NASCAR announces the 2013 Hall of Fame nominees

Tonight on SPEED's Race Hub the next 25 nominees were announced for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The list includes repeat nominees Red Byron, Buck Baker, Tim Flock along with current team owners Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick.

Five new names were added to the list this year:  Ray Fox, Anne France, Ralph Seagraves, Rusty Wallace and Wendell Scott.

Anne France is the first woman to receive a nomination into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The widow of NASCAR Founder Bill France served as the first secretary and treasurer for the organization. She was also instrumental in working behind the scenes (e.g. managing the speedway ticket offices).

Wendell Scott's nomination marks another big moment in time. He was the first African American driver to win a NASCAR sanctioned premier series (now Sprint Cup) race in 1963.

These nominees will join the likes of NASCAR Founder Bill France, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip in the 15 member NASCAR Hall of Fame which opened its doors in May 2010.

Voting for the NASCAR Hall of Fame takes place on May 23 with five inductees being named into the class of 2013. Fans can vote at NASCAR.com from now until midnight on May 16th.


*The complete list of the nominees is as follows:

1. Buck Baker, first driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series titles (1956-57)
2. Red Byron, first NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, in 1949
3. Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
4. Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion
5. H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway
6. Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
7. Ray Fox, legendary engine builder and owner of cars driven by Buck Baker, Junior Johnson and others
8. Anne Bledsoe France, helped build the sport with husband Bill France Sr. Affectionately known as “Annie B.,” she is the first woman to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
9. Rick Hendrick, 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
10. Jack Ingram, two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion and three-time Late Model Sportsman champion
11. Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
12. Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
13. Cotton Owens, driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson
14. Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner
15. Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
16. Les Richter, former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway
17. Fireball Roberts, 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series wins, including the 1962 Daytona 500
18. T. Wayne Robertson, helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Senior VP
19. Wendell Scott, NASCAR trailblazer was the first African-American NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series race winner, and first to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
20. Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
21. Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion, 1951, ’53
22. Curtis Turner, early personality, called the “Babe Ruth of stock car racing”
23. Rusty Wallace, 1989 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
24. Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion
25. Leonard Wood, part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops

*List courtesy of NASCAR Hall of Fame Press Release