NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees a who’s who of stars

  • By Mike Cranston Associated Press
  • Thursday, July 2, 2009 9:54pm
  • SportsSports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stock car racing giants ranging from Bill France Sr. and Junior Johnson to Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt are among the 25 nominees for NASCAR’s first Hall of Fame class.

The announcement Thursday night comes 10 months before the Hall of Fame’s scheduled opening in downtown Charlotte. An inaugural class of five will be chosen from the group that includes the bootleggers who helped create the sport to the drivers, owners and officials who made it popular.

NASCAR patriarch France and his son, Bill France Jr., were among the candidates selected by a 21-member panel. The drivers include Petty, Earnhardt, Johnson, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarbrough and Glenn “Fireball” Roberts.

Car owners are represented, too, including Bud Moore, Raymond Parks, Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress and Glen Wood.

A panel of people in the sport and a fan vote will decide the first class, which will be announced in October. Induction will take place in conjunction with the Hall’s opening in May.

“That first class, just like the first baseball class that has the likes of Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb, is going to be extremely special,” Hall of Fame director Winston Kelley said.

The list of nominees is a cross section of the sport’s history. Yet the star quality in the group begins with Petty and the late Earnhardt, who share the NASCAR record with seven championship titles.

Earnhardt, who died in a last-lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500, won 76 races and his black No. 3 car remains one of the signature symbols of NASCAR.

Petty is a Hall of Fame lock. His staggering 200 career victories, 123 poles, 10 consecutive wins and seven Daytona 500 victories are all records. He remains involved in the sport by helping run a race team, now called Richard Petty Motorsports.

The nominating committee included all areas of the sport in choosing the candidates.

France and his son, both deceased, help create NASCAR, and the France family still runs the enterprise. Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett were successful drivers-turned-broadcasters. Richie Evans became a star racing modifieds. Joe Weatherly went from dominating modified racing to winning two Cup championships.

The drivers cover all the sport’s eras. Red Byron won NASCAR’s first sanctioned race in 1948 on Daytona’s beach course. Buck Baker was the first driver to win consecutive points titles in 1956-57. Lee Petty won the first Daytona 500. Roberts, Tim Flock, Herb Thomas and Curtis Turner were other early stars nominated.

Johnson, who honed his skills racing souped-up cars to stay out of reach of the police in the North Carolina hills, won 50 races before becoming a successful car owner. Waltrip won his three Cup titles working for Johnson before embarking on a broadcasting career.

Pearson starred in the 1960s, winning three championships. His 105 career wins are second overall. Waltrip and Allison are tied for third with 84 wins each. Yarbrough dominated much of the 1970s, winning three consecutive Cup titles and amassing 83 career wins.

Several drivers and owners, including Richard Petty, have donated items to the Hall of Fame. The facility, under construction since early 2007, will include 40,000 square feet of exhibit space, a theater, racing simulators, restaurants and retail outlets.

Talk to us

More in Sports

Marysville Pilchuck’s Christian Van Natta lifts the ball in the air to celebrate a turnover during the game against Marysville Getchell on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep football roundup for Friday, Sept. 29

Prep football roundup for Friday, Sept. 29: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report… Continue reading

X
Who’s that frog? A local high school tennis player, that’s who

Arlington tennis player Robbie Balderas worked as AquaSox mascot Webbly this season, and the busy junior also runs a landscaping business.

Mountlake Terrace’s Zaveon Jones is pulled to the ground by a diving Nicholas Mouser of Monroe on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at Monroe High School in Monroe, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Swarming Monroe defense keys win over Terrace in Wesco 3A South showdown

The Bearcats slow down the Hawks’ potent ground game, and quarterback Blake Springer tosses three TDs in a 35-10 victory.

Arlington players lift the Stilly Cup in the air after beating Stanwood on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023 in Stanwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Arlington reclaims Stilly Cup after short hiatus, routs Stanwood 42-7

Leyton Martin registers 277 yards, 4 TDs as Eagles notch fifth straight game with at least six TDs.

Fall prep sports roundup.
Prep results for Saturday, Sept. 30

Prep results for Saturday, Sept. 30: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

Marysville Pilchuck’s Dominik Kendrick (9) runs with the ball during a football game between Marysville Pilchuck and Stanwood at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Marysville, Washington on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Marysville Pilchuck takes the win, 36-7. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Marysville Pilchuck proud of 4-0 start, but has loftier goals

The Tomahawks aren’t listening to the outside noise, including a No. 1 WIAA RPI ranking, as a tough stretch lies ahead.

Houston Astros relief pitcher Hector Neris (50) gestures to Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez (44) after striking Rodríguez out to end the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
MLB investigating Astros pitcher’s alleged use of homophobic slur

The incident occurred during a heated exchange between Houston’s Hector Neris and M’s star Julio Rodriguez on Wednesday night.

Prep roundup for Friday, Sept. 29

Prep roundup for Friday, Sept. 29: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

Stanwood players react to their coach bringing them the Stilly Cup on Sept. 30, 2022 in Arlington. The Spartans snapped a 12-game losing streak in the rivalry matchup last year. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
4 games to watch in Week 5 of the prep football season

An in-depth look at the best games the area has to offer, plus a full schedule of the local action in Week 5.

Most Read