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AMA Flat Track Icons Springsteen, Carr Latest 2022 Hot Shoe Hall Of Fame Honorees
Jay & Chris’ 10 AMA Titles prove their “Hot Shoe” greatness for Jan. 29 Event
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Dec. 16, 2021) – American Flat Track icons Jay Springsteen and Chris Carr proved to be two of the greatest dirt track competitors to ever straddle a motorcycle..
The multi-time AFT series champions are the latest motorcycle legends to be inducted into the “Hot Shoe” Hall of Fame and will be honored in the second annual “Hot Shoe” Motorcycle Industry Celebration on Saturday, Jan. 29, at Las Vegas’ Notoriety Theatre in the Neonopolis portion of the Las Vegas Fremont Street Experience (450 E. Fremont St., 3rd Floor).
Springsteen and Carr's "Hot Shoe" Hall of Fame plaques will be part of the display with other Hall of Fame honorees at the Hall of Fame Museum in the Gene Woods Racing Experience at Fremont Street.
"No one can talk about legends in dirt track racing and not mention Jay and Chris," Woods, founder and curator of the "Hot Shoe" Hall of Fame which was established in 2020. "Both racers proved to be the benchmark of any AFT event during their careers. Jay came into prominence in the 1970s while Chris was a champion in the 1990s and 2000s. Anyone who raced against them knew they were competing against the best in the sport. We are thrilled to include Jay and Chris in the "Hot Shoe" Hall of Fame."
Springsteen, the Michigan rider whose racing career spanned nearly 30 years, jumped into the limelight in 1975 when he was AMA "Rookie of the Year" against the likes of Kenny Roberts, Gary Scott, Gary Romero, Mike Kidd and Steve Eklund. Jay dominated the Camel Pro Series in 1976, 1977 and 1978 with consecutive series championships as part of the "Michigan Mafia" Harley-Davidson factory effort.
The personable Springsteen totaled 43 career AMA Grand National series wins and, in 1994, a panel of 30 motorcycle racing experts selected Springsteen as the best dirt-track rider of all time. Jay was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2003, and to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005.
Carr, the Stockton, CA native, won the 1985 AMA Rookie of the Year honors and his first Grand National race at the Peoria TT in 1986. In 1989, Chris joined the Harley-Davidson factory racing team and scored the AMA Grand National Championship in 1992. He also captured the series title in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. He was the first AMA racer to win five consecutive titles.
Carr also won the 2000 Formula Dirt Track Championship and the AMA 600cc Dirt Track championship seven times (1988-1993, and 1995). Chris was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2004.
On September 5, 2006, Carr broke the motorcycle land speed world record at the Bonneville Salt Flats (Utah), with a two-pass 350.8 mph (562.6 km/h) average. He was the first motorcyclist to break the 350 m.p.h. barrier.
Springsteen and Carr joined other 2022 "Hot Shoe" Hall of Fame with other motorcycle icons such as Speedway star Ivan Mauger MBE, TT Steeplechase champion Eddie Mulder and NHRA drag racing legend Terry Vance. Other 2022 inductees will be announced before the Jan. 29 event in Las Vegas.
Last May, the grand opening of the "Hot Shoe" Hall of Fame was a huge success when some 900 guests attended a star-studded affair with motorcycle legends from around the world were presented with their "Hot Shoe Hall of Fame" plaques and many were interviewed on stage to talk about their motorcycle experiences.
The Cycle News historic racing motorcycle display also will be at the Jan. 29 event as the "Hot Shoe" Hall of Fame event ties in with the annual Mecum Motorcycle Auction at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The "Hot Shoe" is the symbol that recognizes the cream of the crop of motorcycle racing stars who used a very specialized tool, the steel shoe, to assist them in navigating the dirt track corners at very high rates of speed. Steel show equipped riders quickly became known as "Hot Shoes" in local and national events and markets where they competed.
An added attraction on Jan. 29 will be the highly acclaimed feature film by director Peter Starr, "Take It To The Limit," which will be shown to attendees at the Notoriety Theatre on Jan. 29 to highlight several of the "Hot Shoe" Hall of Fame inductees featured in the movie.
Located on the Fabulous Fremont Street in Las Vegas, the “Hot Shoe” Hall of Fame is part of the Las Vegas Fremont Experience and adjacent to the Gene Woods Racing Experience Indoor Electric Race Car Track (450 E.Fremont St., #171, Las Vegas). For those accepted into the Hall of Fame, the honorees’ “Hot Shoe” is mounted on a Hall of Fame plaque. Recipients also receive their own version 8x10 plaque.
The Jan. 29 “Hot Shoe” Hall of Fame event begins with the Cycle News motorcycle display at 4 p.m. Doors to the Notoriety Theatre open at 6 p.m. For further information on the Hot Shoe Hall of Fame celebration, visit the website at www.hotshoehof.com/reg/ or on Facebook at Hot Shoe Hall of Fame.
This is a FREE event but you must register at https://www.hotshoehof.com/reg to attend.
Contact: Tom Blattler, TB Communications, tomblattlercomm@gmail.com, 317.525.5692
