Dale Earnhardt co-holds the record for most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (seven) with Richard Petty. (Photo: NASCAR)

DALE EARNHARDT — Earnhardt co-holds the record for most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (seven) with Richard Petty.

In only his second full season, 1980, Earnhardt nabbed his first championship. He won consecutive titles on three separate occasions (1986-87, ’90-91 and ’93-94). Earnhardt’s 76 victories rank seventh all-time. Earnhardt won on the biggest stages and his swagger and personality made him a legend and a hero among blue-collar NASCAR fans.

He is the all-time leader in race victories at Daytona International Speedway with 34, including the 1998 Daytona 500, one of the most emotional victories in NASCAR history.

Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson is unique in NASCAR history and is now a charter member in the Hall of Fame. (Photo: NASCAR)

JUNIOR JOHNSON — Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson is unique in NASCAR history, with tremendous success both as a driver and a car owner.

Johnson won the second annual Daytona 500 in 1960 and in the process, became credited with the discovery of “drafting” on the massive superspeedways. He won 50 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series then surprised many people by retiring from driving to become an owner. As a competitor, Johnson never missed a beat; through the years his drivers won 132 races. There also were six series championships produced with Cale Yarborough (1976-78) and Darrell Waltrip (1981-82, ’85).

Named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers” in 1998, Johnson resides in Wilkesboro, N.C., and remains one of the sport’s most enduring – and endearing – personalities, at the age of 78.

The nominees were selected by a 21-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks.

The HOF’s first inductees was determined by the 50-member voting panel – the entire nominating committee, 14 media members, four manufacturer representatives, nine retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs – three each) and two recognized industry leaders. The fan vote was the voting panel’s 51st and final ballot.

The inaugural class will be inducted in a ceremony to be held on May 23, 2010 at the Hall.

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED, and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to