International Motorsports Hall of Fame Commission Replaced

In a rare move, Gov. Kay Ivey recently dismissed and replaced the entire appointed Motor Sports Hall of Fame Commission after a problematic 35-issue state audit last month.

The dismissals include board chairman and former state senator Gerald Dial, who has been connected to the museum for more than four decades.

“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,” the letter from the governor’s office to Dial read. “For various reasons, Governor Ivey believes this is the right time for a fresh start at the Hall of Fame.”

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In September, and in advance of the audit’s release, Dial issued a statement blaming a former employee who he said worked for the commission about two years on a contract basis for financial issues at the attraction, saying she took an “appreciable” amount of money from the board.

The audit did say that Karen Lakey should payback $236,600 in misspent funds. But there were several other issues unrelated to her, including the mishandling by Dial and others, of two donated vehicles, a 2001 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk 10th Anniversary Convertible and a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona.

The cars were never received by the museum, according to records, but there was a $150,750 ledger entry for the commission “to book cars sold.”

Another significant finding in the audit said the museum’s former executive director, Mike Raita, purchased a 1968 Camaro Convertible Pace Car from the commission for $15,000 after the commission had spent more than $22,000 on repairs to the car. Raita’s wife purchased a 1998 F-150 from the commission for $1,000, the audit said. Alabama Daily News