Nominations

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Purpose of Nominations Eligibility Classifications Guidelines for Nomination Nomination Form

Nomination Committee’s Procedures Election Process


Nominations to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame (GRHOF)

The nominations of individuals for induction are very important to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Please read the following carefully to ensure that you provide enough information to facilitate the review process and comply with selection guidelines.


PURPOSE OF NOMINATIONS

To preserve the racing heritage in both the state and region.
To honor those, living or dead, who by achievement have produced lasting contributions to Georgia’s racing heritage.
To inspire Georgia youth involved in racing to reach their highest potential.


ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility for induction is extended to any person who has driven, piloted, owned, designed, built, supported, maintained, prepared or promoted motorized vehicles in pursuit of speed, distance or other records. Inductees are characterized by their desire to win, mastery of their field and the courage to innovate and:

Been born in Georgia and lived in the state for a reasonable period of time,
OR
Participated in and made a major contribution to motorsports in Georgia and the U.S.,
OR
Brought honor to the state of Georgia through his/her endeavors,
AND
May be living or deceased,
AND
Participated in motorsports for a minimum of five (5) years.

(GRHOF Board of Directors may waive eligibility criteria, if approved by a minimum of ninety percent (90%) of the Board Members)

Automatic Eligibility: Any individual, living in Georgia and has competed or made a major contribution to motorsport in the state and U.S., having won or was directly involved in achieving a world record or nationally sanctioned championship, is automatically eligible for review and will be considered a living legend.


CLASSIFICATIONS

Driver: In addition to the eligibility criteria, a driver being nominated must have:

Distinguished themselves through professional competition at the highest levels of their participation and, as a result, brought lasting glory and recognition to themselves and Georgia through their achievements.
AND
Been inactive for a minimum of five (5) years. In the event an active driver, who has passed all eligibility requirements, is fatally injured in competition, that driver can and may be inducted in that same year or any year thereafter.

Owner: In addition to the eligibility criteria, an owner being nominated must have:

Owned a team for a minimum of five (5) years and inactive for a five (5) years.
AND
Completed an outstanding record of wins and championships.
AND/OR
Been a major force or influence in the career of a driver or mechanic.

Crew Chief/Mechanic: In addition to the eligibility criteria, a crew chief/mechanic being nominated must have:
Been instrumental in achieving championships, records or accomplishments above and beyond the duties and responsibilities thereof.

Major Contributor: In addition to the eligibility criteria, a major contributor being nominated must have:
Owned or operated a racetrack for at least ten (10) years.
OR
Been an official, member of the sports media, inventor or an individual, who played vital and integral roles in the development and advancement of motorsports in Georgia and U.S., through various administrative, promotional or other influential capacities for at least fifteen (15) years.

*Members of Thunder Road USA, Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, and its active committee members are ineligible for induction during their appointment.


GUIDELINES FOR NOMINATION

Any fan, citizen, group or organization may nominate an individual for induction into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Nominees must be, but are not limited to a: driver, owner, crew chief/mechanic or major contributor to the sport.

The induction committees, through a review and multiple-balloting process, select up to eight (8) inductees into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame annual induction class. This process involves many steps, but it starts with informed people like you, who help discover worthy people for induction into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. To be included on the ballot, a person must be nominated by a member of the Induction Committee.

Please submit the information listed below to have the Induction Committees consider your nomination.

Nomination Process: The nomination packet must include:

A completed nomination form with all supporting documentation.

A one-page letter of support from the person making the nomination.

A biography, explaining the candidate’s contributions to Georgia’s motorsport heritage.

Relevant details, statistics or informative data concerning a nominee’s accomplishments.

Up to six (6) significant photos.

**Nomination forms and supporting materials must be submitted to

the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame nomination committee during

the period beginning in October through April 15th.

All materials, submitted for consideration of candidates, become the property of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.

All persons nominated are presented to the appropriate screening Committees for review. Information on potential nominees is collected and stored for annual screening by independent nominating committees.

The committees, after careful consideration, present their recommendations to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Board of Directors, who certify the list of inductees. We need detailed information and supporting documentation to help the committees in their review, and the staff in their preparation of the annual group of inductees.

Nomination forms will remain on file for five (5) years from the date they are received. If not inducted during that period, names must be resubmitted for further consideration.

Mail nomination packets to:

GRHOF
c/o Hall of Fame Nominating Committee
P. O. Box 1561
Dawsonville, Georgia 30534



NOMINATION COMMITTEE:

The Nomination Committee is an eleven member committee whose purpose is to compile the Master Ballot of 50 nominees, by reviewing information in nomination packages submitted, verifying eligibility of each candidate, and general oversight of the entire voting process. One member of the Nomination Committee will serve as Chairman.

