Music and Drag Racing Legends at BDRHoF Gala
The eleventh annual British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala Awards Dinner, held on 19th November at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel, Heathrow, was a wonderful occasion at which stars of the sport in the UK were joined by music and drag racing legends from the US. The Gala has taken its place as one of the leading motor sport presentation events in the world and the BDRHoF would like to acknowledge all who made it possible.
Steve Gibbs with (from left) Bob McClurg, Stu Bradbury (Chair of BDRHoF), Steve Gibbs, Les Downey (Lucas Oil UK) and David Marks – Eurodragster.com: Global Achievement Award – Ian Messenger
The evening included the induction of four new members of the BDRHoF, presentation of the Sydney Allard media awards, a re-presentation of the 2016 International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Award to a legendary UK racer, the Lucas Oil Global Achievement Award, the first presentation of the NSRA/BDRHoF Global Impact Award, special presentations for two living legends of hot rodding and drag racing and the creation of a new role for overseas supporters of the BDRHoF – Honorary International Ambassadors.
The Lucas Oil Global Achievement Award was presented to Steve Gibbs, the former Board Member and Vice President – Competitions of NHRA. It was awarded for the crucial role played by NHRA and its employees in organising, governing and growing the sport of drag racing throughout its sixty five years of existence.
The worthy inductees of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame were SPRC Club Secretary and doorslammer racer Paula Marshall, engine builder, tuner and crew chief Rob Loaring, US racer and pioneer of the sport in the UK Bob Keith and the UK’s first permanent drag racing facility celebrating its half century of operation, Santa Pod Raceway. Paula’s trophy was accepted by …