NASCAR Hall of Fame

[LMITOUT]

Below is a list of the 25 nominees for the first class to be inducted into the new NASCAR Hall of Fame. Of these 25, five will be chosen for induction.

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

So which five would you choose?

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

Here's my five: Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson.

[harvey lee]

Bill France

France Jr

Sr

R Petty

Rick Hendrick

[HOF#13]

Bill France, Sr.

Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Richard Petty

Junior Johnson

David Pearson

There's some pretty impressive names on that list, and some that I wonder why they are on there.

[SledNeck]

Allison

Earnhardt

Pearson

Waltrip

Johnson

[LMITOUT]

I would have to think that France Sr. would be in the first class. After all, he's the reason for NASCAR.

Petty and Earnhardt for their seven championships and the face of the sport in their respective eras.

#4 and #5 are tough to choose. I almost want to say that France Jr. will also get in, but maybe they'll hold off on him until next year.

Junior Johnson and Darrell Waltrip should be up there too.

I have a hard time believing that Hendrick gets in this time around unless he bribes the voters which is entirely possible.

My guess on who will get in is:

France Sr.

France Jr.

Petty

Earnhardt

Junior Johnson

[harvey lee]

The reason I listed Hendrick as an entry is he has done alot for the sport as one of the biggest team owner in NASCAR.

HMS has many championships and wins to his name.

[LMITOUT]

He definitely could make it in, but I went with Junior Johnson because although he has less championships than Hendrick as an owner, Junior was a successful driver which Hendrick does not have on his resume. Childress has just as many championships as Hendrick so if championships as an owner is the benchmark he has about as much chance as Hendrick does.

Waltrip could make it as well because of his continuing involvement with the sport after he retired as a driver along with his wins and championships.

How about Richie Evans? 9-time Modified champ. That's nothing to sneeze at either. Many probably don't know about him though. I sure didn't.

[fishing tech]

Big Bill- made his dream come true

The King- 200 wins and 7 championships

Junior Johnson- moonshiner, racer, owner.

Allison- first guy to put PS on a race car, plus other engine and chassis changes.

Pearson- second most wins and walked away in his prime.

I know there are arguments for all of the 25 and others,but these are my choices.

[Harmonica Bear]

You've got to to think Drivers, Owners, Administration would have to be recognized in the first class. Pretty much the same as others I'll go with:

France Sr.

Richard Petty

Dale E. Sr.

Junior Johnson

David Pearson

[Harmonica Bear]

And the winner is.......LMITOUT!

The inaugural class are well deserving.

[lawdog]

Childress has just as many championships as Hendrick so if championships as an owner is the benchmark he has about as much chance as Hendrick does.

HUH? Childress has 6 cups (one of Big E's was not with Childress) while Hendrick has 8 (Gordon 4 Johnson 3 Labonte 1). They both also have Truck and Busch championships I guess but I don't know which has more total.

[harvey lee]

One could count wins also for Hendrick.

[LMITOUT]

but I don't know which has more total.

I guess so.

Take a look above in the first post. The stats are listed behind every person nominated and they each have 11 championships.

This is the NASCAR HOF, not the Sprint Cup Series HOF, so they are looking at accomplishments across all the different NASCAR series'.

[gregg52]

kinda looks like this new building they are puttin up is something a guy should see lots of history and cool stuff

be kinda fun to be there in may when it opens and these guy go in

probably a pretty spendy ticket i spose

[lawdog]

So we are trying to say a Truck Championship is the same as a Cup Championship? PLEASE?!?!?!?!!!! How about a NASCAR Camping World East series Championship? Just like a Cup too? They both should get in someday, but not now, and RCR can't compete with Hendrick's record...

[harvey lee]

Lawdog, one will not win by means of reason. It does not work in here.

Common sense will no prevail.

[LMITOUT]

11 championships is 11 championships. That's pretty much common sense right there. That's also why in my post I mentioned "if they are using championships as the benchmark" because championships were the stat listed as the prevalent accomplishment of these two nominees.

They didn't nominate Richie Evans for no reason. But apparently some don't want to recognize the other NASCAR series'.

It doesn't matter if it's a championship in the modifieds, truck, nationwide, or cup, it's an accomplishment that shows you've excelled in that particular level of competition and the HOF recognizes that.

Once again, this is not the Cup HOF, it's the NASCAR HOF.