Hall nominees? Readers have own ideas
Well, nothing like a little Hall of Fame list to spark debate.
On Tuesday, I listed my top 25 nominees for NASCAR's inaugural class of five. The full list will be announced tonight, but you folks chimed in with your own thoughts in our comments section, wanting your voices heard about who deserves recognition.
Only 20 percent of the nominees will make the first induction class next spring for the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
But being nominated is a big deal. Making that 25-name list is quite an honor. It places that individual among the greats of the sport and almost guarantees a spot in the Hall at some point.
And what you fans say really matters. A fan element will count for one of the 51 votes each year for Hall entry, so your opinion counts for something more than just an opinion.
Here's a sampling of your thoughts. First, a clarification: Active drivers are not eligible for the Hall. A driver must be retired for three years before he can become a nominee.
Some of you mentioned Bill Elliott, but he's in that gray area of semi-retirement. Elliott has raced in five Cup races this year, so he's not eligible. He will be a Hall inductee at some point.
And all of you who mentioned the current stars also will have to wait. Three of them will be first-ballot Hall of Famers: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart.
Some of you didn't like my selection of Rusty Wallace in the top 25.
From NASCARSince58: "I think most of us agree on most of your picks, TB … But, Rusty Wallace??? Absolutely no way on God's green earth does Rusty get into the Hall of Fame by any other means than buying a ticket.
From AJF-2: Rusty????? Sorry, but I just don't see him in the HOF before Fred Lorenzen, Buddy Baker, Curtis Turner or Bill Elliott. They did greater things during tougher times."
Wow. Why the vitriol toward good old Rusty? I will let another reader make the argument in favor of Wallace:
From SteveD2112: "All you Rusty-haters, please explain how he's "overrated." He had 55 career wins (11 more than Elliott, 22 more than Fireball [Roberts], 29 more than Lorenzen, 36 more than Buddy [Baker]) … One championship (same as Elliott has and one more than the other aforementioned drivers)."
Some of you thought there weren't enough old-school greats on my list.
It's hard when you start looking at drivers, but when you look outside of them there are other more important people. I think Harold Brasington and H. Clay Earles should be on the list.
“It's hard when you start looking at drivers, but when you look outside of them there are other more important people. I think Harold Brasington and H. Clay Earles should be on the list.
” -- acdelco29
Raymond Parks -- known to some as the godfather of stock car racing -- was mentioned, and deservedly so. Parks was the car owner for Red Byron, NASCAR's first champion in 1949. Parks was instrumental in helping Bill France Sr. form NASCAR.
I was impressed to see some of you guys are true historians of the sport.
From acdelco29: "It's hard when you start looking at drivers, but when you look outside of them there are other more important people. I think Harold Brasington and H. Clay Earles should be on the list.
Brasington built Darlington Raceway, the first superspeedway. The first Southern 500 was held on Labor Day 1950.
Earles built historic Martinsville Speedway in 1947, and the old short track has become a cherished part of NASCAR lore.
Some of you want Davey Allison and Alan Kulwicki, two men taken from us too soon, on the top 25 list. I understand.
Davey, who died in a helicopter accident at age 32, is in my book as the most underrated driver in NASCAR history.
A few readers wanted to make sure the former stars of the Busch Series, now the Nationwide Series, were mentioned.
Stablersnake12 listed Jack Ingram's accomplishments: "Ingram won five Busch championships … three in a row when it was the Busch Grand National series in '72-'74."
Shouldn't someone with a commenter moniker of Stablersnake12 be more concerned with the Pro Football HOF?
Anyway, he's right. But the titles from 1972-74 came before Busch beer became the title sponsor, and the series was known as the Late Model Sportsman Division.
Unlike today, guys like Ingram and two-time Busch champ Sam Ard weren't Cup stars moonlighting at the lower level. That alone is worth recognizing.
One loyal reader e-mailed me to say the first five inductees should be the Petty family five: Lee, Richard, Maurice, Kyle and Adam.
"Without the involvement of the Petty family, NASCAR wouldn't amount to a hill of beans," he wrote.
True enough, but this reader knows as well as I do this isn't a realistic option.
And I want to thank those of you who mentioned a few journalists and broadcasters in your top 25.
Chris Economaki came up several times. No one in this business deserves it more than Chris, a true legend to those of us who cover racing.
There are others you folks listed, including Terry Labonte, Ricky Rudd (who is a Hall voter), Benny Parsons, Tim Richmond, Tiny Lund, and Red Farmer, to name a few.
I've mentioned 22 people in this story that readers suggested who weren't in my top 25. Therein lies the problem: way more worthy candidates than a top-25 list can hold.
Terry Blount covers motorsports for ESPN.com. His book, "The Blount Report: NASCAR's Most Overrated and Underrated Drivers, Cars, Teams, and Tracks," was published by Triumph Books and is available in bookstores. Click here to order a copy. Blount can be reached at terry@blountspeak.com.
