15 people have been nominated for the Hall of Fame, along with five additional nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
Among them is seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus. Together, they won over 80 Cup races and seven titles -- including an unprecedented five consecutive.
Johnson is now a co-owner at the Legacy Motor Club Cup team, and Knaus is currently the Vice President of Competition at Hendrick Motorsports.
They join the Modern Era ballot in their first year of eligibility, with Donnie Allison joining the list of nominees on the Pioneer ballot for the first time as well. Allison's brother Bobby joined the Hall of Fame in 2011. Donnie started 242 Cup races over 22 years, winning ten races. He was also part of that iconic finish (and fight) at the Daytona 500 in 1979, an event that launched the sport into the national spotlight.
Two candidates from the Modern Era ballot and one from the Pioneer ballot will join the NASCAR Hall of Fame next year.
Modern Era Ballot
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
Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion
Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories
Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief
Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion
Chad Knaus, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400
Pioneer Ballot
Donnie Allison, ten-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, 1967 Cup Series ROY
Sam Ard, NASCAR Xfinity Series pioneer and two-time champion
AJ Foyt, won seven NASCAR Cup Series races including the 1972 Daytona 500
Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships
Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as mechanical genius of Holman-Moody
The Landmark Award "honors those who made significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR." Joining the list of nominees is Les Richter, a longtime NASCAR executive.
Landmark Award
Janet Guthrie, the first female to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway race
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
