Jeff Gordon, Tommy Ivo, Paul Newman, and Kenny Roberts have been nominated for the 11th Annual Justice Brothers-Shav Glick Award which recognizes those who have made distinguished contributions to motorsports in California. Named in honor of Shav Glick, who passed away in 2007. Glick was a long-time motorsports writer for the Los Angeles Times and a member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
Born in California, Jeff Gordon started racing quarter midgets at the age of five. Before his career in NASCAR, he became the youngest driver to win a USAC Silver Crown championship. Gordon is a 4-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, a 3-time Daytona 500 winner, and is the first driver to reach the $100 million mark in winnings for the Cup Series. He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2009.
“TV” Tommy Ivo was a fixture in the drag racing community during the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s and into the 80’s. Ivo raced a twin Nailhead Buick engine dragster which was the first gasoline powered dragster to break the 9 second barrier along with being the first gasoline powered dragster to set record speeds of 170, 175 and 180 mph. Ivo was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005.
While training for a movie in 1969, Paul Newman fell in love with auto racing. Shortly after, he was a regular on the SCCA circuit. He went on to win various championships and then to competing in such races as the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Baja 1000. Newman went on to own various teams including the Newman/Haas Racing. Newman was inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2009.
Kenny Roberts is the first American to win the 500cc Road Racing World Championship. Roberts is regarded as being one of the first riders to use his knee to balance the bike on the track in corners along with using the engine power to spin the rear tire exiting bends to help steer the bike. Along with various Championships he won throughout his career he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992, and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.
The motor racing legend winner will be picked by a judging panel that includes National and California motorsports writers.
Previous winners of the prestigious Shav Glick Award are Rick Mears, Carroll Shelby, Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, Wally Parks, Parnelli Jones, John Force, and last year’s winner Frank Kurtis among others. The award will be given out during the pre-race ceremonies at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 500, February 21st, at the Auto Club Speedway.