Message From the Chairman

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In more than 160 countries worldwide, approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 30,000 Rotary clubs.

Chartered in 1974, the Oceanside Rotary Club of Daytona Beach held its inaugural Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony in 1990 with the induction of legendary driver and car owner, Richard Petty.

Since that first ceremony, the Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame has grown to 34 members. From Bobby Allison to Bill France, Fireball Roberts, and Smokey Yunick, and so many more.

Oceanside Rotary Club is dedicated to preserving the memory of the heroes and pioneers of Stock Car Racing and to donating the proceeds of this event to worthy local, national, and international charities.

Russel C. Tullius
Chairman
Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame

Daytona Beach and Stock Car Racing

Speed, race cars, hard packed sandy beaches, world renowned drivers, expert mechanics, and dedicated race fans are the ingredients that have made Daytona Beach the World Center of Racing.

Legendary drivers such as Sir Malcolm Campbell, Henry Segrave and Barney Oldfield found the hard surfaces of Daytona's sandy beaches ideal for establishing new speed records. In 1903 Barny Oldfield drove a car at the blistering speed of a mile a minute and from that time on speeds escalated. Oldfield broke all existing records driving a Benz on the sand of neighboring Ormond Beach.

In the 1920's the battle between Henry Segrave and Sir Malcolm Campbell raged, each one driving a little faster than the other. In 1935, on the sands of Daytona Beach, Sir Malcolm Campbell, driving the famous "Bluebird" set the mark at 276.82 miles per hour.

Then along came a man with a vision. William H.G. France; whose interest in racing dated back to his teenage days in the Washington, DC area, moved his family to Daytona Beach where he became a service station owner. In 1936, the City of Daytona Beach, and in 1937, a service club, sponsored stock car races on the beach, both of which were unsuccessful. The next year, after much coaxing, France took over the reigns of a doubtful venture and, with his love of stock car racing and exceptional promotional talent, built the most popular form of motorsports in the United States. In 1947, at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, France organized and founded the National Association of Stock Car Racing (NASCAR).

Stock car racing, under the rules, regulations and guidance of NASCAR continued on the beach-road course until another Bill France dream came true. In 1959, Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5 mile paved tri-oval track opened. This track, and the prestigous Daytona 500 race confirmed the fact Daytona Beach is indeed the Racing Capital of the World.

"What better place for the only true Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame!"