Robert Huff

Inducted Class of 2003

Bob was born in West Virginia in 1922. In the early 1940s, Bob was a “flat-track” racer of motorcycles as well as a dealer of Indian Motorcycles. He also raced stock cars for three years in West Virginia. While he enjoyed being a racer, it wasn’t until he moved to Tucson in 1954 that he became one of the greatest auto racing promoters and managers in the United States. Between 1958 and 1968, Bob was the general manager and eventually the owner of Tucson Speedway. At the same time he was the assistant manager of Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, as well as Phoenix International Raceway.

In 1969 he managed, then bought, Tucson Dragway until 1978. He introduced Sand Drags at the Dragway and was responsible for bringing the “Winter Nationals” to Tucson. He went on to manage American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) racing at Beeline Dragway in Phoenix, as well as Tulsa, Kansas City, Orange County, Columbus, St. Louis, El Paso and San Francisco.

Bob was a lifetime member of the United States Auto Club as an accredited race director and was president of the Tucson Auto and Cycle Racing Association from 1960-62. Bob Huff was inducted into the Arizona Racing Hall of Fame, becoming the only racing promoter ever to receive this honor. Racing legend Evil Knievel, who often visited the Tucson racetracks, in his book said “Bob Huff is one of only two trustworthy racing promoters in the country.”

Bob’s son Dan Huff also is a member of the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame. Bob Huff died in 1999.