(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
Biffle, Dorton, Sprague, Hendrick and Welborn join ballot for the first time
NASCAR today announced the 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
Greg Biffle, the first driver to win both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship joins the Modern Era ballot alongside legendary engine builder Randy Dorton and three-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Jack Sprague. “Mr. Modified” Ray Hendrick and three-time Convertible Division champion Bob Welborn join the Pioneer ballot for the first time. In addition, Larry Phillips was nominated to the Pioneer ballot after appearing on the Modern Era ballot the maximum 10 times.
Two Modern Era candidates and one Pioneer candidate will be elected as the Class of 2025. The Pioneer ballot honors those whose careers began more than 60 years ago.
Dr. Dean Sickling, who invented the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier which has saved countless lives, joins the Landmark Award ballot for the first time. The Landmark Award honors those who made significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel will meet in person to discuss and vote for the Class of 2025 and Landmark Award on Tuesday, May 21. The winners of a NASCAR.com Fan Vote (www.nascar.com/halloffame) will comprise the final ballot tallied. The Fan Vote is currently open and will close on May 19 at 12 p.m. ET.
The Modern Era Ballot and Landmark Award nominees were selected by the Nomination Committee, which consists of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks. The Honors Committee, largely comprised of all living Hall of Famers, Landmark Award winners and Squier-Hall Award winners, selected the Pioneer Ballot.
Following are the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees and Landmark Award nominees:
Modern Era Ballot
Greg Biffle, 2000 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion and 2002 Xfinity Series champion
Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories
Tim Brewer, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s
Randy Dorton, built engines that won nine championships across NASCAR’s national series
Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion
Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories
Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief
Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400
Jack Sprague, three-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion
Pioneer Ballot
Ray Hendrick, won over 700 times in NASCAR Modified and Late Model Sportsman
Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships
Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as mechanical genius of Holman-Moody
Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
Bob Welborn, three-time Convertible Division champion
Landmark Award
Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
Lesa France Kennedy, NASCAR Executive Vice Chair and one of the most influential women in sports
Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway
Dr. Dean Sicking, inventor of the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier
Les Richter, long-time NASCAR executive oversaw competition, helped grow the sport on the West Coast
While I thought the “Biff” was a helluva driver, and always hung it out sideways, surprised to see him on the list. Banned from Nascar due to a banned substance abuse if memory serves. Did he go through the “program”? Due to Nascar’s political correctness, surprised to see him here. If he did, good for him.
I take it all back. Dont know what I was thinking. While i read Greg Biffle, my stupid ass gray matter pictured Jeremy Mayfield. Oops! Sorry all. Certainly, the “Biff” is worthy. Shame on me.
Bobf,
I think you’re confusing Greg Biffle with Jeremy Mayfield.
Bobf,
That all said, I was kind of surprised anyway to see Biffle on the nomination list.
I too still conflate Biffle and Mayfield, for some unknown reason. Never would have thought Biff would be considered for the HoF.
Well Shawn, maybe the Biff is well liked or well respected amongst his peers, who nominate the candidates. I remember him, while not the most successful, as a guy who hung the car out sideways late in races, to wring every ounce he could out of a car. He certainly drove “loose”.
All drivers have their dust ups and reputations at various times, but I think he was relatively “clean” with rare exception, like most all drivers. Just a guess to why he made the nomination this time around, as his stats are “not off the charts”.
I’ll go on the record as saying I wasn’t surprised to see Greg Biffle nominated. He has Xfinity Series and Truck Series championships, 19 Cup wins (including two Southern 500s), 56 combined wins across NASCAR’s three national series, and was named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers. I’d argue he has as good as or better a resume than Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker, Ricky Rudd, Harry Gant, Fred Lorenzen, and several other drivers who are either already in the Hall of Fame or on the current nomination list.
The Pioneer Ballot is absolutely where the meat is in this sandwich. Ray Hendrick, Banjo Matthews, Ralph Moody, and Larry Phillips are the only worthy ones this year.
Picking one Modern Era nominee, I’ll definitely take Harry Gant over the rest of them. Harry won lots of non-Cup races (modified, late model sportsman, and Busch series) and was a true gentlemen and spokesman for the sport.
It would be nice to see Geoff Bodine get into the hall fame.
How about Mike Joy and Maynard Troyer