NASCAR Hall of Fame Names Inaugural Class
Three Past Drivers and 2 NASCAR Executives Will Be Inducted in 2010
Nov 2, 2009
Three former drivers and the first two NASCAR Presidents will make up the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, under construction in Charlotte, NC. The facility will honor the history and heritage of NASCAR and those who have contributed to its success.
The Hall is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR, and will be operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority when it opens in 2010..
Former drivers Dale Earnhardt Sr, Richard Petty and Junior Johnson are the first NASCAR drivers to be voted into the Hall. They will join the first two NASCAR presidents, Bill France Sr., and Bill France Jr. The Class of 2010 will be officially inducted in a May 23, 2010 ceremony at the Charlotte facility.
Bill France Sr. and Bill France Jr. Were First Two NASCAR Presidents
In 1947 Bill France Sr. was the driving force in starting the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing which today is known as NASCAR. He became the first president of the new organization.
In 1972 France Sr. was replaced by his son, Bill France Jr. who guided NASCAR as it became America's most popular form of motorsports. He remained president of the governing organization until 2000.
Junior Johnson Had Success as a Driver and Car Owner
Robert Glen "Junior" Johnson won the second Daytona 500 in 1960 and in doing so was credited with the discovery of "drafting" on the superspeedway tracks. Johnson was named one of NASCAR's "50 Greatest Drivers" in 1998.
Johnson won 50 Sprint Cup Series races before retiring to become a team owner. His teams won six series Championships with drivers Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip between 1976 and 1985.
Richard Petty Was a Success as Driver and Team Owner
Richard Petty is known as "The King" in NASCAR circles where he has been successful as both a driver and a team owner. As a driver, Petty still holds the record for the most wins and most poles.
After leaving driving, Petty headed the family business, Petty Enterprises. In 2009 the team merged with Gillette Evernham Motorsports and is now known as Richard Petty Motorsports.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. Was Known as "The Intimidator"
The black No. 3 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Sr. became a symbol of racing dominance as the talented driver won a championship in 1980 in his second full season in NASCAR's top series. He and Richard Petty are tied for the most Sprint Cup Series Championships with seven each.
A win at the Daytona 500 eluded Earnhardt until 1998 when the competing teams lined pit road to salute the talented driver as he entered Victory Lane. He was killed during the final laps of the 2001 Daytona 500.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in Charlotte in January of 2007.
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