The inaugural class of the Trans Am Hall of Fame will be inducted Feb. 21 during a celebratory dinner at Sebring International Raceway, where the series made its debut in 1966. 18 legendary drivers and team owners will be among the first inductees into the Trans Am Hall of Fame, which was announced in November to honor the longest-running professional road racing series in North America.
The Trans Am Series, originally named the Trans-American Sedan Championship, debuted on March 25, 1966 with its inaugural race at Sebring, and has excited audiences for nearly 60 years with its combination of powerful American muscle cars and elite GT cars from around the world.
Members of the new Trans Am Hall of Fame will range from the series’ earliest winners and champions to influential figures who have shaped modern motorsports, as well as groundbreaking competitors still competing in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli.
“I could not be more thrilled about the inaugural class of the Trans Am Hall of Fame,” said Tony Parella, founder of Parella Motorsports Holdings. “On the night of the induction ceremony, the room is going to be filled with so many of the most influential people in the history of the Trans Am Series and motorsports as a whole. It will be my absolute privilege to honor them for their contributions to the series.”
Below is the inaugural class of the Trans Am Hall of Fame, in alphabetical order:
John Clagett
Former President John Clagett acted as a caretaker for the Trans Am Series for nearly 40 years, beginning his tenure with the series when he served as the Vice President of SCCA Pro Racing from 1984-2000. He was named Executive Director of the series from 2003-2006, at a time that was particularly challenging for road racing in North America. In 2009, he fought alongside Hall of Fame inductee Greg Pickett to bring the series back from dormancy, and was named President of Trans Am Race Company, LLC. Since then, the series has experienced exponential growth in competition, entries and fans under his watch. He secured a landmark title partnership with Pirelli, and sponsorship of the wildly successful TA2 class with the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series.
Wally Dallenbach Jr.
Known for his exceptional driving skills and charismatic personality, Wally Dallenbach Jr. made an impression in his debut season, earning the 1984 Rookie of the Year honors. Impressing legendary team owner (and fellow Hall of Fame inductee) Jack Roush and the Ford Motor Company, Dallenbach Jr. was brought into the Roush Mercury stable in 1985, where he captured five victories and the championship, edging teammate Willy T. Ribbs. At 22 years old, he became what was then the youngest-ever Trans Am champion. He followed that up with another title the following season, winning the championship by a huge margin while racing a Chevrolet Camaro. Dallenbach Jr. would go on to excel in the GT categories in IMSA, winning the Daytona 24 Hours in 1985, 1991, 1992 and 1993, and the Sebring 12 Hours in 1985, 1988 and 1989. He continues to race in the Trans Am Series today.
Mark Donohue (inducted posthumously)
Mark Donohue was the driver to beat in Trans Am for four seasons, although the record books don’t fully represent Donohue’s greatness as the series only awarded manufacturer championships until 1972. Beginning his career in the series in 1967 driving for fellow inductee Roger Penske, he scored three victories that year. The following season he amassed 10 wins, including a victory in the Trans Am class in the 12 Hours of Sebring alongside Craig Fisher, securing Penske and Chevrolet the 1968 title. Chevrolet took the championship again on the strength of Donohue’s six victories in 1969. Earning three victories in 1970, Donohue brought Penske and new manufacturer AMC the championship in 1971 with seven wins. His record of 29 victories wouldn’t be broken for more than 30 years, and applying the points retrospectively, he would have taken the driver’s championship three times in four seasons.
Chris Dyson
The son of sports car racer and team owner Rob Dyson, three-time Trans Am TA class champion Chris Dyson has enjoyed more than two decades of success in road course racing. Dyson began his career in the American Le Mans Series in 2001, where he earned two titles. The talented and passionate driver made forays into sprint car racing and NASCAR, but found his home in the Trans Am Series in 2018. Dyson finished top three in the points in his first three seasons of TA competition, and finally earned the coveted championship in 2021. He began a dynasty in the class, winning titles again in both 2022 and 2023. Dyson currently sits fourth on the all-time TA win list with 26 National Championship victories, and continues to race today in pursuit of wins and his fourth championship.
Ron Fellows
A 20-time winner in the Trans Am Series, Ron Fellows is often considered the greatest Trans Am driver to never win a championship. His first victory appropriately came at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in 1989 while driving for fellow Hall of Famer Jack Roush. With three victories in 1992, Fellows finished second in points, and he was a runner up again in 1994 after four wins. He earned his third-consecutive second-place finish in the points in 1995 with five victories, and fell short of the title again in 1996 despite four wins. Following his Trans Am career, Fellows went on to race in sports cars, earning class wins at Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona, while also capturing an American Le Mans Series championship. The Ontario, Canada native is also beloved for saving the track where he scored his first Trans Am victory, then known as Mosport.
George Follmer
Renowned for his versatility, George Follmer is the only driver in history to win both the Trans Am and Can-Am championships in the same year. Follmer began his career racing for Bud Moore from 1969-1971, earning four victories. In 1972, he took the checkered flag four times, earning the series’ first-ever driver championship in the Over 2.5-Liter class, while scoring AMC its second-consecutive manufacturers’ title. That same season, he filled in for an injured Mark Donohue in Penske Racing’s Can-Am program, scoring five wins and the title. Follmer went on to race in Formula 1, Can-Am and NASCAR before returning to Trans Am, capturing his second championship in 1976.
Ernie Francis Jr.
A prodigious talent, Ernie Francis Jr. won his first Trans Am GT class championship in 2014 at the age of 16, making him the youngest Trans Am champion at the time. He went on to win the GT title two more times and become the winningest driver in the class with 23 victories. In 2017, he moved into the TA class, winning the title four years in a row, and capturing wins in 24 points-paying races. At just 22 years old, Francis Jr.’s name was already in the Trans Am record books, holding the most combined National Championship wins and being the first driver to claim four-consecutive Trans Am TA class titles. Francis Jr. has since gone on to race in INDYNXT. At just 27 years old, Francis Jr. could continue to break records for years to come.
Paul Gentilozzi
Paul Gentilozzi has been a powerful force in the Trans Am Series as both a driver and a team owner. First joining the Trans Am Series in 1987, he earned his first victory in 1988. A constant presence on the racetrack, it wasn’t until 1998 that Gentilozzi really hit his stride, tallying seven wins and his first Trans Am title. He backed it up the following season, winning the championship on the strength of six victories. In 2001, he won the title after piloting to victory lane eight times, and repeated the feat again in 2004. His fifth and final title was earned in 2006, and he holds the record of the winningest driver in Trans Am’s TA class with 31 victories. His team, 3GT Racing (formerly Rocketsports Racing), has remained a constant contender for wins and titles since Gentilozzi stepped back as a driver, and most recently captured the TA championship with Paul Menard behind the wheel. His contributions to Trans Am racing extend beyond the track, as he played a pivotal role in promoting and developing the series, ensuring its continued growth and success. Gentilozzi’s legacy in Trans Am is characterized by his dedication, passion, and unwavering pursuit of excellence.