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Sprint Cup
VIDEO: 2011 NASCAR Hall Of Fame Class Named
David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Lee Petty, Ned Jarrett and Bud Moore will enter the NASCAR Hall of Fame...
VIDEO: NASCAR HOF - 2011 Inductees David Pearson is named to the 2011 NHoF class. (Image: SPEED)
David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Lee Petty, Ned Jarrett and Bud Moore were announced Wednesday afternoon as the five members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class for 2011.
Next May, they will join Bill France Sr. and Jr., Junior Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty in the hall.
The competition for spots in the 2011 class was as fierce and high-spirited as the competition these legends participated in on the race tracks. The voting panel consisted of 21 members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame nominating committee; 31 former drivers, owners and crew chiefs, as well current manufacturer representatives and media members; and one ballot that represented a nationwide fan vote.
According to voters, selecting this year’s class was a much more complicated and closely contested battle than last year was, when the only real debate was whether or not Pearson would make it in, which he didn’t.
“There wasn’t that much back and forth last year,” said SceneDaily.com’s Kenny Bruce, one of the voting media members. “There was a lot more this year.”
The 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame class:
DAVID PEARSON — Known as The Silver Fox, was the model of NASCAR efficiency during his career. His 105 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories ranks second all-time, and he amassed that figure in only 574 races – a winning percentage of 18.29.
In a career that spanned 27 years, Pearson never ran every race in any season. In 1966, Pearson ran 42 of 49 races to win his first championship. In his 1968 championship winning campaign, he ran 48 of 49 races. And in 1969, he ran 51 of 54 en route to his third and final title.
His consistent greatness might best be defined by his 1974 performance, a season he did not win the championship. He finished third that year behind Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough – but raced only 19 of 30 races.Ranking second in wins and poles, Pearson’s numbers are eclipsed only by Petty. Pearson won the Daytona 500 once (1976), but had six victories overall at Daytona International Speedway.
BOBBY ALLISON — The 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Allison ended his career with 84 victories, tied for third on the all-time victory list with Darrell Waltrip.
A charter member of the “Alabama Gang,” the longtime resident of Hueytown, Ala., has become one of NASCAR’s most beloved former competitors, in large part because of his remarkable resilience after a career-ending accident at Pocono Raceway in 1988 – just several months after he won the Daytona 500.
Allison won the Daytona 500 in 1978, ’82 and ’88, the latter victory coming when he beat his son Davey to the finish line.
In addition to his Sprint Cup title, Allison won NASCAR Modified Division championships in 1964 and 1965, as well as Modified Special Division titles in 1962-63. In 1972, Allison won 10 races, had 12 second-place efforts and 11 poles, finishing second to Petty in the series championship standings.
LEE PETTY — The patriarch of a four-generation family of racers, Petty won the first Daytona 500 in 1959. On the final lap, Petty and Johnny Beauchamp barreled toward the finish line, in what would become one of the closest finishes in the prestigious race’s history. So close, in fact, that race officials put a hold on the results for three days. A photo snapped at the finish line confirmed Petty’s win, his first in another championship winning season.
But that first Daytona 500 is only one of many Petty accomplishments. Along with winning the first Daytona 500, Petty also was the first driver to capture three championships in what now is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
And up until the time his own son, Richard, caught and passed him, Lee won more races than any other driver – 54. That number still ranks ninth all-time. But maybe his greatest legacy is his own name – and lineage. Petty, who started Petty Enterprises, is the father of “The King” Richard Petty and the grandfather of Kyle Petty.
NED JARRETT — Ned Jarrett had it all – hard-charging capabilities combined with the consistency essential to stock-car success. The combination produced two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships. His 50 career victories are tied for 10th all-time with Junior Johnson. He also won a total of 28 races during the 1964 and ’65 seasons.
Jarrett won his first series title in 1961 while driving a Chevrolet for W.G. Holloway Jr.
Nicknamed “Gentleman Ned,” Jarrett and his wife, Martha, reside in Hickory, N.C. Their family includes son Dale, who won the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup title. Since retiring, the elder Jarrett has become one of NASCAR’s greatest ambassadors. He’s also considered instrumental to the sport’s growth through his second career as a broadcaster. Now retired from broadcasting, he is especially remembered for the emotional call of his son Dale’s 1993 Daytona 500 victory.
BUD MOORE — A decorated World War II infantryman, Bud Moore became a successful NASCAR Sprint Cup owner almost immediately upon fielding a team in 1961. Moore won back-to-back championships in 1962-63 with Joe Weatherly.
Earlier, in 1957, Moore – who referred to himself as “a country mechanic” – was crew chief for champion Buck Baker. During 37 seasons in NASCAR’s premier division, Moore’s cars won 63 times and finished 298 and 463 times respectively among the top five and top 10.
His cars also won 43 poles in the team’s 959 starts. Moore-owned cars have visited Victory Lane in most of the sport’s biggest events including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500.
Moore’s cars, both fast and dependable, attracted the sport’s top drivers.
