Biffle, Casey, Evans, Gaughan, Hill, Sills, Walker among Hall’s latest honorees
BAKERSFIELD, Calif., June 6, 2022 – Stars of the motorsports galaxy, representing the west’s short tracks, Indianapolis 500, NASCAR’s national competitions and legendary international tracks of Europe, will be enshrined Thursday, June 9 during the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 ceremonies.
Presented by World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway Motorsports Park, the Hall’s gala will for the first time be held at Sonoma Raceway’s new VIP/Hospitality Center which rings the track’s famous Turn 11. Registration and a cocktail hour begin at 5:30 p.m. (PDT). Dinner and awards follow at 6:45 p.m. Valet parking will be available for guests.
The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame is covered internationally by MAVTV, which is carried at U.S. military facilities world-wide. Highlights of this year’s gala will be aired by the network later this summer, times and dates to be announced.
The Hall’s induction ceremonies open a packed weekend of competition at Sonoma Raceway, including the return of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the ARCA Menards Series West and culminating Sunday, June 12 with the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350.
Elected for induction in the Class of 2022 are Greg Biffle, NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series champion; Garrett Evans, inaugural and four-time NASCAR Northwest Series champion; Brendan Gaughan, two-time ARCA Menards Series champion; David Gilliland, two-time ARCA Menards Series West championship crew chief; John Moore, 2021 NASCAR State of California champion and Spears Racing League championship owner; and Jimmy Sills, three-time United States Auto Club Silver Crown champion.
2022 Heritage inductees are Art and Michael Atkinson, father and son officials and track operators; Phil Casey, nine-time United States Auto Club national championship chief mechanic winner; Ron Esau, 1996 NASCAR Southwest Series champion; Phil Hill, first American-born Formula 1 champion; Ken Sapper, three-time Saugus (Calif.) Speedway modified stock car champion; and Jim Walker, Riverside (Calif.) Raceway Permatex 300 winner and multiple Redwood Acres (Calif.) Raceway champion.
The 2nd Annual Knockin Doorz Down Philanthropist of the Year award, presented by 51FIFTY, will be presented to Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of Speedway Motorsports LLC. Speedway Motorsports LLC President Marcus Smith is expected to accept.
Serving again as master of ceremonies is Ralph Sheheen, owner and publisher of National Speed Sport News and West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame president. The annual affair serves as the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame’s major charity fundraiser. The Hall, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, has gifted more than $600,000 over the past five years.
West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame’s roster of national sponsors include Ford Performance, General Motors, Northern California Toyota Dealers Association and TRD, Goodyear Racing, Hoosier Tires, NASCAR, South Point Resort, Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Speedway Motorsports LLC and Sunoco. The Hall’s presenting sponsors are World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway Motorsports Park, Eberle Winery and 51FIFTY Enterprises.
2022 West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees (top to bottom left to right) Art Atkinson, Michael Atkinson, Greg Biffle, Phil Casey, Ron Esau, Garrett Evans, Brendan Gaughan, David Gilliland, Phil Hill, John Moore, Ken Sapper, Jimmy Sills, Jim Walker.
About the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame:
The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame was conceived in 2001 as a means of recognizing significant contributors and contributions to the sport of stock car/motorsports competition. The mission of the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame is to preserve history and heritage of the key role west coast stock car and motorsports figures have played in the sport’s development and continuation and to recognize, through annual enshrinement, of outstanding individuals and groups within the sport such as, but not limited to, designers, engineers, mechanics, drivers, race track owners, promoters, publicists and members of the motorsports media.
The Hall is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, dedicated to supporting a variety of organizations and groups from coast to coast. Since 2017, the Hall has raised more than $600,000 for youth, health and safety, hospitals, animal rescue and other charitable causes.
For more information on the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame visit: www.WestCoastStockCarHallofFame.com
Media Information
Owen A. Kearns
661-342-2983
okearns@bak.rr.com
The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame is supported by NASCAR and its west coast tracks Auto Club Speedway and Phoenix Raceway. Speedway Motorsports Inc. properties Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Sonoma Raceway also are participating sponsors, as is Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, Madera (Calif.) Speedway and Stockton 99 (Calif.) Speedway.