Story By: AMY WALSH STOCK / LEGACY MOTOR CLUB – BAKERSFIELD, CA – Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, is among this year’s five inductees into the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame.
The El Cajon, Calif. competitor, winner of 83 NASCAR Cup Series events in 16 consecutive seasons and recent inductee into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, will be joined for enshrinement by the late Dick Cobb, Las Vegas, Nev., winner of eight track championships over a 45-year racing career in Nevada and California; Eric Holmes, Escalon, Calif., winner of three NASCAR West (now ARCA Menards Series West) titles; Jimmy Vasser, Canoga Park, Calif., 10-time Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) winner, Indianapolis 500 co-owner champion and 2023 IMSA GTD championship co-owner; and Calvin (Cal) Wells III, NASCAR Cup Series race-winning team owner, Off-Road Hall of Fame inductee and current chief executive officer of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.
“I’m so honored to be inducted into the West Coast Stock Car/ Motorsports Hall of Fame,” said Johnson.”As I look back on my career, I was so proud to be from the West Coast, and early on there weren’t many of us competing in NASCAR at the time. I always have carried so much pride when being announced ‘from El Cajon, California”. Starting with Jeff Gordon, a group from the West Coast started to emerge in NASCAR. Jeff and a few others really opened the door in what was typically a Southern sport. I was able to win at California Speedway in my 13th start which just made everything come full circle for me. Winning in Fontana, six times was just so incredible, I had so many fans out there, it was always a homecoming of sorts. Winning at Sonoma Raceway was special too – the West Coast has a special place in my heart.”
Wells shared a similar sentiment. “I’m honored to be inducted into the West Coast Motorsports Hall of Fame with such an esteemed group of professionals. Growing up in Southern California, I, like Jimmie, was focused on off-road racing. I was blessed to partner with Toyota so early on and they carried me through many disciplines of motorsports. To be inducted with my longtime friend Jimmie Johnson is truly rewarding and again, such an honor.”
The Class of 2024 – the hall’s 21st – will be enshrined Thursday, June 6, during the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame’s induction gala, presented by World Wide Technology Raceway, at Sonoma Raceway’s Turn 11 Club VIP/Hospitality complex encircling the road course’s iconic Turn 11.
“Our Class of 2024 is second to none in diversity of competition,” said Ken Clapp, Chairman and CEO of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. “Jimmie Johnson, Eric Holmes and Dick Cobb mastered three different levels of NASCAR competition. Jimmy Vasser, a Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) champion and Cal Wells, an off-road racing Hall of Famer and team executive add two more racing disciplines to this year’s Class.
The organization also will induct its seventh Heritage class, comprised of individuals whose careers largely ended prior to 1971. The 2024 Heritage inductees will be named in March. Also to be named is the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame’s Pioneers of Speed, whose careers preceded or spanned the World War II era.
Televised highlights of the 2024 induction ceremonies will be broadcast later this summer; network, air dates and times to be announced.