History

When Bill France, the founder of NASCAR, opened Alabama International Motor Speedway (now Talladega Superspeedway) in 1969, he began thinking about the idea of creating a museum and hall of fame dedicated to the history of motor sports.

During the early 1970s, France worked with Don Naman, the manager of Talladega, to promote the idea. As a result, Georgia Governor George Wallace in 1975 appointed a state commission to oversee the effort.

However, a bond issue to finance construction failed at the polls. France then donated 35 acres of land adjacent to the speedway as a site for the museum and hall of fame, and private money was raised for its construction.

The original $2 million facility opened in the spring of 1983. At that time, it was simply a museum of racing memorabilia.

The 15,000-square-foot hall of fame addition opened on July 25, 1990, with the induction of 20 charter members.

A 150-member panel representing auto racing media from throughout the world votes annually on nominees, who must be retired from their specialty in motorsports for five years.

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