NASCAR Announces 2018 Hall Of Fame Nominees
Story By: MIKE FORDE / NASCAR – DAYTONA BEACH, FL – NASCAR today announced the 20 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018, as well as the five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Each name made an indelible mark on the sport, whether from behind the wheel or atop a pit box … or even from inside a broadcast booth. After long careers that have helped shape NASCAR, all are now one step closer to its highest honor – enshrinement into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Included among the list are five first-time nominees, all racing heroes who earned race wins, championships … and millions of fans.
Among them are two owners who have each eclipsed the 100-win mark (Joe Gibbs and Roger Penske), a driver who combined for four championships in NASCAR’s Modified and Late Model Sportsman division (Red Farmer), an extreme talent who collected 19 wins before his too-soon passing (Davey Allison) and the 2000 premier series champion (Bobby Labonte). For a full list of nominees, please see below.
The nominees were selected by a nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks and the media. The committee’s votes were tabulated by accounting firm EY.
From the list of 20 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees, 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 2018 class will be Wednesday, May 24.
Added to this year’s list of Landmark Award nominees are Jim France and Alvin Hawkins. Three nominees return for the Landmark Award: Ralph Seagraves, Janet Guthrie and Squier (more on each below). Potential Landmark Award recipients include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.
Following are the 20 nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, listed alphabetically:
Davey Allison, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup) series, including the 1992 Daytona 500
Buddy Baker, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500
Red Byron, first NASCAR premier series champion, in 1949
Ray Evernham, three-time NASCAR premier series championship crew chief
Red Farmer, three-time Late Model Sportsman champion; 1956 Modified champion
Ray Fox, legendary engine builder, crew chief and car owner
Joe Gibbs, combined for nine car owner championships in premier and XFINITY series
Ron Hornaday Jr., four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion
Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR premier series championship crew chief
Alan Kulwicki, 1992 NASCAR premier series champion
Bobby Labonte, won a championship in both the premier series and XFINITY Series
Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR west series champion
Roger Penske, combined for four car owner championships in premier and XFINITY series
Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
Jack Roush, five-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR’s premier series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400
Ken Squier, legendary radio and television broadcaster; inaugural winner/namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence
Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships
Waddell Wilson, won three NASCAR premier series championships as an engine builder
Robert Yates, won NASCAR premier series championship as both an engine builder and owner
The five nominees for the Landmark Award, listed alphabetically, are as follows…
Jim France, worked closely with father and NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.; current chairman of International Speedway Corporation
Janet Guthrie, the first female to compete in a NASCAR premier series superspeedway race
Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
Ken Squier, legendary radio and television broadcaster; inaugural winner / namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence
NASCAR Hall of Fame Nomination Eligibility
– Drivers who have competed in NASCAR for at least 10 years and been retired for two years are eligible for nomination to the NHOF.
– In addition, drivers who have competed for a minimum of 10 years and reached their 55th birthday on or before Dec. 31 of the year prior to the nominating year are immediately eligible for the NHOF.
– Any driver who has competed for 30 or more years in NASCAR competition by Dec. 31 of the year prior to the nominating year is automatically eligible, regardless of age.
– Drivers may continue to compete after reaching any of the aforementioned milestones without compromising eligibility for nomination or induction.
– For non-drivers, individuals must have worked at least 10 years in the NASCAR industry.
– Individuals may also be considered who made significant achievements in the sport, but left the sport early due to a variety of circumstances.
The 22-person Nominating Committee follows…
NOMINATION COMMITTEE
NASCAR Hall of Fame: Executive Director Winston Kelley; Historian Buz McKim.
NASCAR Officials: Chairman / CEO Brian France; Vice Chairman Jim France; Vice Chairman of NASCAR Mike Helton; Chief Operating Officer Brent Dewar; Executive Vice President / Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell; Executive Vice President / Chief Global Sales & Marketing Officer Steve Phelps; Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Jill Gregory; Senior Vice President, Competition Scott Miller.
Track Owners/Operators: International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France 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 directors member Looie McNally; Bowman Gray Stadium operator Dale Pinilis; Holland Motorsports Complex operator Ron Bennett; Rockford Speedway operator Jody Deery; West Coast Short Track representative Ken Clapp.
Media: Mike Joy, FOX.
