Ernie Elliott says he is more comfortable under the hood of a race car than in front of the camera.

But the famed NASCAR engine builder welcomed the spotlight Friday night as he was inducted into the 2010 Georgia Racing Hall of Fame class.

“This is a great honor to me,” said Elliott, whose engines powered his brother Bill to dominating success on the super speedways in the mid-80s.

Also inducted were motorcycle racing legend Ted Edwards, pioneer open wheel and stock car racer Jack Etheridge, NASCAR sportsman championship winning car owner Laverne Kendrick and race official Jerry Wimbish.

Legendary NASCAR driver David Pearson, who was in town for the Mountain Moonshine Festival and recently inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame was also in attendance.

Family members accepted the inductions on behalf of Edwards, Etheridge, Kendrick and Wimbish, all of whom had passed away.

“It’s good that Ernie’s going in, but it would be better if the others had been put in before they passed away,” Pearson said.

Elliott’s induction follows his brother’s 2002 Georgia Racing Hall of Fame induction.

Now he said he’s waiting to see his father George and youngest brother Dan’s names on the induction list.

“We could not have accomplished what we did had it not been a family operation,” he said. “I think Daddy would be honored.”