NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominees Announced

Major League Baseball has one in Cooperstown, New York. The National Football League has one in Canton, Ohio. The National Basketball Association has one in Springfield, Massachusetts. The National Hockey League has one on Toronto, Ontario Canada. And soon the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) will have one in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Sometime next spring NASCAR will open its very own Hall of Fame in the heart of where many of the drivers, garages/shops, and owners call home. Groundbreaking for the Hall of Fame began in 2006; the inaugural group of nominees from which the first inductees to the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be selected were announced on July 2, 2009. Twenty-five names were selected to become the first nominees for the new Hall of Fame from which five names will be selected by vote. NASCAR industry leaders, representatives from the manufacturers, former NASCAR drivers, the media, and fan vote – the total of the fan vote will count as one of the 51 votes needed to be inducted – will determine those drivers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In order to be eligible for nomination to the Hall of Fame drivers must have 10 years as a driver and have been retired for three years and non-drivers must have worked in NASCAR for 10 years. A non-driver who has less than the 10 year requirement may be considered under special circumstances.

And the 25 nominees for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class are:

Bobby AllisonBobby Allison
Buck Baker
Red Byron
Richard ChildressRichard Childress
Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
Richie Evans
Bill France, Jr.
William Henry Getty France
Rick HendrickRick Hendrick
Ned Jarrett
Junior Johnson
Bud Moore
Raymond Parks
Benny Parsons
David PearsonDavid Pearson
Lee PettyLee Petty
Richard PettyRichard Petty

Glenn “Fireball” Roberts
Herb Thomas
Curtis Turner
Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip
Joe Weatherly
Glen Wood

Cale YarboroughCale Yarborough

Once voting has begun fans can cast their vote for their favourite NASCAR personality. To register and be notified when voting begins go to www.nascarhall.com.