will be available. For more information, call the Hall of Fame at (706) 216-RACE (7223) or go online to georgiaracinghof.com.
Here’s a closer look at the 15 semi-finlists for the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame for 2013:
Dick Anderson – Chamblee, GA – Founder, owner for 32 years of Carrera Shocks – Builder for shock dyno – produced first over-coil shocks – first to mass produce several types of shocks for drag racing – built first tie-rod end shocks for NASCAR – designed first coilovers on the rear NASCR shocks – built first all-coilover short track combination – started first OvalTrack Trade Sow – built and marketed first mass produced coilovers – won first in his class and second overall in the 1990 Mexican Road Race.
Charles Barrett – Cleveland, GA – Winner of approximately 250 feature events – Won 27 Late Model sportsman features in 1972 – Won the 10th anniversary 150 lap Sportsman championship race at Anderson in 1972 – 1968, 69, 70 Anderson track champion- Won several championship events at Anderson between 1967-1972 – Competed in several NASCAR Sprint Cup events for car owner George Elliott, including a 10th at Talladega in 1973, 18th at Atlanta in 1973.
Hank Blalock – Decatur, GA – Deceased – Competed in Midget Cars across the East Coast – Served in the US Coast Guard during World War II – Began racing in 1946 in Midgets – Scored wins at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, GA the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, GA, Columbia Speedway in Columbia, SC, Augusta Speedway in Augusta, GA, -Was injured in a flip at Plant Field in Tampa, FL late in 1947 while leading, suffered brain concussion, burns, and a shoulder fracture – Served as President of the SRDC (Southern Racing Drivers Club) in 1948 – Was points champion in 1949 – Competed at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, GA, Lake Winneepesaukah in Chattanooga, TN, Macon Speedway in Macon, GA, Looper’s Speedway in Gainesville, GA, Skyway Speedway in Calhoun, GA, Columbia Speedway in Columbia, SC, Lithonia Speedway in Lithonia, GA, Augusta Speedway in Augusta, GA, Garden City Speedway in Augusta, GA, Savannah Speedway in Savannah, GA, Birmingham International Raceway in Birmingham, AL, Bowman Grey Stadium in Winston-Salem, NC, Broadway Speedway in Knoxville, TN, Pensacola Motor Speedway in Pensacola, FL, Langhorne Speedway in Langhorne, PA, Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, SC, Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, GA, New Orleans Motor Speedway in New Orleans, LA, and Idle Hour Speedway in Phenix City, AL – Was considered a strong competitor, always finishing in the points and in the money – Was a member of the Southern Racing Enterprises, AAA, and NASCAR – Suffered a massive head injury in a crash while leading at Toccoa Speedway in Toccoa, GA on Aug. 14, 1955. After spending 6 months in a coma, Blalock passed away in early 1956.
Dick Brannan – Dawsonville, GA – Directly involved in the development of the Ford 427 race engines – Received he first of every 427 powered drag race car built by Ford Motor Company – Won more than 200 NHRA, IHRA and AHRA sanctioned drag racing events, including 89 strip elapsed time or speed records – 1965 AHRA Factory Funny Car Champ in Long Beach, CA and Cecil County, Maryland – 1966 AHRA Fuel Funny Car Winter Nationals Champ – 196 NASCAR Grand Finale Drag Champ – Played an important role in development of the 1967 Ford Fairlane 427, including the one Mario Andretti won the Daytona 500 in – Worked with A.J. Foyt, Donnie Allison in developing 1968 Ford Torino – Helped develop Cobra Jet 428 engine – Worked on 429 BOSS Engine – Member of the Super Sock Magazine Hall of Fame, East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame, Drag Racers Reunion Hall of Fame- Recipient of the Dearborn Classics Award.
