Petty, Earnhardt and Frances lead first hall of fame class
As expected, the inaugural class for the NASCAR Hall of Fame features five of the most important figures in the sport’s history.
Leading the way are the founder of the sport, Bill France Sr., and his son, Bill France Jr., the two men who laid the groundwork and guided the sport to national prominence.
It features the sport’s two most accomplished drivers, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, both seven-time champions. And it features perhaps it’s most colorful character, Junior Johnson, a former moonshiner and folk hero who became one of the winningest drivers and team owners in the sport.
Here’s a closer look at NASCAR’s first hall of fame class:
>> Bill France Sr.
Claim to fame: Founder of NASCAR.
Crowning achievements: Organized and incorporated NASCAR in 1947-48; served as NASCAR’s first president from 1947-1971; built Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.
Signature moment: Organized and presided over the famous 1947 meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla., that led to the founding of NASCAR.
His legacy: Guided stock-car racing from the dirt tracks of the 1940s to the most popular motorsport in America.
What they’re writing: “Without the man called ‘Big Bill,’ stock-car racing as we know it might not exist. It was France who had the vision and ambition to turn a rogue sport into one that found credibility, stability, organization and acceptance. … Stock-car racing was an undisciplined brat before William H.G. France fulfilled his vision. He took it by the scruff of the neck and, through the force of his personality and leadership, helped shape it into what it has become.”
– Steve Waid, SceneDaily.com
>> Richard Petty
Claim to fame: NASCAR’s winningest driver and undisputed “King” of stock-car racing.
Crowning achievements: Record 200 career victories; seven-time Cup champion; seven-time Daytona 500 winner; record for most wins in a season (27) and most consecutive victories (10).
Signature moment: Scored his 200th career victory in the 1984 Pepsi 400 at Daytona with President Ronald Reagan in attendance.
His legacy: Sparked the popularity of NASCAR and became its greatest ambassador by setting the standard for fan accessibility.
What they’re writing: “Petty is about much more than the numbers, the victories and the championships. … He is the Arnold Palmer of his sport. He put stock-car racing on the national map, gave it a bright, shining, smiling face (with piano-key teeth) and carried it through its building years with style and grace. With the possible exception of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., no one has been more important to stock-car racing.”
– Mike Hembree, SceneDaily.com
>> Dale Earnhardt
Claim to fame: Seven-time champion who captivated fans and sparked NASCAR’s explosive growth in the 1980s and ’90s.
Crowning achievements: 76 career victories; seven-time Cup champion; won more total races than any driver at Daytona; holds the record for career victories at Talladega (10) and Atlanta (9) and second-most at Bristol (9) and Darlington (9).
Signature moment: Won the 1998 Daytona 500 in his 20th attempt.
Legacy: Created one of the sport’s most loyal and passionate fan bases with his image as “The Intimidator” and “The Man in Black.”
What they’re writing: “Though his 76 wins and record-tying seven championships made him a shoo-in for NASCAR’s first hall of fame class, it was his image and style that left an indelible mark on the sport. No one raced harder. No one wanted to win more, and no one could stir a crowd quite like he could. And no one in the 1980s and ’90s played a bigger role in the growth of the sport than the man known simply as Earnhardt.”
– Jeff Owens, SceneDaily.com
>> Junior Johnson
Claim to fame: Legendary folk hero who parlayed his talent for hauling moonshine into a successful career as a stock-car driver, mechanic and team owner.
Crowning achievements: Won 50 Cup races as a driver; won 132 races and six championships as team owner; won 1960 Daytona 500; helped bring R.J. Reynolds’ lucrative sponsorship to NASCAR’s top series in 1971.
Signature moment: The subject of Tom Wolfe’s famous Esquire article entitled, “The Last American Hero,” which later became a 1973 movie starring Jeff Bridges.
His legacy: The most successful driver-turned-team owner in the history of the sport.
What they’re writing: “Johnson stands as a successful driver who went on to fashion an even greater career as a team owner. He also stands as the best-known symbol of the moonshine era which, ultimately, gave birth to stock-car racing.”
– Steve Waid, SceneDaily.com
>> Bill France Jr.
Claim to fame: Suceeded his father as NASCAR president from 1972-2000; became NASCAR chairman and CEO in 2003.
Crowning achievements: Launched NASCAR’s modern era with a new sponsor, R.J. Reynolds, and shortened schedule in 1972; negotiated NASCAR’s first TV contracts, including the first network deal in 2001; expanded the Cup schedule to include such new tracks as Indianapolis Motor Speedway, California Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
Signature moment: Orchestrated the advent of NASCAR racing on TV with CBS’ live flag-to-flag broadcast of the 1979 Daytona 500.
Legacy: Led NASCAR from a regional sport to national prominence in the 1980s and ’90s.
What they’re writing: “France Jr. was a visionary, a man who saw the potential for stock-car racing to gain in prominence and grab a foothold in the national sports landscape. Words like pioneer and legend cropped up surrounding his name over the years.”
