With his seven drivers, crew chiefs, mechanics, employees, and family forming a proud semicircle around him, emotional Don Schumacher received news Sunday morning at Joliet, Ill., from International Motorsports Hall of Fame Operations Manager Bruce Ramey that he is the newest member in the prestigious organization's Class of 2013.
 
It was a humble moment at Route 66 Raceway for the always-eloquent Chicago businessman and owner of the largest team in National Hot Rod Association history.
 
His voice quivering, Schumacher -- after thanking his personnel -- could manage only a "Wow" in response.
 
"Wow is all I can say," he said after the surprise announcement that took place in his pit at his hometown race, the O'Reilly Route 66 Nationals. Wife Sarah, whom he thought was in Wisconsin this weekend, stepped from behind him to give him her special congratulations as he began his acceptance.

With his seven drivers, crew chiefs, mechanics, employees, and family forming a proud semicircle around him, emotional Don Schumacher received news Sunday morning at Joliet, Ill., from International Motorsports Hall of Fame Operations Manager Bruce Ramey that he is the newest member in the prestigious organization's Class of 2013.
 
It was a humble moment at Route 66 Raceway for the always-eloquent Chicago businessman and owner of the largest team in National Hot Rod Association history.
 
His voice quivering, Schumacher -- after thanking his personnel -- could manage only a "Wow" in response.
 
"Wow is all I can say," he said after the surprise announcement that took place in his pit at his hometown race, the O'Reilly Route 66 Nationals. Wife Sarah, whom he thought was in Wisconsin this weekend, stepped from behind him to give him her special congratulations as he began his acceptance.
 
Schumacher is the third NHRA drag racing legend in less than a year to receive approval from a panel of journalists and industry leaders on behalf of the Talladega, Ala.-based IMHOF. Kenny Bernstein and John Force got the word of the honor last September during the NHRA event at Dallas and were inducted May 3 into the hall.
 
"It's very unusual for somebody to be put on the [final] ballot the first time, and Don got into the top 20 the first time around," Ramey said. "It's an amazing feat from the people from the International Motorsports Hall of Fame."
 
Schumacher said it was "very emotional, even being nominated for this. And to get to this level and be one of the people who are going to be possibly inducted into this. It's just an amazing thing, but it's really because of all of these people I'm lucky are working for me.
 
"Yeah, I took a step in the '50s and '60s and got involved in the sport and was successful back then." He said without them, "I wouldn't be here today with all of these great, great sponsors, all of these wonderful drivers. It just goes on and on how I'm blessed to be able to be out here and do this," Schumacher said. "It's because of the sponsors and because of these team members who are on board with me that have surrounded me and made me look good out here.
 
"I didn't do it. These sponsors did it. Team members did it. And you fans did it," he said.   
"Thank you very, very much."
 
Schumacher had no idea until Sunday morning that he had been voted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. He knew, certainly, that he had been nominated. But even that news came as a shock in March.
 
Ramey paid another surprise visit to Schumacher at the Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla. And Schumacher didn't know him from the random valve spring sitting on one of the workbenches in his 120,000-square-foot racing facility at Brownsburg, Ind.
 
"It was all set up that I would meet him and tell him he was a nominee," Ramey said. "And when I showed up, Don gave me a look as if to say, 'Who in the h--- are you, walking into my motor coach?' But after a few minutes of telling him who I was and explained what I was doing there, we became instant friends.
 
"About a month ago, I got a letter from Don, thanking me again for the honor of just being on the list of nominees," Ramey said. "In that letter, he said the Hall of Fame should be reserved only for those who have achieved the highest level of accomplishments. He also said in there -- and I know some of you drivers have heard this -- that he believes that competition drives and builds champions. I do, too."
 
He said he was proud to present Schumacher as the newest member of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Class of 2013 to join such auto racing luminaries as A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Mickey Thompson, Henry Ford, Louis Chevrolet, and drag racing giant Bob Glidden.
 
Schumacher is the first 2103 inductee to be announced. Ramey said the Hall plans to announce three other names Monday morning to fill out Schumacher's class.

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