Fast Facts: NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2019

On Wednesday, May 23, the 2019 class for the NASCAR Hall of Fame was announced, featuring three former drivers and two current team owners. Here’s a quick look at the newest Hall of Famers (in alphabetical order).

Davey Allison
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Davey Allison –the Hueytown, AL native was part of the next generation of the famed “Alabama Gang,” the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison. The 1987 Cup Series Rookie of the Year counted among his favorite racing moments finishing second to his father in the 1988 Daytona 500, the first and only one-two father-son finish in the race’s history. Allison died on July 13, 1993 from injuries suffered in a helicopter accident at Talladega Superspeedway.

Jeff Gordon
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Jeff Gordon – Gordon made his Cup Series debut in the final race of the 1992 season – Richard Petty’s final race. The California native – winner of the Cup Series Rookie of the Year title in 1993 – went on to become a four-time Cup Series champ (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001), winning 93 times in 805 starts and adding 81 poles; among those wins: three in the Daytona 500 and five in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.

Alan Kulwicki
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Alan Kulwicki – Kulwicki was an original: an engineer by degree, the Wisconsin native was stubborn, determined and talented, turning down numerous offers from established teams and choosing to drive for his own team. The 1986 Cup Series Rookie of the Year earned his first win in 1988 at Phoenix, and went on to win the Cup Series championship as an owner/driver in 1992. Kulwicki was killed less than six months after winning his title in a plane crash on April 1, 1993.

Roger Penske
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Roger Penske – “the Captain” has had a five-decade-plus career in motorsports, encompassing NASCAR, IndyCar and sports car racing among other engine-driven avenues. As a NASCAR team owner, he has accumulated more than 100 Cup Series wins, a Cup Series championship with Brad Keselowski, and two Daytona 500 wins (Ryan Newman – 2008 and Joey Logano – 2015). His most recent racing accomplishment: winning the 2018 Indy 500 with driver Will Power.

Jack Roush
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Jack Roush – “the Cat in the Hat” has also been in the horsepower business for more than 50 years, moving through the ranks of drag racing and sports car racing, developing a successful aftermarket auto part company and settling into the role of NASCAR team owner. A mathematician by degree, Roush’s drivers have earned two Cup Series championships (Matt Kenseth – 2003 and Kurt Busch – 2004), five Xfinity Series championships (Greg Biffle – 2002, Carl Edwards – 2007, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – 2011-2012, and Chris Buescher – 2015), and one Truck Series championship (Biffle – 2000).

Learn more about the inductees and the NASCAR Hall of Fame at www.nascarhall.com.