Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for
Outstanding Contributions to Motorsports
The Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Outstanding Contributions to Motorsports honors a person in the motorsports industry who is recognized universally for having advanced and improved the sport, in roles that may include, but are not limited to, driver, team owner, sponsor, race promoter, journalist or official of a sponsoring or sanctioning organization. The honoree brings prestige to motorsports and demonstrates commitment to the future of racing.
Established in 2014, the inaugural award recipient was Chip Ganassi, who at the time fielded teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Verizon INDYCAR and TUDOR United SportsCar Championship series. Richard Petty, the winningest driver in NASCAR history, was the 2015 honoree. The 2016 recipient was Roger Penske, who was celebrating more than 50 years involved in motorsports as a driver and team owner. Mario Andretti, considered by many to be the greatest race car driver in the history of the sport was the 2017 recipient. Jim France, Chairman of ISC and IMSA and NASCAR Vice Chairman/Executive Vice President; Lesa France Kennedy, ISC CEO/Vice Chairperson and NASCAR Vice Chairperson; and Ben Kennedy, General Manager of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, were honored on June 28th of 2018.
The award memorializes Cameron R. Argetsinger, often referred to as the father of American road racing. Argetsinger was a visionary who, in 1948, conceived, organized, and drove in the first post-war road race in America through the roads of Watkins Glen. He brought Formula One to Watkins Glen International in 1961 and the circuit hosted the United States Grand Prix for 20 years. He was president of the IMRRC for five years, until his death in 2008.
2018 CRA Award: J.C. Argetsinger and his sister Louise Argetsinger Kanaley present the Cameron R. Argetsinger Award to three generations of the France Family – Ben Kennedy, Jim France and Lesa France Kennedy.
2017 Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Mario Andretti
2016 Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Roger Penske
2015 Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Richard Petty
2014 Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Chip Ganassi