Legendary comedian, television host and unstoppable car enthusiast Jay Leno has been officially recognised by FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) as a member of its Heritage Hall of Fame.
FIVA is the worldwide organisation dedicated to the "protection, preservation and promotion of historic vehicles and related culture, as well as their safe use". Since 2017, FIVA has been a non-governmental partner of UNESCO. It's based in Paris, but with administrative offices in Turin.
The organisation honoured Leno at a ceremony on June 23 at the Broad Arrow Auctions held at Hagerty Garage + Social, in Los Angeles.
The Heritage Hall of Fame recognises individuals who have made a lasting impact on automotive heritage. FIVA says Leno is the "ideal exemplar of the Heritage Hall of Fame as evidenced by his promotion of an accessible, educational public experience through his media platforms for more than 15 years where he champions historic vehicle preservation, legislative advocacy for owner rights and trade education for the next generation of restorers."
Leno's "Big Dog Garage", a massive facility in Burbank, Los Angeles, houses nearly 400 classic cars and motorcycles and has been the hub of a show called Jay Leno's Garage in various forms since 2008: it's been a web series, network television show and now continues on YouTube, where it has nearly 4 million subscribers.
FIVA president Alberto Scuro awarded the trophy to Leno, drawing upon parallels between the organisation and Leno’s legislative advocacy, promoting and protecting not only the preservation, but also the responsible use of historic vehicles and "young timers" (vehicles 20-30 years old) on public roads for the benefit of their owners, enthusiasts and the general public.