Alabama Governor shakes up International Motorsports Hall of Fame Commission

The Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, recently dismissed the 18 members of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame commission. The decision was made after an audit uncovered missing vehicles and money from the museum.

The IMHOF was established in early 1970 to display iconic memorabilia from stock car racing, along with paying homage to other motorsports. However, the October audit revealed there were 35 violations, and some of them are still under investigation. Till now, no criminal charges have been pressed against the commission members in question.

The audit revealed that former IMHOF employee Karen Lakey should pay back the $236,000 in misspent funds. Among the removed members of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame commission was Gerald Dial. He worked as the chairman and stayed with the museum for over four decades.

Reflecting on the ongoing fiasco, the Alabama governor stated:

"I am writing to inform you that Governor Ivey has decided to remove all current members of the Motor Sports Hall of Fame Commission, for cause, effective immediately. For various reasons, Governor Ivey believes this is the right time for a fresh start at the Hall of Fame.”

The audit found that Gerald Dial mishandled two donated vehicles, including a 2001 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk 10th Anniversary Convertible and a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona. The cars never made it to the museum, and the ledger shows an entry of $150,750 marking them as "sold."

The audit also found the former International Motorsports Hall of Fame executive director, Mike Raita, bought a 1958 Camaro Convertible from the commission for just $15,000, after the museum had spent $22,000 to repair the car. Additionally, his wife also bought a 1998 F-150 for just $1,000 from the commission.

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History of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum

The International Motorsports Hall of Fame museum goes by the "Where Legends Live Forever" motto. The Talladega-based museum is home to over 140 authentic race cars carrying remarkable history. The IMHOF is a self-guided walking tour that takes up to one hour to complete.

The museum was established in early 1970, after NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. decided to preserve the history of motorsports. He then hired short track racing promoter Don Naman to build the International Motorsports Hall of Fame museum. The museum inducted 145 individuals into the Hall of Fame between 1990 and 2013.

Here's the list of inaugural inducted members:

• Buck Baker
• Jack Brabham
• Malcolm Campbell
• Jim Clark
• Mark Donohue
• Juan Manuel Fangio
• France Sr
• Graham Hill
• Tony Hulman
• Junior Johnson
• Parnelli Jones
• Stirling Moss
• Barney Oldfield
• Lee Petty
• Fireball Roberts
• Jackie Stewart
• Mickey Thompson
• Bobby Unser
• Smokey Yunick

Additionally, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame also inducted three women into the Hall of Fame. Louise Smith became the first woman to be inducted in 1999. The other two female drivers were from the NHRA Top Fuel dragster racing: Shirley Muldowney and Janet Guthrie.

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Edited by Karan Yadav