Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame
Andy Hampton was born in Crestwood, Kentucky in 1928. He and his wife Ramona (deceased) lived in Louisville, KY. and raised their seven children Andy Jr., Lynn, Jack, Robin, Ronnie, Rose Ann, and Mary Ann. He has 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Always having a love for cars, Andy began racing on the streets as a teen with his friends. Taking his racing to the next level, in his 20's he raced at the Kentuckiana “Sportsdrome Speedway” in the 1940's and 50's. By then Andy became well known to the fans as the driver who drove with his cigar. He won the “International 500” in 1961 co-driving with Jack Purcell and again in 1967 co-driving with Bill Kimmel. In 1961 he was the first Figure Eight Division Champion at the “Fairgrounds Motor Speedway” which he repeated in 1962 & '63. After teaming up with Harry Hyde in the early 60's, Andy competing in the 1964 & '65 New and Late Model Division championships. His championships in the late models for 1964 & '65 gave him five consecutive titles. In 1965 while driving for Hyde, Andy was one of four other drivers including Kenny Reiter, Jesse Baird, and Jack Purcell to be the first members initiated into the elite fraternity known as the “Fifteen Second Club”. Created by Milt Hartlauf in 1965 for driver's being officially clocked under 16 seconds during Time Trials. He won 15 ARCA series events including the prestigious “Daytona 300” in 1968 & 1972, and won 20 ARCA Pole positions. Andy being one of only seven different drivers to have won from the pole in the ARCA 300 at Daytona (other six drivers include Benny Parson's, Iggy Katona, Woody Fisher, Jeff Purvis, Andy Hillenburg, and Bobby Gerhart). Andy had ranked in the Top Ten in All Time Wins and Poles on the ARCA circuit. He went on to finished 10th in the 1968 “Daytona 500” and finished 9th after starting 50th in the 1969 “Daytona 500”.
Passing down his passion for racing, Andy always had his sons working along side him as part of his pit crew. Retiring from racing in 1975, Andy can now be found on his boat or at one of the Kentuckiana used car dealerships he owns and operates with his four sons and grandsons. Andy has enjoyed being part of the Kentuckiana racing community throughout the years, and is honored to be inducted into the 2010 Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Billy Campbell was born and raised in Columbia, KY. He and wife Dorothy (deceased) lived in Louisville, Ky and raised three daughters Nancy, Sheila and Sheri. He has six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Campbell worked for Kroger for 34 years and retired in 1989 and has spent his time breeding cattle on his farm in Columbia, KY with his wife Sue. Campbell says even as a kid he always had cars on his mind. He remembers once getting a whooping from his mother for doing a wheelie on a farm tractor by rolling back down the hill and popping the clutch.
Campbell built his first car with Nile Wheeler, an A/altered around 1963. Campbell and Huey Darnell built an A/D Dragster around 1964. This was his first Gladiator car. Campbell built an AA Gas Dragster around 1965. In 1966, The Gladiator Racing Specialties was formed and consisted of Billy Campbell, Huey Darnell, Dale Funk, Walter LeVold and Dickie. They built the A Competition Dragster. In 1966 they won the Nationals at Indianapolis and best appearing car. This group soon split up each going their own way. Campbell went on his own with Gladiator #2 built by himself. This car was an AA Gas Hemi. The first time he raced this car was at Ohio Valley Raceway Labor Day weekend 1967. While building this new car his record had been broken by another driver. On this weekend with his first full pass he got his record back and went on to win top eliminator.
Campbell was interviewed for a news article titled "Drag Racer points for Nationals" at this time he held both track records at Ohio Valley Raceway, 1/8 mile track with a 5.17 ET and at Beech Bend International Raceway, 1/4 mile track with a 7.74 ET. He had won twelve out of his last 15 meets.
Campbell would like to mention he was helped by his brother Frankie Campbell and friend Tom Faulkner. Campbell says this car was his pride and joy and he is proud of what he accomplished. Billy raced this car until they did away with the AA Gas Dragster.
