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| Craig Breedlove is one of five automotive legends inducted in the Automotive Hall of Fame's 2009 class. |
Caleal, Kamm and Thompson were inducted posthumously.
Breedlove was the first person to break the 400-, 500- and 600-mph land speed records and broke the speed record an amazing five times, more than anyone else in the modern era.
Caleal (1912–2006) the self-taught son of immigrant Lebanese parents, rose to lead advanced styling for Ford Motor Company and was the chief designer of the groundbreaking '49 Ford.
Kamm (1893–1966) was a pioneering German aerodynamicist best known for his breakthroughs in reducing car turbulence at high speeds.
Sperlich, former Chrysler president, was chief architect of the original Ford Mustang and Chrysler minivan, and has earned a reputation as perhaps the greatest post-War product planner.
Thompson (1928–1988), also a member of the SEMA Hall of Fame, was the most versatile of all racers, winning with hot rods, dragsters, streamliners and sports cars, and dominated at Baja and Bonneville. Off the track he was a pioneer of the aftermarket performance parts industry.
In addition to the inductions, the Automotive Hall of Fame named four recipients of its Young Leadership & Excellence Award. As a way of identifying the next generation of leadership in the motor vehicle industry, recipients must be no older than 40 years of age, making outstanding contributions to their respective companies or the industry at large.
The 2009 recipients included Jesse Berger, President, Eastern Michigan Kenworth Inc.; Gregory S. Christensen, Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor, Ford Motor Company; Dilip Dubey, Chief Executive Officer, Netlink; and Christine K. Lambert, Technical Leader, Ford Motor Company.
The Automotive Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring the men and women of the global motor vehicle and related industries and preserving the history of mobility by celebrating the creativity, toil and genius of the individual. For more information, visit www.automotivehalloffame.org.