Media Group Awards Kanaan

Indy Racing League champion Tony Kanaan was named winner of the Jerry Titus Memorial Trophy during the 35th American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Assn. banquet Saturday night in Pomona.

The Titus Award, named for a former racing journalist, is given to the driver receiving the most votes in balloting by AARWBA members for the All-America motor racing team. Kanaan, a Brazilian who lives in Miami, drove for Andretti Team Green and had an unusual season in which he completed every lap in every IRL race.

The final 12 nominees for newsmaker of the half-century, celebrating the association’s 50th anniversary, were disclosed by Dusty Brandel, the organization’s president. The finalists, chosen from a list of 50, are (in alphabetical order): Mario Andretti, Kenny Bernstein, Dale Earnhardt, John Force, A.J. Foyt, the France family, Jeff Gordon, Dan Gurney, the Hulman-George family, Wally Parks, Roger Penske and Richard Petty.

The winner, after a vote of the membership, will be announced in May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Doug Stokes of Irwindale Speedway received the Jim Chapman Award for excellence in motor racing public relations. Bernstein, one of drag racing’s legendary drivers, was also recognized as a pioneer in racing.

*

-- Shav Glick