25-Person List Includes Petty, Pearson, Earnhardt, France Sr. And France Jr.
NASCAR Hall of Fame
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 2, 2009) – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today a history-rich list of 25 nominees for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class. From that list, five inductees will be chosen via a process that includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.COM; the inductees will be announced in October and honored next May at the new Hall of Fame facility in Charlotte, N.C.
The nominees, which include many of the sport’s legendary names, were selected by a 21-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks.
“This first list of potential inductees is impressive, to say the least,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Now comes the hard part — choosing only five to be inducted. Every single person on this list is worthy to be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”
The HOF’s first inductees will be determined by the Voting Panel, which has 50 members — the entire Nominating Committee, 14 media members, four manufacturer representatives and nine retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs — three each) and two recognized industry leaders. In addition, the fan vote will result in the Voting Panel’s 51st and final ballot.
Following are the 25 individuals who have been nominated:
Bobby Allison, 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and winner of 84 races
Buck Baker, the first driver to win consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
Red Byron, first NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, in 1949
Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
Dale Earnhardt, won record seven NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
Richie Evans, nine-time NASCAR Modified champion
Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
Bill France Jr., NASCAR president, chairman and CEO (1972-2003)
Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and first president (1948-1972)
Rick Hendrick, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
Ned Jarrett, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
Junior Johnson, 50 wins as a driver, 132 wins and six championships as an owner
Bud Moore, 63 wins and two NASCAR Sprint Cup titles as a car owner
Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner
Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
David Pearson, 105 victories and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
Lee Petty, winner of the first Daytona 500 and first three-time series champion
Richard Petty, 200 wins and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup titles — both records
Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, 1951 and ’53
Curtis Turner, first to win Daytona 500, Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600 in same year
Darrell Waltrip, winner of 84 races and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
Glen Wood, as driver, laid foundation for Wood Brothers’ future team success
Cale Yarborough, winner of three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles, 1976-78
- NASCAR, Press Release
Hello…I’m 55 years old and seen enough to know who was the the BEST. I seen Petty and Pearson race and they were both GREAT….but….Both had the best cars and pit crews. They were both the class of the field. I remember Richard Petty state that Dale Earnhardt may have won 300 races with his cars and I agree. Earnhardt won championships without the best cars or pit crew. Pettys cars were already championship cars when Lee Petty won 3 championships before Richard got into his daddys cars. Earnhardt first championship was with Rod Osterland and Mike Curb and Dale beat one of the best car and driver in NASCAR history…. #11 Jr Johnson and Cale Yarborough. Cale had the best car by far but Dale beat Cale for the championship in only his second year in NASCAR I seen it with my own eyes…WOW WHAT A DRIVER. Petty and Pearson both were the head of the class in their era but did not face the competion Dale Earnhardt had to face in his era. Dale Earnhardt had to face a much tougher set of drivers in his era. Thats my opinion and it’s not going to change. With Pettys or Hendrick equiptment Earnhardt would have won at least 10 championships or more. Today I don’t consider anything Rick Hendrick does as legit. I call all Hendrick drives BOGUS CHAMPIONS. With the help of NASCAR and Gary Nelson Hendrick won championships that were and are fixed. I talked to many drivers that feel this way and feel Hendrick care are by far the class of the field. Today any good driver could win a championship in a Hendrich car. Their only competion would come from another Hendrick car/ driver. I remember Ricky Rudd stating this in 1997 that if Dale Earnhardt was driving the 24 car he would be laping the field and everyone else would be running for second….NO DOUBT Earnhardt would have LAPED the field in the aero and horsepower advantaged #24 car. Ned Jarrett Bud Moore and Jr Johnson all said who was the BEST……DALE EARNHARDT……and I agree.