Les Walkden, Johnnie Walker inducted into Tas Motorsport Hall of Fame

"We both grew up in Westbury and I knocked around with Les' brother and we both went to the same school - Hagley Farm School," Walker said.

"And we both, when we started working, worked for GM Jackson's Ford dealership in Launceston. So we go a long way back."

Still to this day they don't live far from each other with Walker in Relbia and Walkden based in Youngtown.

The pair were inducted with fellow Tasmanian legend Marcos Ambrose who was recognised last weekend.

"I worked for Marcos in the early days at Formula Ford. And to know Les and share it with a person who has put so much into motorsport is really good," Walker said.

"I really mean that, this (award) is the holy grail of motorsport in Tasmania."

Walkden's son, grandsons, workshop staff and co-drivers were at Symmons Plains to see him honoured.

"It's very special. It's been very humbling as well," he said. "Great to be inducted but also to see all the prior inductees and people who love motorsport."

Walker enjoys passing on tips to the next generation of drivers and Launceston's Adam Garwood has been one of his mentees.

"It's nice to be able to sit down with Adam and work through things, work out where he can go faster, go better and how to handle different problems when the car blows up or something breaks," he said.

Walker had high praise for his family who have been great support through his career.

"I've got my wife (Pauline) here, she's supported me all the way through the whole time," he said.

"She's been my bank manager, my sponsor, the biggest influence that I could ever have and mentor."

He also had his daughter Sarah and grandchildren Charli and Levi at Saturday's ceremony.

Walker, who enjoyed success in sports cars and sedans, started his racing career in the 1970s.

He finished second overall for the opening round of Australian Sports Car Championship at Sandown in an Elfin ME5 in 1983.

Also renowned for his race car engineering feats, he was a valued member of the Dick Johnson Racing team.

Walkden has fond memories spending time with his family in his early motorsport days.

He recalled riding motocross and going all around Australia with sidecar motorcycles.

In the mid-1970s he stepped up to gravel rallying, competing for two decades and winning the 1990, 1991 and 1992 Tasmanian Rally Championships as a driver.

At the end of 1990 he also contested the final round of the Australian Rally Championship (ARC) in NSW, finishing second.

He formed his own rally team Les Walkden Rallying (LWR) in the mid-1990s.

Walkden highlighted the huge team effort required in motorsport.

"We have to service the cars in a very short period of time," he said.

"You have one on each corner of the car, one doing fuels, one looking after under the bonnet.

"You've got six people. And you've got to service the car sometimes in 15 minutes.

"Change a complete set of tires, brake pads - team effort and spirit on the day is so important."

A highlight for Walkden was when Molly Taylor won the ARC in 2016 driving a Subaru-supported WRX STi built and campaigned by LWR.

"She was the first female to ever win it in Australia - that was huge," he said.

Walkden is also proud of the work LWR does at its base in Youngtown.