A diverse group of well known names in the motorsports industry were inducted into the Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Hall of Fame during the Saturday night NASCAR/EMPA Hall of Fame Awards Dinner held at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Trevose, PA on January 27, 2007. Past Winston Cup champion David Pearson, winner of 105 Cup races during his career, topped the list of inductees.

DIRT Modified standout Bob McCreadie and sprint car racing legend Keith Kauffman rounded out the drivers enshrined. Pocono Raceway owners Drs. Joe and Rose Mattioli, with many family members on hand, were inducted along with the late Trenton, NJ Evening Times motorsports writer Harry Blaze. World of Outlaws founder Ted Johnson was also inducted posthumously.

Tim McCreadie, winner of the 360OTC World of Outlaws Late Model championship, was honored as the Al Holbert Memorial EMPA National Driver of the Year. McCreadie accepted his award and also accepted the Hall of Fame statue for his father Bob who was unable to attend due to illness. Alan Johnson, who won 20 feature races in DIRT Modified competition and took home three track championships along with the Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series “Mr. DIRT Modified” Championship, received the prestigious Richie Evans Memorial EMPA Northeast Driver of the Year honors.

Marco Andretti flew in from a testing session to accept his T. Wayne Robertson Newsmaker of the Year award early on Saturday. Andretti, grandson of motorsports legend Mario Andretti, was Rookie of the Year in the Indy Racing League. James Hylton, at 72 years of age planning to try for a starting spot in the Daytona 500, received the Junie Donlavey “Spirit of the Sport” award. Donlavey was scheduled to make the trip from Richmond, VA to present the award personally but his wife’s illness forced him to cancel and veteran racer Andy Belmont did the honors. The 2008 edition of the Eastern Motorsport Press Association Convention will be held on the final weekend of January, 2008 at the same Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Trevose, PA.

[EMPA PR]

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