Presenting the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees
On Wednesday, NASCAR announced its list of nominees for the 2013 Hall of Fame class. And without further ado, here they are. First, carryovers from previous years:
Buck Baker: First driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series championships (1956-57)
Red Byron: First NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949
Richard Childress: 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jerry Cook: Six-time NASCAR Modified champion
H. Clay Earles: Founder of Martinsville Speedway
Tim Flock: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Rick Hendrick: 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jack Ingram: Two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion
Bobby Isaac: 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Fred Lorenzen: 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
Cotton Owens: Driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson
Raymond Parks: NASCAR's first champion car owner
Benny Parsons: 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Les Richter: Former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway
Fireball Roberts: Won 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
T. Wayne Robertson: Helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP
Herb Thomas: First two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, '53
Curtis Turner: Early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
Joe Weatherly: Two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
Leonard Wood: Part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops
Next up, the five newcomers:
Ray Fox, former NASCAR owner, engine builder and official
Anne B. France, first secretary and treasurer of NASCAR, wife of founder Bill France Sr.
Ralph Seagraves, former president of R.J. Reynolds who introduced corporate sponsorship to NASCAR's premier series
Wendell Scott, first African-American to win a NASCAR premier series event
Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 55 wins, 36 poles
Notable exclusions include Bruton Smith, Janet Guthrie and Ray Evernham. My picks? I'm going with Red Byron, Rick Hendrick, Curtis Turner, Wendell Scott and Rusty Wallace. And you?
