Following the first in-person meeting among the NASCAR Hall of Fame nominating committee in the hall’s history, NASCAR today announced the 20 nominees for the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame’s sixth induction class, as well as the five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Included among the list up for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame are an eclectic – and exemplary – group of individuals whose skillsets span all levels of racing and areas of expertise.
Among them are two-time NASCAR premier series champion Terry Labonte; 1988 NASCAR premier series champion and 16-time Most Popular Driver Bill Elliott; nine-time NASCAR champion Mike Stefanik, whose titles came in both the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East; Buddy Baker, a 19-time NASCAR premier series winner; and championship winning engine builder and team owner Robert Yates.
From the list of 20 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.com. Voting Day for the 2015 class will be Wednesday, May 21. Fans can attend the announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
As was announced last November during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week, potential Landmark Award recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement. The five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award are H. Clay Earles, Anne B. France, Raymond Parks, Ralph Seagraves and Ken Squier. Parks is the only individual who was included as both a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee and a Landmark Award nominee. This round of nominees was selected by a 22-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks, as well as one at-large member. The committee’s votes were tabulated by accounting firm Ernst & Young.(NASCAR)
Daytona Race Viewing Party: Make plans to attend a Race Viewing Party at the NASCAR Hall of Fame this season. Races are shown live in the High Octane Theater, where you’ll experience the excitement of watching the race on a 64-foot-wide screen complete with surround sound and in-car driver feeds. Admission to the race viewing parties is $10 for non-members and free for members and includes the use of a race scanner that gives you access to driver and crew dialogues. Food, soft drinks, beer and wine will be available for purchase. Doors open one hour prior to the race; all race times are ET.(2-21-2014)
