Sports Car legend Tommy Kendall, who is currently a motorsports color commentator for FOX and FOXSports 1, along with the late, great actor Steve McQueen, are among the finalists for the Shav Glick Award, which will be presented before Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.
The award is presented by The Justice Brothers of Duarte, California and honors the legendary Shav Glick, the longtime motorsports writer for The Los Angeles Times. For over 75 years, Justice Brothers has been a supplier of quality professional vehicle care products used worldwide; manufactured in America and available only at professional car care centers.
The Justice Brothers-Shav Glick Award recognizes motorsports personalities who have made valuable or distinguished contributions to the various types of motorsports in California. Glick, who passed away in 2007, was a highly respected motorsports writer for the Los Angeles Times and member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Ed Justice Jr., president and CEO of Justice Brothers, will present the award during the pre-race ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
Tommy Kendall:
Before Kendall went to work for FOX Sports, the Santa Monica, California native dominated the SCCA Trans-Am Series in the 1990s, capturing four driving titles in the first eight years of the decade (1990, ‘95, ‘96, ‘97). From 1995 to 1997, while piloting Jack Roush-owned Ford Mustangs, Kendall reigned supreme, claiming 16 wins and 27 poles in 38 races. In 1997, on his way to his fourth and final Trans-Am title, Kendall scored wins in the first 11 of 13 races of the season. In addition to his superb Trans-Am career, Kendall also made 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup starts, mostly on road courses, and made two appearances in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2015, he was inducted into the Motor Sports Hall of Fame of America.
Steve McQueen:
American film actor Steve McQueen (1930 - 1980) on the set of his motor-racing film 'Le Mans' at the Sarthe race track, France, Oct. 1970.
Nicknamed “The King of Cool,” Steve McQueen was all about speed and looks during the 1960s and 1970s when he was one of the top movie stars in the world. Born in Indiana but raised in Los Angeles, McQueen had a passion for speed and throughout his life drove cars and motorcycles to their limit on and off the big screen.
McQueen is best remembered in the motorsports world for his movie role in Le Mans; however, he also participated in numerous sanctioned events as a driver. In 1970, with co-driver Peter Revson, he finished second overall and first in class at the 12 Hours of Sebring. McQueen also participated in many top Off-road motorcycle events, including the Baja 1000, Mint 400, and Elsinore Grand Prix. In 1971 he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated riding a dirt bike. In the movies McQueen often performed his own driving and riding stunts. The scenes of him driving a souped-up Mustang on the streets of San Francisco in “Bullitt” and racing a motorcycle across the German countryside in The Great Escape have long been considered cinema classics.
In 1971, McQueen’s production company co-produced the classic motorcycle documentary “On Any Sunday.” He was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1978. McQueen died of cancer in 1980 at age 50.
Ricky Johnson:
Whether racing on two or four wheels, Ricky Johnson found success. On two wheels Johnson was truly one of the greatest AMA Motocross and Supercross racers of all-time. During the 1980s the El Cajon, California, native rode to seven AMA national championships.
Over the course of his motorcycle racing career, Johnson rode to 61 national wins and earned championships in AMA Supercross and both 250cc and 500cc Motocross. He also was part of four winning U.S. Motocross des Nations teams before retiring from motorcycle competition in 1991 at the age of 26. Switching to stock cars, Johnson again found success, winning the Baja 1000 twice (1997, 2003) and was named ASA Rookie of the Year in 1999. In 2009 he founded the Traxxas TORC Series before selling it to USAC to focus on his driving, competing in short-course truck and desert off-road races. Johnson was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2012.
Pappy Hart:
In 1950, C. J. “Pappy” Hart, along with his partner Creighton Hunter, created what was known as the first commercial drag strip in America on an unused runway at Orange County Airport (now John Wayne Airport). Racing at Orange County Airport helped move dangerous racing off the streets, starting a trend that soon spread across America. Races were held on Sundays from 1950 to 1959, with the racers initially being charged a dollar to participate and the fans 50 cents to watch the action. If fans paid 75 cents they could watch the mechanics working on the cars close-up. By charging admission, Hart and his partners were able to improve the safety aspects of the facility and modernize it by constructing grandstands, adding concession stands, and installing an electronic timing system. In his later years, Hart, who was born in Ohio but lived in Elsinore, California, was a member of the NHRA Safety Safari, traveling across the country on behalf of the sanctioning body. Hart was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1999.
Hart passed away in 2004 at the age of 93.
Previous recipients of The Justice Brothers-Shav Glick Award:
**
Be sure to catch Bruce Martin's Verizon IndyCar Series Report on RACEDAY on FOX Sports Radio every Sunday from 6-8 a.m. ET.