Billy Campbell then went on to drive the Golddigger for Jack Hart. Campbell had several wins from 1971-1974.
He retired from racing in 1974.
He has 4 children, Jeff, which some of you know from Jeff Smith Polishing & Smithbrite Polish, Kim, Mitchell, & Stacy. Most of his kids worked the time slip booth at Beech Bend at some time.
Morris began racing in 1956, driving his 1955 Chevrolet in stock eliminator at Beech Bend and Campbellsville Drag Strips. During this time he also drove some of his friends cars during eliminations. Later, in 1962 he raced a 1932 Ford in the C/A class.
His dad and mother didn't want him to race and since dad was in bad health with a lung problem, they made a deal. If Morris would quit racing, his dad would quit smoking, therefore his racing was over, except for a few test sessions for others.
In 1964, with his interest and love for racing and hanging around the race track, he got a job as the flagman for the old drag strip (before the day of the Christmas Tree in this area). Shortly thereafter, he was made manager of the drag strip and oval track facilities which would continue for approx. 25 years.
The oval and figure 8 races were held on Sunday night after the drag racing was completed.
During his tenure, Mr. Charles Garvin & David Garvin decided to build a new state of art drag facility for this area. The new Beech Bend drag strip was built in 1968 and the first NHRA Sports Nationals was held in 1974.
After the new track was completed and NHRA Sanctioned, he also worked for NHRA at National events in staging and on the Safety Safari along with Eldon Huffman and later with Randy Robbins. They were part of the Beech Bend crew (remember the yellow fire buggy).
During his tenure, he was awarded the North Central Division Charles Garvin Memorial award in 1981, and was entered into the the North Central Division Hall of Fame in 1986.
He and his crew were awarded a National Dragster Award (1971), North Central Division Drag Strip of the year award (1971, 1972, 1974 and 1975).
He remembers, at the end of the first Sports Nationals, Mr. Wally Parks, President of NHRA, came up to him and stated, "I would take you and your crew and run any national event we have". He feels this is an honor for his crew. Many of his crew worked for NHRA at National Events for many years in staging, on the starting line, time slips & safety.
In the latter years, he and his crew represented Beech Bend International Raceway at the ET Finals at Indianapolis Raceway Park, providing their services in staging lanes, starting line and time slips which they received certificates of appreciation.
Morris was awarded the "Person Of The Year" award in 1985 from Beech Bend Raceway Park.
Morris said, he and his crew tried to run the race track as fair as they could for everyone. Things happen and mistakes made. When this happened, you would see him down on the track, looking up into the tower and clapping his hands. This gesture normally worked well. (some might know what he was relating to)
Morris believes any success as manager of Beech Bend International Raceway, was because of Charles Garvin & David Garvin's faith in him as well as his special, professional & devoted crew (many over the years) and the race fans.
Morris personally reserves a special remembrance for his crew that have passed on. Rayborn Wells (Dragster Staging), Eldon Huffman (Safety), Glen Woods (Security), John Wilson (Tech Inspection), Philip Thurman (Staging), Melvin Colter (Staging), Jim White (Security) and Charlie Carroll (Dragster Staging & Oval Flagman).
As an inductee in the 2010 Kentucky Motorsports Hall Of Fame,
Morris would like to thank everyone for this honor bestowed upon him, He feels his staff at Beech Bend and the Garvin's made it all happen. Also, he would like to thank all the racers which bestowed their trust in him over the years and friendship he has had with them. He will never forget this.
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Winner -1992
Indianapolis 500 Winner - 1985
CART Series Champion– 1988
Can-Am Rookie of the Year - 1980
Danny Sullivan born March 9, 1950 in Louisville, KY, is best known for his incredible "spin and win" victory at the 1985 Indianapolis 500, where he spun around full circle going 200 mph and went on to win one of the most memorable victories at the Brickyard. He raced 11 times at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, winning in 1992 when he set a record with an average speed of 91.945 mph. He was the 1988 CART World Series Champion, and throughout his career he took a total of 17 checkered flags. He continues to contribute to the sport by helping to develop the next generation of Formula 1 drivers.
