Jimmy Vasser was voted Performer Of The Year, in the auto racing category, tonight at ESPN's ESPY awards banquet.

The ESPYS annually recognize outstanding achievementin sports. The star-studded event is fund raiser for the V Foundation which wasestablished by the late national champion college basketball coach Jim Valvano.

Vasser was nominated for this award along with the reigning Formula 1 Champion, Damon Hill and NASCAR Champion, TerryLabonte.

"This is very special," said Vasser, who won four races – including the inaugural U.S. 500 – en route to his first PPG Cup win and over $3 million in prize money. "I’m definitely honored to represent my series, sport and team on an evening celebrating many of the world’s greatest athletes. Look at who was honored: Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and more. The opportunity to be around some of those great names was a big thrill and something I’ll always remember."

Previous ESPY Award winners in auto racing were: Nigel Mansell, 1992 and 1993; Al Unser Jr., 1994 and Jeff Gordon, 1995.Drivers from the PPG CART World Series have won the award three of the five times it has been presented (Mansell, 1993; Unser, 1994 and Vasser, 1996).