The committee is provided with a Master Ballot, minus the previous year’s inductees into the Hall of Fame. The committee votes for five new names to be added to the Master Ballot to bring the total ballot number to 50 nominees (in some instances, the names may exceed five – but not to exceed a total of 50 nominees on the ballot).

The committee can vote via email, telephone, post or fax. The Chairman of the Nomination Committee will gather and tally all votes. The Chairman will also break all ties.

Once the votes are tallied, the five nominees receiving the highest number of votes will be added to the Master Ballot. Nominees who did not finish in the top five remain on the Master Ballot, and remain in contention for future consideration. Once a nominee is on the Master Ballot, the nominee will remain on the Master Ballot until A: the nominee is inducted into the Hall of Fame, or B: the nominee requests to be removed from consideration.

If a nominee requests to be removed from the Master Ballot, the nominee must do so in writing and cannot be considered for nomination without written consent from the nominee. Should a nominee request to be removed once the voting process begins, that nominee’s replacement on the ballot will be voted by members of the Nomination Committee.

Once the Nomination Committee has reached a total of 50 names on the Master Ballot, the nominees will advance to the Semi-Finalist Committee.

Semi-Finalists Committee:

The Semi-Finalist Committee is a 31 member committee whose purpose is to select 15 nominees to proceed to the final vote. Committee members will receive the Master Ballot and a form of file that includes nomination package information for all 50 nominees. The committee will receive the information via post or email. Each Semi-Finalists Committee member will review the nominee information provided and vote for 15 nominees to be considered for advancement to the Finalists Committee vote. Committee members make their votes via email, post, or fax, or by telephone to the Nomination Committee Chairman.

Once the votes are tallied, and ties (if applicable) are broken by the members of the Nomination Committee, the top 15 vote receivers will be named Semi-Finalists and advance to the Finalist Committee.

Finalists Committee

The Finalists Committee is a 21 member committee whose purpose is to select five nominees to be inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Committee members will receive the Semi-Finalists Ballot and a form of file that includes nomination package information for all 15 Semi-Finalists. The committee will receive the information via post or email. Each Finalists Committee member will review the nominee information provided and vote for five nominees to be inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Committee members make their votes via email, post, or fax, or by telephone to the Nomination Committee Chairman.


THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE’S ELECTION PROCESS

The process begins with the nine person nomination committee. This committee reviews the nominations that have been made that have not made the voting ballot. This includes past nominations that have not been voted onto the ballot, along with any new nominees.

The committee is provided with the Nomination Ballot. The committee then votes for five new names to be added to the ballot to bring the total ballot number to 50 names (in some instances, the names may exceed five – whatever the number needs to be to reach 50 names on the overall ballot).

The committee can vote via email, telephone, post or fax. One person should be chosen to head up the committee, and to total up the votes. It’s recommended this person be the same throughout the voting process.

PLEASE NOTE: The Nomination Committee also breaks any and all ties throughout the voting process.

Once the votes are tallied, the top five vote getters are added to the overall ballot. Those who do not make the cut remain on the Nomination Ballot, and remain in contention for the next year’s vote. Once a name is on the Nomination Ballot, it remains on that ballot until A: the person is voted into the Hall of Fame, or B: the person requests to be removed from consideration.

PLEASE NOTE: Once a person is voted onto the overall ballot for the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, that person remains on the ballot until A: the person is voted into the Hall of Fame, or B: the person requests to be removed from consideration.

In the event that a person asks to be removed from consideration, the person cannot be added back without the personal clearance of that person. Should a person request to be removed once the voting process begins, that person’s replacement on the ballot will be voted on by the Nomination Committee.

Once the Nomination Committee has chosen the newest names to be added to the ballot, the process moves to the “Fast 15” Vote.

Fast 15 Vote:

The Fast 15 ballot, containing the 50 nominee’s names and biographies, is sent out to the Fast 15 voters, a group of about 30 people from throughout Georgia motorsports. This is a group of voters who will choose 15 names from the ballot to go on to the final 5 vote. The vote is BLIND to make sure no coercion occurs during the voting process.

The Fast 15 Ballot is sent out via email and post. Voters can send in their votes via email, post, fax or by telephone to the Committee Head. Once these votes are tallied, and any ties broken by the Nomination Committee, the Top 15 vote receivers will move on to the Final 5 ballot as the semi-finalists.

Once the votes have been taken, the ballot is paired down to the “Fast 15”, and the process moves to the Final 5 Vote.

Final 5 Vote:

The Final 5 ballot, containing the 15 semi-finalists, is sent out to the Final 5 committee, a group of about 20 people from throughout Georgia motorsports. This group of voters will choose 5 names from the 15. Once those votes are tallied, and any ties broken by the Nomination Committee, you are left with the 5 newest inductees to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.