Austin Myers was born in West Point, Kentucky in February of 1947 and now resides in Valley Station, KY. He is married to Pat and they have two children, Andy and Stacy, and three grandchildren, Andrea, Nathan and Drew. He is a machinist by trade and retired from Naval Ordnance as an inspector in 1996. Along with his wife he started AM/PM Trucking, Inc. The business was sold in 2002 and Austin currently drives for a local trucking company.
In 1971 he started driving for Butch Hummel in a twin engine top gas dragster. 1971 was an outstanding year in his career; finishing second in Division 3 points to Dale Funk. Austin set the top gas mph record at Bowling Green at 208.33 mph and also winning the meet. He won the National Dragster Invitational for the second time with a win over Bill Mullins then won the Keystone Timing Association in top gas. The highlight of the year was winning the NHRA World Finals in Amarillo, Texas and resetting the NHRA top gas mph record at 209.58. Austin was honored as the Division 3 Top Professional Driver of the Year. After top gas was eliminated by NHRA, Butch Hummel switched to top fuel and they ran the car under a very limited basis, then Butch sold the car.
J.M. "Milt" Hartlauf, Sr.
(1926-2004)
Hartlauf began his racing career in 1948, when he purchased his father’s 1936 Ford and took it to the Jeffersonville, IN Sportsdrome. He drove stock cars for only a decade, ending his career in the middle of a race in 1958. He was racing at Greater Salem (IN) Speedway, when he caught himself overdriving and pushing the equipment beyond its limits, as well as glancing back twice. Saying to himself, "Milt, you’re over the hill," he pulled off the track and ended his career as a driver.
Even though Hartlauf drove for only 10 years, his accomplishments were many. In 1950 Hartlauf received what he considered to be his big break in racing stock cars. Pat O’Connor was racing a stock car at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome when he was injured in an accident. Hartlauf was given a chance to drive O’Connor’s car. Ironically, one of the many races Hartlauf promoted later in his career was the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial at the Greater Salem (IN) Speedway.
During his racing career, Hartlauf won the Kentuckiana Racing Association Championship and was 4 time Kentucky Dirt Track Champion. In 1954 and 1955 he drove the M-2 car for Fish Carburetor in the NASCAR Sportsman Division. In 1955 he broke the Daytona qualifying record with a run of 119.641 mph for the 100-mile beach and road race for sportsman cars. He returned to Daytona the following year averaging 123 mph in a 1939 Ford. Even though he finished 5th in 1954 at Darlington and ran at Raleigh, NC, the beach and road race at Daytona was the highlight of his Nascar career.
After his retirement as a driver in 1958, Hartlauf maintained a career in stock car racing. In 1961 he became the General Manager of the Jeffersonville, IN Sportsdrome until 1965 when he moved to the Fairgrounds Motor Speedway in Louisville, KY. He remained at Fairgrounds Motor Speedway until its closure in 1980. During these years he promoted races at the Greater Salem (IN) Speedway bringing in ARCA, USAC and ASA, was Race Director for ASA (1978-1979) and worked with ALLPRO in the southern states.
Billy Howell drove Chrysler Hemi powered Plymouths in the mid 60s, before eventually winding up in a Terry Elmore prepared Camaro in the early 70's. He teamed up with Bill Clary and Clary Customotive, one of the areas leading speed shops in 1975. Together, Howell and Clary's "Copper Cat" Howe chassised Camaro began a local revolution towards pre-fabricated, kit packaged race cars and radical chassis components. During 1975 Howell and Clary traveled the country from the short tracks in Kentucky and Florida to Winchester, Salem, and Anderson in the ASA Circuit. During this time, Howell and Clary had run at 27 different tracks and held 9 track records. Howells track record at Highland Rim stood until it was broken by Bobby Allison. Howell won the 1975 FMS New and Late Model Season Championship edging out LaMarr Marshall in the final event of the season. Howell continued to drive part-time until 1988, when he had his final feature win at Whitesville. Howell has been a funeral director all his life, retiring in 2009 from Billy Howell Funeral Chapel in Hodgenville, KY.
