Pearson squeezed out in HOF voting
NASCAR Hall Of Famer: Richard Petty
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It was deathly quiet for an event associated with racing. No roar of engines. No screams from crew chiefs barking out instructions to drivers or crew members. No loud music playing over the public address system. Ballroom C of the Charlotte Convention Center was so still Wednesday afternoon that one almost could hear the heartbeats of those waiting on the naming of the first five members of NASCAR's Hall of Fame.
Finally, the first selection was announced: Bill France Sr., the founder of NASCAR. Next was seven-time champion Richard Petty, the winningest driver of all time with 200 victories and the rightly named "King" of the sport.
Then came a bit of a surprise in Bill France Jr., who replaced his dad as NASCAR's president in 1972 and is credited with taking a Southern-based sport national.
Before the last two names -- seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt and legendary driver/owner Junior Johnson -- could be called out, a gray-haired man standing in the back of the room knew his fate.
"When I seen the two Frances was in, I knew I didn't have a chance," David Pearson said.
The biggest debate in Wednesday morning's 2½-hour nominee discussion among the 50 voters was whether both Frances should be a part of the first class. There was some discussion about whether Bill Jr. should go in before his father.
The biggest debate should have been about Pearson. He is second to Petty in career wins with 105 despite running a limited schedule most of his career. The three times he won a title were the only years he ran a full schedule.
Some, including Petty, consider him the best driver of all time.
"Anybody that won 105 races and didn't make the cut … somebody ain't adding right," Petty said.
This is supposed to be a celebration of the first class, and it is. But it hardly seems right with Pearson not included.
Maybe Petty, believed to be the only unanimous pick after an informal survey of voters, should have been on the selection committee. Maybe he could have lobbied for his rival as others lobbied for their favorites, with a few changing their minds at the last minute.
When NASCAR announced the 25 nominees earlier this year, Petty made a list of his own. Pearson was No. 1.
2009 NASCAR Hall of Fame
Dale Earnhardt leads the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, at least alphabetically. Here's a look:
Dale Earnhardt
• 76 Cup wins as a driver; 7 Cup championships
• The Intimidator made his black No. 3 a larger-than-life symbol in NASCAR with an aggressive driving style that rattled competitors and enamored fans. Shares the record for most Cup series championships (seven) with Richard Petty. Won his first title in 1980, his second full season. Won the 1998 Daytona 500. Died in an accident on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
Bill France Sr.
• NASCAR founder
• Known as "Big Bill," France is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of American motorsports. Began as a promoter of beach races in Daytona Beach, Fla., and was the driving force behind the establishment of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. His iron-fisted leadership was challenged just once, in 1969, when NASCAR's top drivers pushed France to postpone the race at Talladega Superspeedway over tire concerns. France didn't budge and survived the driver walkout by finding 36 others to race. Turned over control to his son Bill France Jr. in 1972. Died in 1992 at the age of 82.
Bill France Jr.
• NASCAR president 1972-2000
• Bill Jr. replaced his father as NASCAR president in 1972 and spent the next 28 years helping NASCAR become America's No. 1 form of motorsports. His leadership was viewed as a benevolent dictatorship in which France had the final word. He stepped down as president in 2000 during a fight with cancer but ruled as chairman of a new board of directors until 2003, when he transferred control to son, Brian. Died in 2007 at the age of 74.
Junior Johnson
• 50 wins as a driver; 6 championships as a car owner
• Johnson is in an elite group of participants to find success as a driver and a car owner. He won the second Daytona 500 in 1960 and was credited with discovering drafting at superspeedways. Retired in 1966 after 14 seasons as a driver to become a team owner. Won 132 races as owner, including championships with Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip. Began as a moonshine runner, forever making him the symbol of NASCAR's roots.
Richard Petty
• 200 victories as a driver; 7 Cup championships
• The King holds the record for most wins (200), most poles (123), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185). His seven Cup titles is tied with Dale Earnhardt's total for most in NASCAR history. Retired in 1992 but still an at-track presence as a team owner. Petty Enterprises won 268 races before its January merger with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, and Petty has two wins this season as co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports.
Why?
"Look at all of his accomplishments," Petty said.
Look, indeed. Pearson's 105 wins came in 574 starts, a winning percentage of 18.2. Petty's 200 wins came in 1,185 starts, a winning percentage of 16.8.
Pearson, 74, never hesitated to tell you he was the best, either. When he drove the familiar No. 21 Wood Brothers Purolator around Darlington Raceway against Carl Edwards last season, he thought he was better than Edwards.
But if he was disappointed at being left out, he didn't show it.
"Not really," Pearson said. "If they don't like me, they're going to vote for somebody else."
It wasn't just the group of 50 voters that shunned Pearson. The fans, who also got one vote, picked Bobby Allison, Earnhardt, Petty, the two Frances and Cale Yarborough.
Not that anybody felt sorry for Pearson, who drove in a pouring rain from Spartanburg, S.C., to walk away with nothing.
"We went all the way to California last week and wrecked four cars," said Petty, referring to a late-race incident at Auto Club Speedway that took out all four Richard Petty Motorsports cars. "How do you think that feels?"
Not good, probably.
But had this been left to Petty, he would have voted himself out. His list after Pearson included the Frances and his father, Lee Petty. He used the same argument for Lee that many used for the Frances, saying if it weren't for them, there wouldn't be a NASCAR. "If it weren't for Lee Petty, there never would have been a Petty Enterprises or a Richard Petty," Petty said with his famous smile.
If you noticed, Petty didn't mention a fifth person on his list.
"That's somebody else's deal," he said, again smiling.
Petty also said he's proud to have been selected, which he should be. As badly as it felt having Pearson left out, it would have felt worse omitting Petty or even Earnhardt.
And although we can agree to disagree on Pearson, the selection process worked as it was supposed to. The discussions never got heated or ugly. Most of the voters said the word "debate" was too strong to describe even the most intense moments.
"Spirited discourse," said voter Nate Ryan of USA Today.
Jim Hunter, NASCAR's longtime spokesman, helped put at ease what was a nervous room at first. Many voters were worried about speaking their minds with current chairman Brian France in the room.
But Hunter made it clear early that this was an open forum and that "No one in here will take [anything] personal, including me."
"There was a good deal of emotion and some smashing of teeth this morning," said legendary promoter H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler. "It was a meeting like I've never been in with NASCAR.
"Everybody was a little uncomfortable at first."
But as much discussion and nervousness as there was about whether one or two Frances should be voted in -- many of the older voters siding with "Big Bill" and the newer ones with "Little Bill" -- there never was a division.
"The big thing everybody was trying to get away from was that this was a popularity contest," said Wheeler, who changed his mind and voted for Richard Petty over Lee Petty after hearing what everybody said.
It wasn't. Nobody knew what was coming before France opened the sealed envelopes. Teresa Earnhardt showed a sigh of relief when her late husband, considered a lock, was announced.
"I can't imagine how difficult it was to choose five," she said later.
France had no idea his father and grandfather had been selected until he read their names.
"There was a lot of discussion about two France family members in the same year," he said. "I was surprised, but very, very proud."
But the biggest surprise was the omission of Pearson, who quietly left with legendary driver Cotton Owens for a rainy drive home.
"Being the person he is, he'll swallow hard and get in next year," Wheeler said.
If he's not, the room will get more than deathly quiet.
David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.
