January 13, 2025

Lincoln, AL — Donnie Allison summed up what it means for someone to be inducted into the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame fairly well.

“You’re in the best club ever, now.”

The Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers (AARP) is a group of over 300 motorsports enthusiasts dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of racing in the Yellowhammer State. Each year, the organization inducts a new class of honorees—both living and deceased—into its prestigious Pioneers Hall of Fame. Alongside these inductions, the organization also awards the B.J. Parker Racing Ambassador Award annually to an individual who has significantly contributed to the promotion and growth of the sport.

On Sunday, January 12th, the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers inducted their class for the 2024 year. These individuals join a stacked list of Hall of Famers, including but not limited to Charles “Red” Farmer, Donnie Allison, Bobby Allison, Davey Allison, and several more.

“This is our 29th annual induction ceremony,” said Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers President, Bob Massey. “We have a broader group of inductees, not necessarily circle track racing, not necessarily from the Birmingham area, it’s grown from the center out. We’re now getting more input from all over, and it makes it special because it’s a group of Alabama racers enjoying Alabama racers from all aspects.”

This story will shed light on the four deceased inductees, the four living inductees, and the recipient of the B.J. Parker Award, with the goal of preserving the history of these great contributors to the Alabama racing scene.

Deceased Inductees

Johnnie Henderson — Starting his racing career in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, Johnnie Henderson raced Micro Midgets in the Dothan, Alabama area and beyond, building his own engines along the way. Opening Old Gray Hodges Park in 1968, a track that closed after one season, a new passion was found for Henderson—track promotion. In 1969, Henderson built the now defunct Rocket Speedway just north of Dothan. The asphalt track opened in 1970 and drew well-known racing talents such as Red Farmer, the Allison’s, Neil Bonnett, and more in addition to the strong local talent. Henderson’s legacy is one of a businessman who loved racing so much that he took matters into his own hands, and brought racing back to the Wiregrass region of Alabama. Henderson sadly passed in 2024, but his memory lives on through the Pioneers.

Jerry Pate — In 1958, Jerry Pate started building race cars to be ran at a local dirt track, County Line Speedway in Trafford, Alabama. For the better part of a decade, Pate continued building race-winning machines for the dirt track, before transitioning to building asphalt cars in the late 1960’s. This line of work continued across multiple decades for Pate. One of Pate’s drivers, Darrell Brown, would take home the 1984 All-Pro Racing Series championship. It was after this triumph that Pate decided to put down his wrenches after 26 years of service to the sport.

Alan Revis — Being around cars and mechanical environments at a young age, Alan Revis was a natural fit in the racing world. After serving out his military service in 1964, Revis returned to his home state of Alabama. Revis attended races regularly at Huntsville Speedway before moving to Prattville, Alabama in 1968. It was in Prattville where he met Ford engineer Bill Hamner, resulting in Revis finding employment at Long-Lewis Ford. It was there where he worked his way into the role of Service Manager and befriended local racer Sonny Dawson. Revis joined Dawson’s crew and was crew chief for Dawson’s championship campaign at Birmingham International Raceway in the early 1990’s. This team grew into Rat Hole Racing, which expanded its reach into other local tracks in Clanton and Childersburg. After retiring from Long-Lewis Ford in 2005, Revis dedicated his days to working on race cars before passing in 2015.

Don Savage — Don Savage first got into racing while in high school. Graduating in 1978, he played a role in a few Limited Sportsman championships at Huntsville Speedway in the years following. Savage picked up his only win as a driver in 1982, driving his own Late Model Sportsman car at Huntsville. Savage chose to take his skills and put them towards being an engine man, chassis man, and crew chief for several short track racers. Savage teamed up with Bruce Shaw from 1983-1992, winning a NASCAR Gold Wrench Award in 1990 along with several other accolades. Savage had a hand in over 170 feature wins and a surplus of track championships across the Deep South from the 1970’s to the 2010’s, leaving behind a legacy of victory and being a treasured individual in the Alabama racing community.

Living Inductees

Eddie Allison — Allison began his racing career in 1957 as a mechanic under Harold Wilcox. Between 1961 and 1962, he built and raced a sedan alongside his brother, Donnie Allison. Eddie later moved to Spartanburg, North Carolina in 1963 to help build a Grand National car, eventually returning to Florida in 1964. From 1966 to 1968, he worked with another famous brother of his, Bobby Allison, in Alabama. The two formed a team and built a Grand National car. After marrying in 1969, Eddie briefly lived in Pittsburgh before returning to racing. By 1970, he was in Spartanburg again, working for Mario Rossi on the no. 22 Superbird, later crewing for Bobby Allison from 1971 to 1973. In 1978, he started contributing to Donnie Allison’s racing efforts at tracks in the Birmingham area.

Ed Chandler — 1965 saw the start of Chandler’s racing career, with him driving his family’s 1955 Pontiac at Green Valley Dragway in Glencoe, Alabama. His local racing success led him to join the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) circuit. Racing a family-owned 1965 Chevrolet, Chandler set multiple drag racing records across the Deep South, ranging from the Appalachian foothills of the Carolinas all the way down through Mississippi. In 1977, Chandler made the move to Rear-Engine Dragsters, winning several World Championship races along the way. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jimmy Wesson — Jimmy Wesson’s start in racing goes back to his childhood in the 1960’s, where he lived across the street from Birmingham International Raceway, cutting yards to earn money to go to the races. Jump to the 1980’s and Wesson is partnering with some of the best local racers around. One such partnership led Wesson, along with Bill Thornbury and Ricky Pennington, to a BIR Street Stock championship. It was also around this time when Wesson’s business, Gardendale Performance, started gaining traction. Along with the ever-growing success of Gardendale Performamce, Wesson’s aid to local racers led to numerous wins and track championships at BIR and Sayre Speedway. With Gardendale Performance growing into a full-time venture for Wesson, he still can be found helping local racers to this very day.

Ted Lackey — Munford, Alabama’s Ted Lackey began his driving career at Talladega Short Track in the 1980’s, first competing in the Thunder Car class. Lackey went on to pick up dozens of wins and numerous track championships across several divisions at TST. Lackey picked up 27 wins while driving for famed car owner Turk Phillips. 1988 and 1989 saw Lackey compete in the NASCAR Sunbelt Region, with his Turk Phillips-owned no. T6 nearly winning the points title in 1989 but ultimately finishing second. Across the entirety of his career, Lackey racked up 117 feature wins in the Deep South, even competing in touring series such as the Southern All Stars Series. Lackey rounded out his racing career with two Late Model track championships at the place that started it all for him, Talladega Short Track.

B.J. Parker Racing Ambassador Award

T.C. Cannon — Terry “T.C.” Cannon has a long and distinct resumé in the world of auto racing. His brother, Joe, is an inductee in the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame, and his nephew John was a car owner and driver. Cannon gained a reputation as a well-known sponsor, crew member, and owner in the sport. He also holds the record for being the longest consecutive dues-paying member of the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers.

If you are interested in joining the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers, or are interested in attending one of their upcoming events, you can find more information at aarpinc.org.

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All photos: Grady Thornton