The brand new Vermont Motorsports Hall of Fame welcomed in its inaugural class of 2025 at a ceremony in Milton this past weekend.
Nine people who were either born in Vermont, or who spent most of their career in the state, were recognized for their contribution to motorsports.
The hall of fame recognizes all motorsports, including drag racing, snowmobile and go-kart racing, and tractor pulling.
“The first automobile race in Vermont was in 1903, so we’ve got quite a bit of history to cover,” said Justin St. Louis, president of the Vermont Motorsports Hall of Fame.
St. Louis, 42, grew up around racing. His father drove a stock car, and he also raced a little bit when he was younger.
He spent time working at the speedways in Vermont, and then covering racing and writing about the sport.
A few years ago he began talking with other fans about starting an organization that honors Vermont’s motorsports history.
“The hall of fame was something I wanted to be in as a kid, and then found out there wasn’t one,” St. Louis said. “I’ve been thinking about it for 25 years and then decided to do something about it.”
The ceremony was held at the Vermont SportsCar facility, which builds and modifies cars.
“It’s time to recognize these people before they’re all gone and get their stories, and have a record and give them a chance to celebrate, and be celebrated before it’s too late.”Justin St. Louis, president of the Vermont Motorsports Hall of Fame
The Milton factory is near the site of the former Catamount Stadium, the track built by the late Vermont sportscar legend Ken Squier, who was one of the inductees.
Also among the inductees was Middlebury native Gardner Stone, who won five national tractor pulling championships during his career.
Stone is 84, and he competed in tractor pulling around the country, and in Europe, up until three years ago.
“It was great,” he said about being honored. “It was one of these once in a lifetime things to be in the inaugural run of something like that. It was overwhelming.”
The other inductees include Shirley Muldowney, who was born in Burlington and went on to become the first woman licensed to compete in National Hot Rod Association races.
John Buffum, Tom Curley, Harmon “Beaver” Dragon, Bobby Dragon, C.V. “Chuck” Elms II and C.J. Richards were also honored.
St. Louis hopes to have a physical museum one day for people to visit, but until then, he said the organization plans to have an annual induction ceremony to continue recognizing the people who built up the motorsports industry in Vermont.
“A lot of these people are starting to die,” St. Louis said. “It’s time to recognize these people before they’re all gone and get their stories, and have a record and give them a chance to celebrate, and be celebrated before it’s too late.”