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Frank Christian – Dahlonega, GA – Deceased – Was a pioneer in multi-car ownership, winning 22 races in his career. Drivers included his wife, Hall of Famer Sara Christian, Bob Flock, Speedy Thompson, Buddy Shuman, Banjo Matthews, Fonty Flock, Buck Baker, and Curtis Turner. Christian himself competed in several events as an owner/driver. His cars had an average starting place of sixth and an average finishing place of 12th. Christian’s cars scored 35 poles in a six year span. Christian is credited with bringing the moonshine runners out of the mountains and into the first organized modern stock car race, held at Atlanta’s Lakewood Speedway in November of 1938. Was the car owner for the first Chevrolet to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup race, with Fonty Flock as a driver, in 1955 at Columbia, SC.
Tommie Clinard – Macon, GA – Had a career that spanned 20 years – Built his first race car at the age of 19 – Won his first race on Jan. 15, 1957 at the Palm Beach Speedway in Florida – Competed against top notch drivers, including Red Famer, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison and Bobby Johns – Went drag racing in 1964, winning 52 straight events at Camp Wheeler Dragstrip – Back in stock cars, competed many times at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, GA, putting in a top ten points finish in 1974.
Freddy Fryar – Chattanooga, TN – Won 826 feature events. Began racing in the early 1950s, following his brother Harold’s footsteps, at the age of 14. First raced at Fort Oglethorpe Speedway in Fort Oglethorpe, GA. Competed in Modifieds on the beach at Daytona in 1956, 57. Finished second to Bobby Allison in the NASCAR Modified Championship in 1964. Competed in NASCAR Modifieds, Grand Nationals, and Late Model Sportsman and USAC Stock Cars in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Won seven NASCAR Series track championships. Won state championships in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. All Pro Series champion in 1983. Won All Pro Truck championship in 1984. Ran NASCAR’s Winston Cup series in several events from 1956-1971. Won the Snowball Derby twice, 1979 and 1981. Won at Mobile International Speedway, Jackson International Speedway, Montgomery Motor Speedway, Caraway Speedway, Gresham Motorsports Park (then Georgia International Speedway), Corpus Christi Speedway, Five Flags Speedway and more. Retired form racing in 1987. Worked for various NASCAR teams for 15 years, and served as a driving instructor at the Richard Petty Driving School.
Bobby Johns – Miami, FL – Relocated to Georgia – Long time competitor in north Georgia, winning several races at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, GA – Raced at short tracks across Georgia and Florida – Won two NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) races, at Atlanta (1960) and Bristol (1962) – Recorded 21 top 5s, 36 top 10s, two poles between 956-1969 – First NASCAR driver to take a competitive lap at Indianapolis – Piloted Smokey Yunick’s famed Hurst Floor Shift Special in testing and qualifying for the 1964 Indy 500 – Twice raced in the Indy 500, finishing 7th in 1965 & 10th in 1969.
Jabez Jones – Toccoa, GA – Began racing in 1953, career would span some 30 years – Over 350 career wins – Set record at Anderson, SC, 18:60, in 1969, record stood 18 years – Won 17 straight events at Athens Speedway in 1970 – Won 14 straight wins at Anderson Speedway in 1971 – Won Sportsman Award at Anderson Speedway in 1971 – Instrumental in the careers of several drivers, including Herman Wise – One of the original organizers of Georgia-Carolina No. 1 Racing Association in 1973 – Competed against legendary drivers, such as Bud Lunsford, Charlie Mincey, Katron Sosebee, Tootle Estes, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, and Red Farmer.
