MAVTV has announced it will air a two-hour special of the 36th Annual Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. This marks the first time the prestigious event will be aired on television, celebrating the outstanding achievements and contributions of iconic figures in motorsports. The ceremony took place on March 11-12 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
“Only the best of the best earn a spot in the Motorsports Hall of Fame,” said MAVTV President CJ Olivares. “MAVTV is delighted to offer motorsports fans a front-row seat to celebrate and honor these legends of the racing world. Sharing their stories and contributions is at the heart of our love for motorsports and its culture and we’re excited to connect fans with the rich history of the sport for the very first time on TV.”
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is the only hall that honors all facets of American motorsports including cars, motorcycles, airplanes, off road and powerboats. Its mission is to honor the values central to American motorsports: leadership, creativity, originality, teamwork, and the spirit of competition. The annual induction ceremony is a special event dedicated to recognizing the achievements and innovations of the people that have propelled the sport forward.
“Each year, our 200 voters, half of them historians and other motorsports experts, the other half inductees themselves, select nine of the most extraordinary figures in the racing world for induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America,” said President of the Motorsports Hall of Fame America George Levy. “This year’s inductees included all-time greats like Jimmie Johnson, multi-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon and Hollywood icon and racing champion Paul Newman. It was an amazing event and we are grateful to MAVTV for bringing this celebration to fans everywhere.”
2024 Class of Inductees
- Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion
- Scott Dixon, six-time IndyCar Series champion
- John Surtees, the only person to win world championships on both two and four wheels
- Paul Newman, Academy Award-winning actor and national champion driver and owner
- Austin Coil, history’s winningest Top Fuel Funny Car crew chief
- Downing & Hubbard, pioneers in revolutionary racing safety technologies
- Bud Ekins, Hollywood stuntman and multi-time motorcycle racing gold-medalist
- Phil Walters, war hero and acclaimed sports car racer of the 1940s and 1950s
- Earl B. Gilmore, promoted racing excellence from Los Angeles to Bonneville to the Indy 500
Other honorees at this year’s induction were Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson and Edsel B. Ford II, who were the first dual recipients of the Bob Russo Heritage Award, the MSHFA’s highest honor next to induction. The owner and president of In-N-Out Burger, Snyder-Ellingson was recognized for her vast efforts to preserve the future of drag racing in the United States. Ford, widely known as the “Godfather” of Ford Motor Company’s racing efforts, was honored as a leading and prominent ambassador for the sport of auto racing globally.
The 2024 Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony special will air on MAVTV Thursday, June 6 at 8pm ET/PT. For additional information, visit MAVTV.com.