By D. Randy Riggs - Jul 26, 2019, 10:16 AM ET

Remembering Bruce Crower

San Diego, CA -- Bruce Crower, founder of

Crower Racing Cams & Equipment Company,

passed away July 17 in San Diego.

Photo: Crower Racing Products

He had been selected as a member of the

SEMA Hall of Fame Class of 2019

and will be inducted posthumously today at the SEMA Installation & Gala in Anaheim, CA.

Crower was captivated by cars and speed from an early age. Whether it was the Moto-Scoot he modified at the age of 13, the Harley he got when he was 17, or the 1936 Ford Coupe or 1932 Ford Roadster that followed, he was always looking for ways to improve speed.

After a brief period in the Air Force, Crower headed to San Diego where hot rodding was flourishing. In 1955 he opened Crower Racing Cams & Equipment Co. and began manufacturing race products. From the mounting of the 6-71 Blower on his Hudson to the Crower Glide Clutch and wings on Don Garlits' race car, he is credited with advancing speed, safety and innovation in motorsports.

Among the numerous honors Crower received were the prestigious SAE Louis Schwitzer award in 1977 for innovation and engineering excellence for both his automatic clutch and the flat-8 engine. In 1993, he was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. More recently, Crower won a 2007 PopSci Invention Award from Popular Science for his six-stroke internal combustion engine.