’07 Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame inductees
"Legends. Absolute legends," said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, who will be presenting the awards to the honorees. "Brian Redman won the first Grand Prix in Long Beach, and he can still drive better than folks half his age. Paul Newman and Carl Haas have captured more Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach wins than any other team. And Chris Pook made the Grand Prix happen in Long Beach, which was, in many ways, the catalyst for our city's renaissance."
The ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m. at the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame, located on South Pine Avenue in front of the Convention Center.
"We're really talking about the superstars of the sport," said Jim Michaelian, CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. "Last year, Phil Hill and Dan Gurney. This year, Brian Redman, Newman/Haas and Chris Pook. That's a line-up of incredible racing know-how, experience and achievement."
Brian Redman, former Formula One driver from England, has had a successful career in sportscar racing and the World Sportscar Championship. He participated in 13 Grands Prix and recently amazed the sportscar world by taking a new RS Spyder on a test spin at the Porsche test track in Germany and matching the times of Porsche's current professional drivers.
Paul Newman and Carl Haas have co-owned Newman/Haas Racing since 1983, earning many wins, poles and track records with world-renowned drivers such as Mario and Michael Andretti, Nigel Mansell and Paul Tracy. The Newman/Haas Racing Team is considered the most successful team competing in this year's Champ Car World Series. Chris Pook was the visionary co-founder of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and served as president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach for many years.
"Honoring these legendary sportsmen and their families and unveiling their medallions at the Walk of Fame has now become a highlight of Grand Prix week," added Michaelian. "The Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame is an excellent way for us to recognize those people who have made exceptional contributions to motorsports, especially here in Long Beach. The Walk of Fame allows visitors to Long Beach to share in the history of this exciting sport and is a stop on everyone's visit to the Grand Prix events and throughout the year."
The Walk of Fame medallions will include renditions of the racers' cars and their top achievements in motorsports. Additional information about the inductees' illustrious careers will be available at the event or at www.lbmotorsportswalkoffame.com.