Image: Founding Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame Chair, Garry Connelly AM ( right) with Hall of Fame legend, 1980 world F1 champion Alan Jones MBE.
The Australian Motorsport Council has incorporated the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame as its flagship.
The AMC is the peak body representing all motorsport disciplines – motor racing, motorcycle racing, karting, drag racing and speedway.
The Hall of Fame will become a major component of the AMC’s public facing activities.
A website representing all inductees and providing insight into the rich history of motor sport is the first initiative of the AMC.
Hall of Fame exists to inspire new motorsport competitors and to ensure the legacies of its heroes over more than a century of competition are properly captured.
Just 88 competitors and officials from all disciplines have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since it was inaugurated by Motorsport Australia in 2016.
The exclusive catchment of heroes represents less than one inductee per year since the first motorsport event was held in Australia – 1 January 1901 , the day of the nation’s Federation.
Three inductees – world champions Sir Jack Brabham AO, Alan Jones MBE, and Mick Doohan AO , have been elevated to Legend status.
Motor sport is Australia’s third most attended and fourth most watched sporting code.
Each year it hosts five international status events, 78 major national events and more than 8000 state and club level competitions.
The Australian Motorsport Council has been formed to better represent all components of the sport.
Australian Motorsport Council chairman ( Kelvin O’Reilly) paid tribute to Motorsport Australia and inaugural Hall of Fame chairman Garry Connelly AM for their initiative in establishing the Hall of Fame recognition.
Mr. Connelly , an Australian representative on committees of the FIA , motor racing’s global governing body and a Formula One steward , has now retired from the position.
His successor , motor sport author John Smailes, has accepted a three year appointment.