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NASCAR HOF Nominee Wendell Scott |
NASCAR announced those 25 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of
Fame’s fourth induction class, and included among the diverse group are five
newcomers who make this list arguably the most intriguing in the hall’s
history.
Of the 25 nominees, 20 return from last year’s group. Five are
first-timers, and all vary in expertise: NASCAR’s first treasurer and secretary
Anne Bledsoe France, engine builder and owner Ray Fox, trailblazing driver
Wendell Scott, promoter and sponsor executive Ralph Seagraves and driver
champion Rusty Wallace. Of those new five, two represent ‘firsts’ for the hall:
Scott the first African-American nominee; France the first female nominee.
From that list, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR
Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.COM.
Voting Day for the 2013 class will be May 23, and once again, fans can attend
the announcement live at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
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Rusty Wallace is a nominee |
The NHOF’s 2013 inductees will be determined by the Voting
Panel, which includes the entire Nominating Committee, media members,
manufacturer representatives, retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew
chiefs) and recognized industry leaders. In addition, the fan vote will result
in the Voting Panel’s final ballot. Fan voting on NASCAR.COM opens today, April
11, and closes May 16 at midnight.
Following are the 25 nominees, listed alphabetically:
Buck Baker, first driver to win consecutive NASCAR
premier (now Sprint Cup) series titles (1956-57).
Red Byron, first NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series
champion, in 1949.
Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three
national series.
Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion.
H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway.
Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup)
series champion.
Ray Fox,legendary engine builder and owner of cars
driven by Buck Baker, Junior Johnson and others.
Anne Bledsoe France, helped build the sport with husband Bill
France Sr. Affectionately known as “Annie B.,” she is the first woman to be
nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Rick Hendrick, 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three
national series.
Jack Ingram, two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide)
Series champion and three-time Late Model Sportsman champion.
Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series
champion.
Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and
World 600.
Cotton Owens, driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship
with David Pearson.
Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner.
Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series
champion.
Les Richter, former NASCAR executive; former president of
Riverside International Raceway.
Fireball Roberts, 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series
wins, including the 1962 Daytona 500.
T. Wayne Robertson, helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company senior VP .
Wendell Scott, NASCAR trailblazer was the first
African-American NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series race winner, and first
to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership
as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.
Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint
Cup) series champion, 1951, 1953.
Curtis Turner, early personality, called the “Babe Ruth of
stock car racing.”
Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series
champion.
Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup)
series champion.
Leonard Wood, part-owner and former crew chief for Wood
Brothers, revolutionized pit stops.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
NASCAR Hall of Fame: Executive Director Winston Kelley; Historian
Buz McKim.
NASCAR Officials: Chairman/CEO Brian France; Vice Chairman Jim
France; Senior Vice President Paul Brooks; President Mike Helton; Vice
President of Competition Robin Pemberton; Senior Vice President of Racing
Operations Steve O'Donnell; Competition Administrator Jerry Cook; former Vice
President Ken Clapp.
Track Owners/Operators: International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa
Kennedy; Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell; Texas Motor Speedway
President Eddie Gossage; Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark; former Indianapolis
Motor Speedway President Tony George; Dover Motorsports CEO Denis McGlynn;
Pocono Raceway board of director member Looie McNally; Bowman Gray Stadium
operator Dale Pinilis; Riverhead Raceway operators Jim and Barbara Cromarty (1
vote); former Toyota Speedway at Irwindale operator Jim Williams; Rockford
Speedway owner Jody Deery.
Can't help but see a resemblence between Wendell Scott and John C. Reilly from Talladega Nights. Look at pics of him from the film Magnolia as the character Jim Kurring. http://www.bassharp.com/page02.htm
ReplyDeleteI narrowed my list down to 24... :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I don't have to vote!
Really? Anne France over people like Ken Squier, Chris Economaki, Bruton Smith, and Smokey Yunick? Really?
ReplyDeleteThe best part of the nominations is getting to more about the history of the sport from some of the pioneers - very cool.
ReplyDelete