Huston Platt – Buford, GA – Deceased – Began drag racing in 1959 – Established his reputation piloting the famed “Dixie Twister”, beating out several big names, including Richard Petty during Petty’s stint into drag racing in 1965. – Platt’s 66 Chevy II became the fastest and quickest unblown injected Chevy in the country, turning runs in the upper 8 seconds at 160 mph and setting several records – Competed in match races against Ronnie Sox, Junior Johnson, Phil Bonner, Arnie Beswick, Tommy Grove, among others – Was an independent, without factory backing. – Was a pioneer in the development of the famed “Funny Cars”, which remains one of the most popular forms of drag racer today – Platt traveled around the country and into Canada to compete in his 1968 Chevy Camaro Funny Car known as the “Dixie Twister”, which could turn times in the high 7 seconds and 185 plus mph – Served as his own engine builder – Worked with the Logghe brothers in developing special wheelie bars to keep cars like this on the ground off the starting line – Went on to race and defeat several major racers from around the country, including Don Nicholson, Connie Kalitta, Larry Reyes, Gene Snow and others – After a tragic accident at the Yellow River Drag Strip in 1970, Platt worked to improve safety aspects in drag racing – Platt would win the Funny Car Division II Championship in 1971 – Would retire a couple of years later – Would later take his restored Dixie Twister around the country on display and in exhibition runs. Was inducted in 2009 to the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame. Passed away Nov. 30, 2011.
Sam Sommers – Sylvania, GA – Began racing at Savannah Speedway in 1965 – Won eight of the first 11 races he entered – Would go on to competed and win man races in the southeast, including Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas – 1975-76 Savannah track champion and Georgia state champion – Competed in his first Grand National (Sprint Cup) event in 1976 – Won the Turkey 200 at Jax Speedway, beating out Tiny Lund and Tom Pistone – Won the pole at the Atlanta International Raceway’s 1977 Sprint Cup event while competing for Rookie of the Year honors – Retired from racing in 1985. Was inducted into the Jacksonville Raceways Hall of Fame in 1995.
Jimmy Thomas – Columbus, GA – Deceased – Successful car, track owner – After serving in the Army, began working as a mechanic after being discharged in 1946. Began working as a racing mechanic in the early 50s. – With driver Walt Kruger, won the track championship at Auburn-Opelika Speedway in 1953, winning the most races on the Georgia Circuit that year. Thomas was named Georgia Mechanic of the Year in 1953. – Took over Rocket Speedway in 1954, ran it until 1959 – Served as race director for hte Valley Stock Car Association in 1955. – Owned Columbus Superspeedway – Owned cars for GRHOF member Sam McQuagg. McQuagg won NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors in 1965 driving for Thomas. – Won at Charlotte with LeeRoy Yarbrough in 1966. – Worked as an inspector for NASCAR beginning in 1967. – Owned East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL – Ran Senoia Raceway in Senoia, GA for a period of time – Passed away Oct. 19, 1980.
Charles Tidwell – Macon, GA – Deceased – Began racing in 1948 – Set a new track record at Central City Speedway in Macon (32.2 seconds) in June of 1949 – Won 34 events in 1950, most of any Georgia driver in that year – Set a new track record at Albany, GA (31.2 seconds) in 1952 – Rated as the top Strictly Stock driver in state of Georgia, and in the Southeast – Was among the first totally deaf race car drivers to compete – Once raced an airplane over an oval track – Raced in the first Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in 1950. Passed away May 4, 1990.
Frank Warren – Augusta, GA – Began racing on dirt tracks around Augusta, GA in the 1950s and 60s while working at the famous Stone Garage. First purse paying race was at Speedway Park in Augusta, driving the “Flintstone Special”. Raced at Savannah, Hawkinsville, Columbia, Greenville, Greenwood and other tracks. Broke into NASCAR with car owner Harold Rhodes with a 15th place finish in Grand National competition at Daytona. First top tier race came on July 30, 1963 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway with a ninth place finish. Scored an eight place finish at Darlington in 1967. Finished in the top 10 of the NASCAR Grand National (Sprint Cup) points standings in 1970 -1971. Won the 1967 Firecracker 400 qualifying race at Daytona. Competed in numerous NASCAR Grand National East, Grand American, Modified Sportsman and ARCA events. Finished 10th in the 1979 Daytona 500. Ran his final career NASCAR race on Sept. 14, 1980 at Dover. Ranks 52nd in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup all time start list. Helped to start Racing Radios in the mid 1970s.
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