The Ozarks Area Racers Foundation inducted it’s 2023 Hall of Fame class today. Find information about the inductees below.
LEGENDS
Ricky Icenhower: The Fair Grove native has been involved in racing for 27 years, starting as a driver in the Bomber division in 1989 at Lebanon I-44 Speedway, and in 1992 he won the NASCAR Sunbelt Region championship in his Modified. In recent years, Ricky’s son, Trevor, has been a very successful racer behind the wheel.
Bob Johnson: Originally from southeast Kansas, Johnson started racing in 1963 in southern California and moved to southwest Missouri and raced on the pavement at the Fairgrounds and Tri-State Speedway in Arkansas, running against the likes of Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace. He was still involved in building race cars and working on them through 2010.
Randy R. Martin: Born and raised in Springfield, Martin has been involved in racing for 60 years. He drove Late Models on the pavement from 1980 into the early 1990s at the Fairgrounds Speedway, I-70 Speedway, Bolivar Speedway, and Lebanon I-44 Speedway.
Perry Vaught: The Crane resident raced for 30 years, in seven different classes of cars and also raced motorcycles on flat tracks and motocross tracks. He raced in the inaugural event at the Monett Speedway and said he got hooked after that and couldn’t quit.
PIONEERS
Scotty Allen: The long-time resident of Urbana has been involved in racing for 35 years as a driver on both dirt and asphalt, a track owner, and chassis builder. Allen opened Allen Autosports in 2003 and is promoter at the highly successful Dallas County Speedway which has played host to the USMTS Race of the Year twice.
Danny Felker: The Joplin resident was crew chief for Larry Phillips when he won the 1989 NASCAR Winston Weekly Championship. He started American Made Race Cars in 1990 with his brother Denny driving. He helps his son, Andrew, who’s racing Midgets in USAC, POWRi, and XTreme.
Skip Pope: A North Carolina resident for the last 33 years, Pope grew up in Crane. He’s worked for NASCAR teams over the years in various roles, including Team Engineer, Crew Chief, and Shock Specialist. He’s most proud of helping bring data acquisition and metrology to the sport.
Larry Robertson: The Springfield native grew up three blocks from the Fairgrounds Speedway and worked in racing for more than 20 years as an engine builder in NASCAR, ARCA, IROC, land speed record cars at the Bonneville Salt Flats, and even off-short boats.
The 2023 class brings the total number of Ozarks Area Racers Foundation Hall of Famers to 225.
The Hall of Fame monument is on display outside the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, available for viewing 365 days a year. Donated by Jake and Jason Diemer of Greenlawn Funeral Home, the monument was moved from the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
