In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Raymond Parks

In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Raymond Parks

Topics: NASCAR, Raymond Parks

In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Raymond Parks

Congressman Richard Hudson
Congressional Record: 114th Congress
Extensions of Remarks
15 June 2016

SPEECH OF HON. RICHARD HUDSON OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016

Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the late racing legend Raymond Parks upon his induction into the eighth class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

If it weren't for men like Raymond Parks, there is no doubt the racing industry as we know it would not exist today. Mr. Parks was a pivotal player in both the development and expansion of NASCAR since its inception.

After serving his country during WWII, Mr. Parks returned to the United States where he had begun a career as a stock-car owner before the war. In 1947, he attended a meeting in Daytona Beach, Florida that would change racing forever. Sitting around the table with other drivers and promoters, they agreed that racing could not grow without a formal organization to create rules and give their sport structure. As a result, NASCAR was born.

From then on Raymond Parks remained an influential member in motorsports. Known for being the first successful team owner in racing, he won the first NACSCAR title ever in 1948. He would continue to work alongside his original team to dominate the sport until his retirement. Even though Mr. Parks passed away in 2010, his legacy lives on and will now be preserved forever in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

This year's class was selected by a comprehensive voting panel that included track owners, retired competitors, industry leaders, members of the media, and a nationwide fan vote. In total, a group of five was chosen to join the ranks of other NASCAR legends in the Hall of Fame. Mr. Parks is extremely deserving of this honor and will now be enshrined forever for his contributions to the sport.

Mr. Speaker, please join me today in honoring Raymond Parks, a 2017 inductee of the NASCAR Hall of Fame