Automotive racing, design, manufacturing, and management are represented by this year's inductees into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
The Inductee Class of 2007, including A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Charles B. King, Sergio Pininfarina, and Shoichiro Toyoda, was announced Wednedsay at the International Motor Press Association meeting at the New York International Auto Show.
Formal induction ceremonies will be held Tuesday, October 16, 2007, in Dearborn, Mich.
During Foyt's four-decade career, he won 12 national titles and 172 major races, including wins in NASCAR, USAC stock cars, midgets, sprints, IMSA sports cars and LeMans. Although he has not raced in more than 10 years, his Indy car driving records remain intact.
Dan Gurney, a racing driver, racecar manufacturer and inventor, and team owner, raced in 312 events in 20 countries with 51 different makes of cars winning 51 races and finishing on the podium an additional 47 times. He has won 7 Formula One races, 7 Indy Car races, and 5 NASCAR Winston Cup stockcar races.
Charles B. King (1869 - 1957) is considered to be the most technically capable of the automotive pioneers. He drove the first car ever seen on the streets of Detroit, a car of his own design. King received a medal from the national Chamber of Commerce honoring him as "one of the main contributors to the mechanical development of the automobile." He left a legacy of some 70 patents, 40 of which were automotive related.
Sergio Pininfarina began his career with the family firm, Carrozzeria Pinin Farina, in 1950. In 1960, he was named General Manager; in 1966, he became Chairman of the company; and in 2006, he was named Honorary Chairman. During his tenure, the Pininfarina Group has seen steady growth in both technical and production development. Production units increased more than 100 times from 524 to more than 53,000; the number of employees more than quintupled from 560 to 3000. Under his guidance, the Pininfarina Group designed many of the world's most beautiful and sought-after automobiles.
Shoichiro Toyoda began his career with Toyota in 1952, becoming managing director in 1961, president of Toyota Motor Corp. in 1982, chairman from 1992 to 1999, and honorary chairman in 1999. He is universally recognized as the leader of Toyota's quality, global expansion and environmental initiatives, receiving the Deming Prize in 1980 for his contributions to quality control.