FORCE WINS SHAV GLICK AWARD
Sun, 2008-02-24 17:46
FORCE’S DAUGHTERS ACCEPT SHAV GLICK AWARD ON HIS
BEHALF IN CEREMONIES DURING RAIN-PLAGUED AUTO CLUB 500
While their father was busy Sunday racing in Arizona, Brittany and Courtney
Force and Adria Hight accepted the Justice Brothers-Shav Glick Award, on his
behalf. The annual award, presented in conjunction with the Auto Club 500 at
California Speedway, recognizes those who have made distinguished contributions
to motor sports in the state of California,
From Firebird Raceway, where he was eliminated in the first round of
Sunday’s 24th annual Checker/Schuck’s/Kragen Nationals, second race in the 2008
NHRA POWERade Series, Force acknowledged both Glick, the dean of American motor
sports writers who last year succumbed to complications of melanoma, and the
other nominees for the award.
“Being nominated for an award with Shav’s name on it is an honor by
itself,” Force said, “but to be with people like Robert (E.) Petersen, Chris
Pook and Jimmie Johnson, the NASCAR champ, makes it even more special. I wish I
could have been there myself but I’m just glad my girls were able to accept it
for me. It’ll go right in my museum.”
Johnson, the 2006 and 2007 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, began riding 50cc
motorcycles at age five. Before heading to NASCAR, he drove in the Mickey
Thompson Entertainment Group Stadium Racing Series and won championships in the
SCORE International Off-Road Series and SODA Winter Series.
FORCE’S DAUGHTERS ACCEPT SHAV GLICK AWARD ON HIS
BEHALF IN CEREMONIES DURING RAIN-PLAGUED AUTO CLUB 500
While their father was busy Sunday racing in Arizona, Brittany and Courtney
Force and Adria Hight accepted the Justice Brothers-Shav Glick Award, on his
behalf. The annual award, presented in conjunction with the Auto Club 500 at
California Speedway, recognizes those who have made distinguished contributions
to motor sports in the state of California,
From Firebird Raceway, where he was eliminated in the first round of
Sunday’s 24th annual Checker/Schuck’s/Kragen Nationals, second race in the 2008
NHRA POWERade Series, Force acknowledged both Glick, the dean of American motor
sports writers who last year succumbed to complications of melanoma, and the
other nominees for the award.
“Being nominated for an award with Shav’s name on it is an honor by
itself,” Force said, “but to be with people like Robert (E.) Petersen, Chris
Pook and Jimmie Johnson, the NASCAR champ, makes it even more special. I wish I
could have been there myself but I’m just glad my girls were able to accept it
for me. It’ll go right in my museum.”
Johnson, the 2006 and 2007 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, began riding 50cc
motorcycles at age five. Before heading to NASCAR, he drove in the Mickey
Thompson Entertainment Group Stadium Racing Series and won championships in the
SCORE International Off-Road Series and SODA Winter Series.
Petersen, who died this year at age 80, was the founder of Hot Rod, Motor
Trend and other magazine titles. He spent decades as the chairman of the board
at Petersen Publishing, which at one time was America's leading publisher of
special-interest consumer magazines and books.
As founder of the Long Beach Grand Prix, Pook created a formula for racing
on city streets that has become the standard for such events in the United
States
Glick was a long time motorsports writer for the Los Angeles Times and
member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. He covered the drag racing
events at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (the Winternationals in February and Auto
Club Finals in November) for more than 30 years. The press room at that track
bears his name.
“Shav was the first real writer to ever do a story on me,” said the
loquacious Force, “and we stayed friends through the years. He was a great guy
and it’s not the same to go to Pomona and not see him there.”
Force, who is battling back this year from serious injuries suffered in a Sept. 23rd crash in Dallas, Texas, is drag racing’s most prolific winner. In addition to a record 125 NHRA tour victories, he has won 14 series championships.
Force, who is battling back this year from serious injuries suffered in a Sept. 23rd crash in Dallas, Texas, is drag racing’s most prolific winner. In addition to a record 125 NHRA tour victories, he has won 14 series championships.
The winner of the Shav Glick Award was selected by a judging panel
including national and California motorsports writers. Previous winners include
NHRA founder Wally Parks, Rick Mears, Carroll Shelby, Phil Hill, Dan Gurney,
Parnelli Jones and 2007 winner Don “the Snake” Prudhomme against whom Force used
to race on the NHRA circuit.
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