NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Pro Stock Motorcycle icon George Bryce and former Funny Car racer Freddie Neely will be among the racers inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Aug. 1 in Dawsonville, Ga.

Bryce raced in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle series throughout his career as driver, owner, and even crew chief/tuner.

He and his wife, Jackie, founded Star Racing in 1980 in Americus, Ga., and won six NHRA world championships and 81 event wins with riders, including John Myers and Angelle Sampey. Bryce was also one of the head instructors of a motorcycle program at a racing school for more than 20 years, assisting in training new riders and helping them develop their full potential and skill sets to become more competitive professional riders.

Neely began his competitive racing career in drag boat racing in the late 1970s, competing in Unblown Gas Hydro, Blown Gas Hydro, and Blown Fuel Hydro class. After witnessing the tragic loss of many fellow drivers over a 10-year span, Neely made a life-changing decision in 1989 to transition from quarter-mile racing on water to quarter-mile racing on land. He purchased a Funny Car from Dale Pulde and attended the NHRA Winston Invitational in Rockingham, N.C., to complete his licensing runs.

Neely went on to compete in IHRA and NHRA events along with match races across the country. At the 1992 NHRA Winston Finals, Neely secured the No. 1 qualifying position and finished as runner-up. At the 1993 NHRA Gatornationals, Neely delivered one of the most unforgettable performances of his career, qualifying No. 2 in the field, and he advanced to a semifinal showdown with legendary driver John Force. In what became a defining moment in Funny Car history, Force covered the quarter-mile in 5.094 seconds at 293 mph, while Neely thundered down the track in 5.095 seconds at 295 mph. The side-by-side duel not only set a new speed record but also stood as the quickest side-by-side run in Funny Car history at the time, cementing the moment as one of the most electrifying highlights of Neely’s racing legacy.

Previous drag racing inductees include Warren Johnson, “Sneaky Pete” Robinson, Julius Hughes, Dick Brannan, Harold Dutton, Hubert and Huston Platt, Phil Bonner, Randy Payne, Hoyt Grimes, and “Miss Hurst Golden Shifter” Linda Vaughn.