As a top performer among Ford’s motorsports stable, Moore frequently was tapped to spearhead the company’s other racing endeavors. Among his successes was the 1970 Sports Car Club of America championship with Parnelli Jones.
Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100 and e-mail him at Jensen is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of Speed,” and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association and an NMPA Writer of the Year.
Next May, they will join Bill France Sr. and Jr., Junior Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty in the hall.
The competition for spots in the 2011 class was as fierce and high-spirited as the competition these legends participated in on the race tracks. The voting panel consisted of 21 members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame nominating committee; 31 former drivers, owners and crew chiefs, as well current manufacturer representatives and media members; and one ballot that represented a nationwide fan vote.
According to voters, selecting this year’s class was a much more complicated and closely contested battle than last year was, when the only real debate was whether or not Pearson would make it in, which he didn’t.
“There wasn’t that much back and forth last year,” said SceneDaily.com’s Kenny Bruce, one of the voting media members. “There was a lot more this year.”
The 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame class:
DAVID PEARSON — Known as The Silver Fox, was the model of NASCAR efficiency during his career. His 105 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories ranks second all-time, and he amassed that figure in only 574 races – a winning percentage of 18.29.
In a career that spanned 27 years, Pearson never ran every race in any season. In 1966, Pearson ran 42 of 49 races to win his first championship. In his 1968 championship winning campaign, he ran 48 of 49 races. And in 1969, he ran 51 of 54 en route to his third and final title.
His consistent greatness might best be defined by his 1974 performance, a season he did not win the championship. He finished third that year behind Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough – but raced only 19 of 30 races.Ranking second in wins and poles, Pearson’s numbers are eclipsed only by Petty. Pearson won the Daytona 500 once (1976), but had six victories overall at Daytona International Speedway.
BOBBY ALLISON — The 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Allison ended his career with 84 victories, tied for third on the all-time victory list with Darrell Waltrip.
A charter member of the “Alabama Gang,” the longtime resident of Hueytown, Ala., has become one of NASCAR’s most beloved former competitors, in large part because of his remarkable resilience after a career-ending accident at Pocono Raceway in 1988 – just several months after he won the Daytona 500.
Allison won the Daytona 500 in 1978, ’82 and ’88, the latter victory coming when he beat his son Davey to the finish line.
In addition to his Sprint Cup title, Allison won NASCAR Modified Division championships in 1964 and 1965, as well as Modified Special Division titles in 1962-63. In 1972, Allison won 10 races, had 12 second-place efforts and 11 poles, finishing second to Petty in the series championship standings.
LEE PETTY — The patriarch of a four-generation family of racers, Petty won the first Daytona 500 in 1959. On the final lap, Petty and Johnny Beauchamp barreled toward the finish line, in what would become one of the closest finishes in the prestigious race’s history. So close, in fact, that race officials put a hold on the results for three days. A photo snapped at the finish line confirmed Petty’s win, his first in another championship winning season.
But that first Daytona 500 is only one of many Petty accomplishments. Along with winning the first Daytona 500, Petty also was the first driver to capture three championships in what now is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
And up until the time his own son, Richard, caught and passed him, Lee won more races than any other driver – 54. That number still ranks ninth all-time. But maybe his greatest legacy is his own name – and lineage. Petty, who started Petty Enterprises, is the father of “The King” Richard Petty and the grandfather of Kyle Petty.
NED JARRETT — Ned Jarrett had it all – hard-charging capabilities combined with the consistency essential to stock-car success. The combination produced two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships. His 50 career victories are tied for 10th all-time with Junior Johnson. He also won a total of 28 races during the 1964 and ’65 seasons.
Jarrett won his first series title in 1961 while driving a Chevrolet for W.G. Holloway Jr.
Nicknamed “Gentleman Ned,” Jarrett and his wife, Martha, reside in Hickory, N.C. Their family includes son Dale, who won the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup title. Since retiring, the elder Jarrett has become one of NASCAR’s greatest ambassadors. He’s also considered instrumental to the sport’s growth through his second career as a broadcaster. Now retired from broadcasting, he is especially remembered for the emotional call of his son Dale’s 1993 Daytona 500 victory.
BUD MOORE — A decorated World War II infantryman, Bud Moore became a successful NASCAR Sprint Cup owner almost immediately upon fielding a team in 1961. Moore won back-to-back championships in 1962-63 with Joe Weatherly.
Earlier, in 1957, Moore – who referred to himself as “a country mechanic” – was crew chief for champion Buck Baker. During 37 seasons in NASCAR’s premier division, Moore’s cars won 63 times and finished 298 and 463 times respectively among the top five and top 10.
His cars also won 43 poles in the team’s 959 starts. Moore-owned cars have visited Victory Lane in most of the sport’s biggest events including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500.
Moore’s cars, both fast and dependable, attracted the sport’s top drivers.
As a top performer among Ford’s motorsports stable, Moore frequently was tapped to spearhead the company’s other racing endeavors. Among his successes was the 1970 Sports Car Club of America championship with Parnelli Jones.
Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100 and e-mail him at Jensen is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of Speed,” and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association and an NMPA Writer of the Year.
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