The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 18

Page4B Sunday, July 21, 1991 Talladega is home to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and its many exhibits 0 By Michelle Garland Star Sports Writer Nam: Bruce McLaren. Born: Auckland. New Zealand. Raced: Grand Prix Accomplishments: Two Can-Am Individual championships. Deceased: On June 2, 1970 he was testing his latest Can-Am creation at Goodwood, England when his rear section broke away.

Highlight: Overcame -Perthe disease, his left leg was two inches shorter than the right. ,1 i- WburShaw Name: Carroll Shelby. Born: Leesburg. Texas. Raced: USRRC.

Accomplishments: Produced the Shelby Mustang and Shelby AC Cobra. Now: Drove the pace car at the Indy 500 this year in a car he designed. Highlight: Shelby gained fame for driving in overalls. "I had been working on a farm It was a hot day, so I didn't bother to change. I found the overalls cool and comfortable, and I won the race, too." gtlllyMukvvhk 7 TALLADEGA There isn't much that has escaped his grasp.

From his humble beginnings and throughout his journey to stardom, Ned Jarrett has done it all. He spent his childhood years on a farm in Newton, N.C., and later worked in a saw mill. But his ambitions soon turned toward stock car racing he began as a mechanic and later became a driver. His talent, hard work and skill soon resulted in his graduation to champion status pn the NASCAR circuit. Now he is a television and radio broadcaster, a sports personality and a celebrity.

But through it all, there's been one constant. Along with being a workaholic in every facet of his life, he has never lost sight of the true meaning of the label that undeniably separates him from many others. It is his patent on true fame. Ned Jarrett remains a Gentleman. "I have always been fond of that title," he says.

Wednesday night, Jarrett along with nine other racing legends will be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. It will be a fitting form of recognition for the man tagged Gentleman Ned. While most remember him as a NASCAR Winston Cup champion, it is his work as a progressive pioneer of racing promotion which makes Jarrett the most euphoric. "I'm proud of the accomplishments I had on the race track, and I'm sure those are the accomplishments which were high on the list of those voting," Jarrett says. "But I'm most proud of the credit I've been given over the years for helping this sport grow, and for being a part of helping to take the sport to places it had never been before." Jarrett ended his 14-year driving career in 1966.

But even now a quarter of a century later his love for racing hasn't wavered. Since 1978, Jarrett has missed only three Winston Cup races: His involvement includes the complete compilation of a daily syndicated radio racing show, coordination of the Busch Pole Award and serving as host to TNN's Inside Winston Cup Racing. But that is certainly an abbreviated list. And it is the strides he has made since he ended his driving career that he finds the most taxing. "I find a bigger challenge in the work I do now than when I drove a race car," Jarrett says.

"Growing up on a farm, I never had the chance to be in the public eye. Broadcasting for ESPN, TNN and CBS was the farthest thing from my wildest dreams, even when I was driving a race car. Jarrett learned quickly the awesome commitment required to be a successful broadcaster. "I work about 80 to 90 hours a week, but work is not something I've never done before," Jarrett explains. "On the saw mill, I worked from daylight to dark.

The only difference now is that I work after dark, too." But nothing, according to Jarrett, can compare to the thrill of being one of 10. men to be inducted to Talladega Superspeedway's International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Twenty men were inducted into the Hall of Fame last year in its inaugural instillation. In 1990, Jarrett was one of 476 nominees, made the cut to 50 but was not selected. This year, 10 were chosen from an initial list of 128.

"This is an honor that I honestly didn't expect," Jarrett modestly says. "When you consider that they take in all forms of Motorsports and that it is international, it's just overwhelming. I was flabergasted." The Hall of Fame was recognized last year with the prestigious "Travel Attraction of the Year" award by the Southeast Tourism Society. It features more than 100 race cars and had more than 100,000 visitors last year. It is also the home of the honoraries erected for Hall of Fame members.

This year's class of inductees represents a true cross-section of motor sports. Tony Bettenhausen, Ralph DePalma and Bill Vukovich were successful with Indianapolis-type cars, while Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren and Carroll Shelby gained fame in international road racing. Jarrett, Tim Flock and Fred Lorenzen raced Winston Cup stock cars. "The Hall of Fame has two purposes," says executive director Don Naman. "We want to preserve the history of motorsports and enshrine people who have made a contribution to its growth.

