Now that the "race for NASCAR's HOF" is over and the five competing cities bids are in - all that remains is for the Daytona big wigs to announce the winning site later this year - media attention has turned to the first group of nominees. I have not seen any official word but it appears only 10 people will be inducted in the first Hall class. A very small number considering NASCAR's long history and lends it self to months of "how could they leave out driver "Red Fender" or track owner "Bent Guardrail."
That's Racin' has chosen a group of 25 luminaries and is asking it's readership to select their top ten. Never one to shy away from controversy - and you can bet this will be a much talked about subject well into next year - I have chosen my top ten. Some match other lists, some are obvious selections, some may be virtually unknown to the Johnny come lately fans who know nothing prior to Jeff Gordon's arrival.
Lee and Richard Petty are the first of the obvious choices, no need to belabor the point, if you fail to agree, well... you don't know NASCAR!
Big Bill France and another lock selection, Without France Sr. there may never have been a NASCAR, at least in it's present form. He corralled a bunch of raga-muffin drivers, shyster promoters, and fly-by-night track owners and formed an entire sport! His is a four wheeled, door slammin' version of Dr. James Naismith's peach baskets and Abner Doubleday myths.
Dale Earnhardt, Another lock with his 7 Championships and the first modern era superstar. Sr. was the bridge between the rough and tumble past of the 50's and 60's and the modern age of win on Sunday, make-up enhanced appearances on Good Morning America Monday morning.
In the great NASCAR tradition of if you ain't cheatin', you ain't winnin', I'll count Glen and Leonard Wood as a single entry. The Wood Brothers are true legends and have the oldest continuously operating team in NASCAR NEXTEL/Winston Cup. They have compiled 97 wins, fourth all-time in NASCAR history and the most of any Ford team.
Junior Johnson Junior epitomized what it was all about in the early days - moonshining legend of Ingle Hollow N.C. on the one hand - winner of 50 NASCAR events as driver on the other. Jumping to the other side of pit wall he fielded six championship teams as an owner. Restrictor plate era drivers eat your hearts out, Junior is credited with discovering "drafting," In 1960, racing a Chevrolet, Junior was losing up to 10 mph to the hot Pontiacs. Then on a whim coming out of a corner in practice he nosed his Chevy up near the bumper of a fast Pontiac. To Johnson's surprise he stayed with the Pontiac and went faster than ever.
Herb Thomas Between 1951-54, he was champ twice and runner-up twice. He won 48 times in just 230 career starts, a winning percentage of 20%. His career was cut short by a 1956 crash that likely kept him from more titles.
Smoky Yunick If for no other reason Smoky deserves a place due to his “creative use” of the NASCAR rule book. His infamous black and gold number 13 Chevelle at first glance looked “stock,” but when sitting beside it’s showroom cousin revealed it to be 7/8ths size replica. When NASCAR mandated a maximum fuel tank size, Smokey noticed there was no rule about the length of the fuel line. He ran a fuel line back and forth the length of the car four times allowing his drivers to carry an extra five gallons of gas. The man was a genius, an evil genius to the NASCAR Tech inspectors, but a genius none the less.
Carl Kiekhafer Competing for only two years, Kiekhafer presaged todays team concept by forty years. His immaculately dressed crew members (all white no less) and “Fabulous Hudson Hornets” devastated the competition and provided the model todays multi-car teams are based on.
And finally my tenth, and most controversial selection, Wendell Scott. Scott came out of Danville, Virginia to become, to date, the only African-American to win a NASCAR Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) event in Jacksonville Fla., a one-mile dirt track. The year was 1963, and due to the color of his skin he wasn’t initially awarded the victory. Scott was two laps in front of the second place car driven by Buck Baker (also a legitimate contender for the first Hall class) in that event. NASCAR wouldn’t drop the checkered flag fearing a riot if a black man won, so Buck Baker took the checkered flag and enjoyed the celebration and the trophy.He finished that year in a second hand car bought from Ned Jarrett and placed 15th in points. In May of 1964, Scott was down on his luck and almost out of racing when Ned Jarrett set up a deal for Scott. He was able to obtain a Holman-Moody Ford that had been raced the year before in USAC for a dollar. Driving that car, Scott finished 12 in points despite missing several races. Over the next five years, Scott consistently finished in the Top Ten in the point standings. He moved up to 11th in 1965, was a career-high 6th in 1966, 10th in 1967, and finished 9th in both 1968 and '69. His top year in winnings was 1969 when he won $47,451. Through all the underfunded cars, pit crews made up of family members, and yes, a ton of blatant racism, Scott persevered until he was forced to leave NASCAR in 1973 following a crash at Talladega that almost left him crippled. He will forever be remembered for the role he played in the history of NASCAR. He is well deserving of being among the first elected to NASCAR's Hall of Fame.
And BTW, if anyone is wondering where the new Hall will be located. Charlotte has it in the bag, You heard it here first..
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