The Road Racing Drivers Club honored Hall of Famer Derek Bell MBE at a gala Thursday in Long Beach, California, ahead of the 51st Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

A capacity crowd representing INDYCAR, IMSA and NHRA attended the Firestone-presented dinner, including Mario Andretti, Indianapolis 500 winners Tony Kanaan and Arie Luyendyk, and McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown.

Bell is widely regarded as one of endurance racing's greatest drivers, with five 24 Hours of Le Mans wins, three Rolex 24 At Daytona victories and two World Sportscar Championships.

The evening featured Bell's son Justin as emcee, joining RRDC President Bobby Rahal for an onstage interview reflecting on Bell's career with Ferrari, Porsche and beyond.

"This is a great honor," said Derek. "America is so big to me in my life. I'm married to an American. And so to get an award for all the racing and the pleasure that I got out of it, [I hope] it gives some other people on the way pleasure as well. And I think what has been created that I've been part of in all these years is making sports cars such a big class of racing. No thanks to me, particularly, but all of us who are in it. I just have so much grace for people like Al Holbert who had me on board and Bob Akin, and people like that."