It is really a milestone for our sport. "We like to think that Talladega is to motorsports what Cooper-stowh, N.Y., is to baseball and what Canton, Ohio, is to football." Ned Jarrett feels that similarity. "I'm especially honored to make it while I'm still alive and can enjoy it," Jarrett says. "At a recent TNN event in New York, I was introduced as a future Hall of Famer. I liked the sound of that." Nam: Tony Bettenhausen.

Born: Tlnley Park, III. Raced: Indy Cara. Accomplishments: Two-time National Champion. Deceased: In 1961, he thought perhaps he could Improve the handling on Paul Ruaao's car, so he took It out tor a practice run. But the car crashed, and he lost his life.

Highlight: Though he was tagged with various nicknames throughouthla career, his most colorful was "Flip" for obvious (and undesirable) reasons. JfaphDcTalma Name: Tim Flock. Born: Ft. Payne. Raced: NASCAR.

Accomplishments: Forty Winston Cup wins. Winston Cup Champion. Now: Works for Charlotte Motor Speedway in ticket sales. Highlight: Waa only driver to ever race with a monkey as his companion. Jocko Flockp, wearing a little racing cap and a shoulder harness, would sit on a perch on the passenger side of the front seat in some events.

Name: Fred Lorenzen. Born: Elmhurst, III. Raced: NASCAR. Accomplishments: 26 Winston Cup victories. Now: Works with a real estate company.

Highlight: When Lorenzen waa 13, he built a car from Junk parte and a washing machine motor. The police took It away from him because It was too fast. Name: Wilbur Shaw. Born: Shelbyvllle, Ind. B) Raced: Indy Cars.

Accomplishments: Won 1937 Indy 500. Deceased: Was President of Indianapolis Speedway when he waa killed In a plane crash on Oct. 30, 1954. But the future of the speedway was secured, and he Is honored by a highway rest stop that is named for him. Highlight: Won his first race when he was 5, riding a goat at a county fair.

CairdiShMy Nam: Bill Vukovich. Born: Alameda, Calif. Raced: Midget cars. Accomplishments: Two-time West Coast Midget Champ. National Midget Champ in 1950.

Two-time Indy 500 winner. Deceased: In 1955, leading by 17 seconds In the Indy 500, his car was in a multi-car crash. He died at the age of 36. Highlight: His midget car went through the same place in a fence three times: "I'm going to quit. It's costing too much for crash helmets." J- iff Jvnyjfettfnhausen Name: Ralph DePalma.

Born: Italy. Raced: Several types. Accomplishments: Won nearly 2,000 racea. Deceased: Died In 1956 at the age of 73. Highlight: Waa the United States dirt track king from 1908 to 191 1, the national champion In 1912 and 1914 and the Canadian champ in 1929 after he had forsaken the glamour apota auch as Indianapolis lor his first love, dirt ovale.

Qim Tlcck Name: Phil Hill. Born: Miami, Fla. Raced: Grand Prix. Accomplishments: First American to win 24 hours of Le Mans. First driver to win the Sebring 12-hour race three times.

Highlight: Was raised by an aunt in Santa Monica. after the death of both his parenta. She bought him an old Model Ford, and he raced it some on a dirt track, but it was only a lark. ted (ciimen Buck Baker Junior Johnson Jack Brabham Parnelli Jones Sir Malcolm Campbell Starling Moss Jim Clark Barnty Oldfiold Mark Donohuo Lot Potty Juan Manual Fangio Glonn "Fireball" Roberts Bill Franco Sr. Jackie Stewart Dan Gurney Mickoy Thompson Graham Hill Bobby Unsor Tony Hulman Smokoy Yunlck Name: Ned Jarrett.

Born: Newton, N.C. Raced: NASCAR. Accomplishments: Two Winston Cup championships, 46 wine. Now: Noted broadcaster of NASCAR racing on radio and television. Son Dale Is a Winston Cup driver, daughter Pattl is public relations director for the Copenhagen racing team.

Highlight: Jarrett was forbidden to race by his father, but was allowed to work on a race car. Ono night, the regular driver was III and Ned drove, using the other man's name and finishing second. He won several races before his father discovered the truth. MateaWafcsjraaastasVMM.