NHRA veteran Top Fuel racer and pioneer Eddie Hill will be inducted into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame April 11 at The Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition, Texas Motor Speedway and Happy Hill Farm Academy announced that legendary car owner Roger Penske and NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton will be honored during the awards ceremony.

The 1993 NHRA champion, Hill joins previous inductees A.J. Foyt, Johnny Rutherford, Terry Labonte, Lee Shepherd, Kenny Bernstein, and Jim Hall. Hill, inducted into the NHRA Division 4 Hall of Fame in 1978, is credited with numerous milestones during his storied career. The record books show Hill to be the first driver to cover a quarter-mile in less than five seconds as well as the first to break the 200-mph barrier in a gas-powered car when he attained a speed of 202.07 mph in Hobbs, N.M., in 1962.

The Wichita Falls, Texas, native was also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for 11 years for recording the fastest speed ever turned in a propeller-driven boat at 229 mph.

After graduating from Longview High School in Texas and earning a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology from Texas A&M University in 1957, Hill turned his attention to racing, where he racked up numerous wins on land and water in a career that spanned more than 43 years. He once held the record for the quickest and fastest quarter-mile passes on land and water at the same time.

In NHRA competition, Hill won 13 national events in 33 final-round appearances.

Penske will receive the Bruton Smith Legends Award, a lifetime achievement award given to a legendary figure in motorsports. Penske is best known for building the Penske Racing empire, which includes NASCAR, Busch, and IndyCar teams. 

Stewart will be honored as the Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year, and Burton will be recognized with the Texas Motor Speedway Sportsmanship Award.

The Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame ceremony benefits Happy Hill Farm Academy, south of Granbury, Texas. The 500-acre working farm provides specialized services for children who need another start in life. Happy Hill Farm Academy serves children with a broad range of behavioral and academic issues, sometimes a result of abuse and neglect. The environment provided at Happy Hill Farm Academy allows residents to flourish in a nontraditional setting.

The VIP reception prior to the awards ceremony begins at 6 p.m. CT in The Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway. The Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will follow at 7 p.m. CT in the Grand Ballroom at The Speedway Club. For tickets, calling (866) 463-8392.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 

·        Oldest driver to win an NHRA national event, in Denver at age 60 in 1996.

·        Won NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1993 at age 57, another NHRA record.

·        Won six national events in 1993 (in Phoenix, Gainesville, Atlanta, Topeka, Sonoma, and Brainerd) to tie the all-time record for victories in a season.

·        Recorded largest margin of victory in season-long championship points standings with 1,256-point advantage in 1993 (the largest since 1985).

·        Voted to the Car Craft Magazine All-star Drag Racing Team and named Top Fuel Driver of the Year by the magazine's readers in 1993.

·        Earned a spot in the NHRA Top Fuel Shootout by being the season's second-best qualifier during the 1993 season (a career-best qualifying performance).

·        Recorded quickest run in history, 4.779 seconds, in 1992.

·        Became first driver in history to record four straight 4.8-second runs in eliminations in 1992.

·        Recorded 17 four-second runs in 1991.

·        Survived most spectacular accident at NHRA Winternationals, going airborne at 270 mph and recording a 5.21-second qualifying run perpendicular to the track in 1989; borrowed a car from Darrell Gwynn and qualified a second car.

·        Became first driver to card a four-second run with pass of 4.990 seconds on April 9, 1988, at Texas Motorplex.

·        Named Person of the Year by Car Craft magazine and Hot Rod magazine and International Hot Rod Association in 1988.

·        Returned to drag racing after 20-year absence in 1985.

·        Raced drag boats despite not being able to swim.

·        Admitted to NHRA Division 4 Hall of Fame in 1978.

·        Dubbed "Holeshot Hill" by National DRAGSTER in 1965.

·        The only man in history to hold both land and water speed records simultaneously.

·        Drove first hemi fueler through 8.60-second pass at 175 mph in 1964.

·        Introduced front wing to drag racing in 1963.

·        First to drive a gas-powered car over 200 mph on a quarter-mile track with pass of 202.07 mph in 1962 in Hobbs, N.M.

·        Showed innovation by racing AA Dragster with twin supercharged engines at 1961 U.S. Nationals.

·        First driver to do a burnout to heat rear tires on a dragster in 1960.

·        First driver to use charcoal-filled breather mask in 1959.

·        First driver to debut small-profile front tires on a dragster in 1958.

·        Raced in first pro match against Jack Chrisman's Sidewinder in 1959 in Inyokern, Calif.

·        At age 19, won first drag race in Top Eliminator class with run of 106 mph (1955, Karnack, Texas).

·        At age 11, won the Tri-State Motor Scooter Flat Track Championships (1947, Shreveport, La.).