Kurt Busch and Randy LaJoie join NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees
Today at 10:48 AM
Kurt Busch and Randy LaJoie have joined the NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee ballot for the first time.
The nominees for the class of 2026 were announced Monday. Busch and LaJoie are the new names on the list for the Modern Era Ballot.
Busch is a former Cup Series champion and Daytona 500 winner. He won races in all three NASCAR national series.
LaJoie is a two-time Xfinity Series champion and former North Series champion. He made starts in all three national series but won 15 races in the Xfinity Series.
The other nominees on the Modern Era Ballot are:
Greg Biffle: 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and 2002 Xfinity Series champion
Neil Bonnett: won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories
Tim Brewer: two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
Jeff Burton: won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s
Randy Dorton: built engines that won over nine championships across NASCAR's national series
Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories
Harry Hyde: 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief
Jack Sprague: three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion
The voting panel will select two individuals from the Modern Era Ballot for induction into the
Hall of Fame. There will be one individual selected from the Pioneer Ballot.
The nominees on the Pioneer Ballot are:
Jake Elder: three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief, including the Daytona 500 and two Southern 500s
Ray Hendrick: won over 700 times in NASCAR Modified and Late Model Sportsman
Banjo Matthews: built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships
Larry Phillips: first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
Bob Welborn: winner of nine NASCAR Cup Series races and three Convertible Division championships
And the Landmark Award will be given to the individual who is voted upon for their contributions to stock car racing. The nominees are:
Alvin Hawkins: NASCAR's first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
Lesa France Kennedy: NASCAR executive vice chair and one of the most influential women in sports
Dr. Joseph Mattioli: founder of Pocono Raceway
Les Richter: long-time NASCAR executive oversaw competition, helped grow the sport on the West Coast
Humpy Wheeler: former president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, transformed the venue into a world-class facility
