Eastern Motorsport Press Association Hall of Fame Inductees and Award Winners Announced
Bones Bourcier, Jimmy Horton, Alan Johnson, Steve Park, Don Prudhomme and Sammy Swindell to HoF; Justin Bonsignore and Mat Williamson are Northeast Drivers of the Year
(HAZLE TOWNSHIP, PA 12-9-24) The Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) is proud to announce the class of 2025 into its prestigious Hall of Fame in advance of the 52nd EMPA Convention, which takes place January 10-13, at the Holiday Inn in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
The membership of EMPA – which consists of professional motorsports media associates – voted to induct the selected individuals for entry into the Hall of Fame, as well as other various awards affiliated with the organization.
Heading up the class of 2025 is noted motorsports journalist Mark ‘Bones’ Bourcier. Bones has set the standard for excellence in motorsports journalism with hundreds of columns and features for newspapers such as Speedway Scene and Speed Sport while his byline has appeared in Stock Car Racing, Open Wheel, and Speedway Illustrated. He wrote books that include “Foyt, Andretti, Petty” and he has co-authored the auto-biographies of Bill Simpson, Tony Stewart, Bugs Stevens, Gary Balough, Eddie Flemke, and Parnelli Jones.
Jimmy Horton III is a dirt Modified superstar and recently inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame and can now add his name to the EMPA Hall of Fame. Throughout his outstanding career he has put together a win total of 466 triumphs which not only includes dirt Modifieds, Sprint Cars and Late Models but on the Nation’s top superspeedways as well in the ARCA Series.
Veteran dirt Modified standout Alan Johnson has put together a career that includes feature victories at 39 different tracks and wins that total a staggering 439. Johnson was twice named the EMPA Richie Evans Memorial Northeast Dirt Driver of the year (2003 & 2006) and in 2017 he was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame. He can now add the EMPA Hall of Fame to his long list of accomplishments.
Steve Park, a native New Englander, first rose to stardom in Northeast pavement Modifieds before going onto the ranks of ARCA and NASCAR. Park can boast winning in all of the aforementioned divisions including the Cup Series when he raced for Dale Earnhardt Sr.
When it comes to NHRA drag racing one of the perennial stars is Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme. A member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Prudhomme has racked up a ton of accomplishments including four NHRA Funny Car championships coupled with countless victories.
Sprint Car kingpin Sammy Swindell is a three-time World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion and owns 394 A-main wins, and that’s just with the WoO. In an amazing career that spans over five decades, Swindell not only was a tremendous success in Sprint Cars but also competed in IndyCars and NASCAR.
The Richie Evans Memorial Northeast Driver of the Year goes annually to an asphalt and dirt racer. And, for the first time since the award split into two categories a new pavement winner has emerged with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore unseating 5-time winner Matt Hirschman. On the dirt side Mat Williamson, who this year garnered the Super DIRTcar Series title and for the first time since 2019 has earned the EMPA Northeast Dirt Driver of the Year honors.
The Al Holbert Memorial National Driver of the Year – also one each in asphalt and dirt – is going to NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Larson for a third time (2020 & ’21) and 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion David Gravel.
The 2024 John Blewett III Young Gun award presented by New England Race Fuels, will be presented to multi-talented dirt and pavement racer Corey Day.
Earning the Chris Economaki Memorial Newsmaker of the Year Award is veteran Sprint Car and NASCAR driver Dave Blaney, who retired in Victory Lane after his win at Sharon Speedway earlier this year. That race was also the 16th Annual Lou Blaney Memorial, a race held in honor of his late father who is also an EMPA Hall of Fame inductee.
The Junie Donlavey Memorial Spirit of the Sport goes to New Jersey native Ryan Flores. After leaving home with a dream to make it in the NASCAR Cup Series, living on couches at the start, he was picked up by Roush-Fenway Racing at the age of 20 working as a fabricator and eventually part of the road crew team. His career skyrocketed after he was hired by Stewart-Haas Racing, where he would eventually become a tire changer before moving over to the Wood Brothers and now Team Penske on the No. 12 of Ryan Blaney.
The EMPA Promotional Effort of the Year recipient is Doug Rose. Since taking over the ownership of New Jersey’s Bridgeport Speedway, Rose has elevated the racing-rich dirt oval into new heights. The track was changed to a 3/8-mile and highlights not just great weekly action but some of the Nation’s top touring divisions as well. Little Bridgeport Speedway is located inside the big track and plays host to Micro Sprints. Both tracks draw great car counts thanks to the ongoing efforts of Rose along with his wife Brittany. Rose also partners with Richie Tobias who runs the very successful Kutztown Speedway and their wildly popular Wednesday night races.
World Racing Group has named BAPS Motor Speedway owner Scott Gobrecht as the recipient of the Jerry Reigle Outstanding Contribution to Sprint Car Racing award winner.
Elections also took place for the EMPA Board of Directors and retaining their seats are current EMPA Vice-President Karl Fredrickson and Secretary Carol Houssock.
During the formal awards dinner presentations, the organization will also recognize many of their own including the Jim Hunter Memorial Writer of the Year and Ace Lane Sr., Memorial Photographer of the Year, along with numerous others whose talents are recognized in the EMPA Pocono Raceway Writers Contest and the Brice’s NAPA Auto Parts Photo Contest.
The annual convention begins with a Friday evening “Salute to the Champions” where local and regional driving titlists have a meet and greet with the press followed by socializing.
Saturday consists of press conferences, workshops and guest speakers. The “Voice of The 500” Paul Page, is this year’s keynote speaker on Saturday. The convention culminates with the evening’s Hall of Fame dinner and awards ceremony.
Founded in 1969, the Eastern Motorsport Press Association is an organization of professional writers, broadcasters, announcers, videographers, and photographers working in the motorsports industry. It also includes associate and corporate members with backing from Dover Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Brice’s NAPA Auto Parts, Wanick Construction, New England Race Fuels, Speedway Illustrated, Buckley’s Automotive, Inc., Evergreen Raceway, and Himmer Graphics, who are among the supporters of the organization.
Sources: EMPA