(10/20/05)

JOHN M. STUDEBAKER AND SEVEN OTHERS INDUCTED INTO THE AUTOMOTIVE HALL OF FAME

DETROIT, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight automotive pioneers and leaders were inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in ceremonies held on October 11. They are Mario Andretti, John Boyd Dunlop, Sir William Lyons, Jim Moran, Shirley Muldowney, John F. (Jack) Smith, Jr., John Mohler Studebaker and Alexander Winton.

Mario Andretti (1940- ) is simply one of the world's greatest race drivers, having won championships at Indianapolis, Daytona and in Formula One. No other driver in history has been as successful in such a wide range of racing venues.

John Dunlop (1840-1921) invented the first successful pneumatic (air- filled) tire. His pneumatic tire was patented in 1888 and he went on to found the Dunlop Tyre Company.

Sir William Lyons (1901-1985) founded Jaguar Cars. He began his career by building motorcycle sidecars in 1922 and moved to coach building in 1927. His cars were synonymous with speed and style.

Jim Moran (1918- ) was one of the first auto dealers to advertise on television. He owned the nation's biggest Hudson, then Ford dealership in Chicago and the largest Pontiac dealership in Florida. In 1968, Moran became the Toyota distributor in a five state area in the southeast United States.

Shirley Muldowney (1940- ) was the first woman licensed to drive a Top Fuel dragster in 1973. She won the NHRA World Championship three times, the IHRA Championship once, and she earned 18 career NHRA victories.

John (Jack) Smith, Jr. (1939- ) is the former Chairman and CEO of General Motors and is recognized leading the successful turnaround of GM in the 1990s and for building the strength and depth of GM's management team worldwide.

John Mohler Studebaker (1833-1917) transformed the successful Studebaker Brothers Mfg. Company, which was the largest manufacturer of horse drawn vehicles, into the Studebaker Corporation, becoming the second largest producer of automobiles in 1911.

Alexander Winton (1860-1932) was a true American automotive pioneer and built some of the fastest and most technologically advanced cars of his era. Winton held over a hundred patents in the United States and Europe for various automotive advances.

The Automotive Hall of Fame, the highest place of honor in the international motor vehicle industry, is located in Dearborn, Michigan.