Darrell Alderman
A lifelong resident of Kentucky, Darrell Alderman was born on November 16, 1949, in Paintsville, and currently resides in Morehead. He has four children – Timmy, Dara, Chase and M’Shae – and three grandsons – Brennan, Henry and Cooper. He is the President and owner of G&W Construction Co. Inc., an underground utilities company based in Morehead.
Darrell Alderman began his drag racing career in his teens at local race tracks in Kentucky. In the early 1980s, he began racing professionally in the Pro Stock category in the IHRA and AHRA, where he had several wins. This early success in professional drag racing led Alderman to pair up with Wayne County Speed Shop in 1986. Alderman, driving a Dodge Daytona, began competing in the Pro Stock category in NHRA, and was named Rookie of the Year in his first full year of competition.
In 1988, Mopar began sponsoring Alderman, a relationship which would last for the next 16 years, until Alderman retired from the sport in 2004. While racing with Mopar, Alderman won three NHRA Pro Stock World Championships (1990, 1991 and 1994), had 28 NHRA national event wins (the 6th most wins in NHRA Pro Stock history), and had 49 NHRA final round appearances (the 7th most final round appearances in NHRA Pro Stock history).
The 1991 racing season in particular was notable in Alderman’s racing career. He achieved some staggering statistics, including 59 round wins - an NHRA record that would stand for five seasons – and 11 event wins out of 18 events, which broke NHRA’s record for the most event wins in a season. Alderman dominated every imaginable category during the 1991 season. He raced in 14 finals, reached at least the semifinals in 17 of the 18 events, qualified No. 1 seven times, won six of the season’s first nine events, won the prestigious Budweiser Challenge bonus event in Englishtown, New Jersey, and led the points race the entire season.
Alderman recorded an NHRA career best E.T. of 6.734 seconds, NHRA career best M.P.H. of 205.38, and was the first driver to eclipse the 6.7 second barrier in NHRA Pro Stock racing. Alderman also received numerous community service awards, including a salute from The Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago in 1991, and participated in various charity racing events throughout his career.
Following his retirement from professional racing in 2004, Alderman returned his attention to his family construction business. Alderman began his career in construction as a teenager working for his father, and continues the business today with his son, Chase. Regarding his retirement from racing, Alderman notes that racing is a sport that he will always love and that he misses the competition, but that there comes a day when you have to hang it up. He thanks all the fans, the sanctioning bodies and the sponsors.
Billy Joe Miles, Owensboro
Jerry Baird, Utica
Carl Mercer, Utica
Donnie (Boots) Bittel, Owensboro
Joe England, Madisonville
Walter Harder, Whiteville
Jim (Drag) Burns
Gene Wilkerson
"Pioneers In Indoor Motorsports" The Modern day Billion dollar industry of indoor motorsports was started by a group of men from Daviess County, Ky. known as the "Owensboro Boys". Until the late 1970s the huge arenas around America were only being used for stick and ball sports or static display events. That all changed when a group of Daviess Co. farmers started a company called TNT Motorsports which used these same venues to now promote tractor pulls and monster truck events which appeared on national television. The original TNT Motorsports series can still be seen under the promotion umbrellas of Monster Jam. The Owensboro Boys started the first farm machinery show tractor pull in 1969 at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center.
Reinduction of Harry Hyde,
Son Harry Lee Hyde will accept the award
TO THE 2010
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
FROM
BILL ENGLISH, ROBERT FRAKES & DALE FUNK
THE KENTUCKY MOONSHINERS
REMEMBER ALL THE GOOD TIMES & FUN WE HAD
DALE FUNK 343 T/F
