Alabama International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Talladega

The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame located adjacent to the 2.66 mi Talladega Superspeedway located in Talladega County, east central Alabama. It enshrines those who have contributed the most to motorsports either as a developer, driver, engineer or owner. The IMHOF was established in early 1970 following NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.'s decision to hire short track racing promoter Don Naman to build a museum and hall of fame in order "to preserve the history of motorsports and to enshrine forever the people who have been responsible for its growth." George Wallace, the Governor of Alabama, formed an 18-member observer commission in 1975 to choose a site and select a design. Following the failure to pass a state-wide referendum on a state bond finance distribution to build the IMHOF, France donated 35 acres of land from former race car driver Johnny Ray's family. France opted to build the IMHOF in Alabama rather than in his hometown of Daytona Beach, Florida because Floridian politicians threatened to levy a tax on Daytona International Speedway. ()