NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Former star NHRA Top Fuel driver Darrell Gwynn will be among the nine heroes of motorsports inducted at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s 2023 induction class March 6–7, 2023, at the Hall's home in Daytona Beach, Fla. 

In 2000, Gwynn was named one of the NHRA's 50 Greatest Drivers for his stellar accomplishments in a tragically truncated career. He collected the 1983 Top Alcohol Dragster world championship, then moved to Top Fuel, where he took 18 victories and never finished lower than fourth in points between 1986 and 1989. A 1990 accident resulted in paralysis and the loss of his left arm. As an owner, Gwynn fielded a very competitive Top Fuel car for Frank Hawley and then Mike Dunn for close to a decade. He started the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in 2002 and, in 2014, opened The Darrell Gwynn Quality of Life Chapter of The Buoniconti Fund.

The Class of 2023 also includes the Father of the Corvette and Corvette Racing Zora Arkus-Duntov (Sports Cars); longtime USAC official and safety pioneer Henry Banks (Historic); America's most successful enduro racer, Dick Burleson (Motorcycles); air racing superstar Art Chester (Aviation); one of NASCAR's most innovative crew chiefs, Ray Evernham (Stock Cars); early NASCAR fan-favorite Fonty Flock (Historic); prolific land speed record-setter Ab Jenkins (Historic); and two men who revolutionized racetrack emergency services, saving countless lives and careers, Drs. Stephen Olvey and Terry Trammell (Open Wheel).

Each of the MSHFA's inductees is elected by a straight vote of 200 motorsports experts — half of them inductees themselves. Through last month's Class of 2022 induction, 279 Heroes of Horsepower are currently in the MSHFA, a number that will grow to 288 with the 35th Induction Class.

Gwynn will be just the 35th person from the drag racing world to be inducted.

Other drag racing notables already in the Hall, along with their year of induction:

Don Garlits (1989)
Shirley Muldowney (1990)
Don Prudhomme (1991)
Connie Kalitta (1992)
Wally Parks (1993)
Bob Glidden (1994)
Keith Black (1995)
Bill Jenkins (1996)
Art Chrisman (1997)
Don Nicholson (1998)
C. J. Hart (1999)
Danny Ongais (2000)
Tom McEwen (2001)
Eddie Hill (2002)
Ed Donovan (2003)
Joe Amato (2004)
Tommy Ivo (2005)
Chris Karamesines (2006)
Sox & Martin (2007))
John Force (2008)
Kenny Bernstein (2009)
Dale Armstrong (2010)
Ed McCulloch (2011)
Ed Pink (2012)
Jack Chrisman (2013)
Raymond Beadle (2014)
Warren Johnson (2015)
Dave McClelland (2016)
Paula Murphy (2017)
John Buttera (2018)
Don Schumacher (2019)
"Ohio George" Montgomery (2020)
Larry Dixon (2021)
Dick LaHaie (2022)