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Motorsports Hall of Fame Announces Ford Racing As The Recipient Of The Bob Russo Heritage Award |
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Novi, Mich. – Ford Racing has been named the recipient of the Bob Russo Heritage Award for the 13th Annual Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 6, 2001, at the State Theatre in Detroit. The Heritage Award will be presented to Edsel B. Ford II by Jim France, executive vice president of NASCAR. The Motorsports Hall of Fame Board of Directors selected Ford Racing for its 100-year contribution and commitment to motorsports. Ford Motor Co. builds engines, supplies technology and resources, or fields teams in NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck; the CART FedEx Championship, Formula One, World Rally, NHRA Drag Racing and the Best in the Desert Series. “If my great-grandfather (Henry Ford) hadn't believed in the value of auto racing, the Ford Motor Co. as we know it probably wouldn't exist today,” said Edsel B. Ford II. This is the first time the Board of Directors chose an organization instead of an individual for the Heritage Award. Past award recipients were Leo Mehl, Bill Simpson, Bill France, Jr. and Bob Russo. The induction ceremony will feature the 2001 class of inductees, which includes: Emerson Fittipaldi, open wheel racing; Andy Granatelli, at-large; Fred Lorenzen, stock car racing; Tom “Mongoose” McEwen, drag racing; Freddie Spencer, motorcycle racing; Ken Miles, sports car racing; Mira Slovak, powerboat pacing; Tony Levier, air racing; and Earl Cooper, historic racing pre-World War II. The Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame houses numerous racing and high performance vehicles. The continually changing collection showcases racers and vehicles from the world of Indy cars, stock cars, Can Am, Trans-Am, sprint cars, powerboats, airplanes, truck racing and motorcycles. Among the highlights is the last ever Novi Special Indy car, namesake of the city of Novi, Michigan. For more information on the inductees or how to purchase tickets to the black-tie Induction Ceremony, please call the Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame at (248) 349-RACE. |