Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway, was announced as a nominee by NASCAR for the Landmark Award on Wednesday.
Pocono Raceway founder nominated for NASCAR award
Mattioli and the other nominees were chosen by the Nomination Committee, which is comprised of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Mattioli gave up his dentistry practice in Philadelphia to buy a spinach farm, which he transformed into Pocono Raceway. Mattioli died on January 26, 2012, at the age of 86 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Before starting his dentistry practice, Mattioli served as a Navy medic in World War II.
His Tricky Triangle in Long Pond, Pa. is Mattioli’s legacy. This year, the Pocono 400, a NASCAR Cup Series race, will be held on July 23.
In total, 15 nominees were announced for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024, and five nominees were chosen for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2024 nominees and Landmark Award nominees are as follows:
Modern Era Ballot
Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories
Tim Brewer, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s
Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion
Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories
Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief
Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion
Chad Knaus, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
Larry Phillips, the first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400
Pioneer Ballot
Donnie Allison, ten-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, 1967 Cup Series ROY
Sam Ard, NASCAR Xfinity Series pioneer, and two-time champion
AJ Foyt won seven NASCAR Cup Series races including the 1972 Daytona 500
Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships
Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as the mechanical genius of Holman-Moody
Landmark Award
Janet Guthrie, the first female to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway race
Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
Lesa France Kennedy, NASCAR Executive Vice Chair and one of the most influential women in sports
Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway