[Robertdjr]

Just a reminder...

On Wednesday, SPEED is dedicating the lion’s share of its programming lineup to the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Day, with live coverage of the official results carried at 4 p.m.ET. SPEED also will offer live streaming coverage of the announcement thru SPEEDtv.com and NASCAR.com.

NASCAR - CUP: NASCAR Hall Of Fame Finalists - SPEEDtv.com

[Robertdjr]

Also: ESPNEWS will have live coverage on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 4 p.m. ET as the first five inductees into the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., are announced. NASCAR Chairman Brian France will reveal the names of the first five in a news conference at the Charlotte Convention Center adjacent to the site of the under-construction Hall of Fame. NASCAR Now host Mike Massaro will host the telecast with ESPN NASCAR analyst Brad Daugherty. Following the news conference, more reports and analysis of the announcement will air on NASCAR Now at 5 p.m. on ESPN2.(ESPN PR)

Above from Jayski's

Here's the 25 nominees for the inaugural class of inductees:

• Bobby Allison, 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and winner of 84 races
• Buck Baker, the first driver to win consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Red Byron, first NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, in 1949
• Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
• Dale Earnhardt, won record seven NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Richie Evans, nine-time NASCAR Modified champion
• Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Bill France Jr., NASCAR president, chairman and CEO (1972-2003)
• Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and first president (1948-1972)
• Rick Hendrick, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
• Ned Jarrett, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Junior Johnson, 50 wins as a driver, 132 wins and six championships as an owner
• Bud Moore, 63 wins and two NASCAR Sprint Cup titles as a car owner
• Raymond Parks, NASCAR's first champion car owner
• Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• David Pearson, 105 victories and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Lee Petty, winner of the first Daytona 500 and first three-time series champion
• Richard Petty, 200 wins and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup titles -- both records
• Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
• Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, 1951 and '53
• Curtis Turner, first to win Daytona 500, Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600 in same year
• Darrell Waltrip, winner of 84 races and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships
• Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
• Glen Wood, as driver, laid foundation for Wood Brothers' future team success
• Cale Yarborough, winner of three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles, 1976-78

[Bob Tanner]

Personally, and I know this will go against the prevalent thinking, I believe the first class of inductees should represent ONLY those who were around in the first years of NASCAR, and who helped get the plane off the ground.

I would like to see Bill Sr.,
Buck Baker,
Red Byron,
Herb Thomas and either
Tim Flock or Fireball.

Let Dale, Richard, DW, Benny, Cale, and all the others who came later wait for future votes. But they probably won't. Because the current fans know about this last group and have probably only remotely heard of the breats like Red Byron, Tim Flock or Herb Thomas, I'm sure they will be represented in the initial group.

I also think that it is an absolute travesty of justice that Smokey Yunick wasn't on the first group of selectees.

[Robertdjr]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

...I believe the first class of inductees should represent ONLY those who were around in the first years of NASCAR, and who helped get the plane off the ground.

Richard Petty said exactly the same thing last night on Speed's new show. The only name he mentioned that should be in the first group was his dad's. He also said he doesn't belong in that group, because if it weren't for the pioneers who got NASCAR started, there would be no Richard Petty or Dale Earnahrdt. He also said if he's voted in, he'll gladly except the honor. I guess that's natural if you're in his position.

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Let Dale, Richard, DW, Benny, Cale, and all the others who came later wait for future votes. But they probably won't. Because the current fans know about this last group and have probably only remotely heard of the breats like Red Byron, Tim Flock or Herb Thomas, I'm sure they will be represented in the initial group.

The fans only have 1 vote. The rest of the voting is by people inside or associated with NASCAR. But like you said, their vote probably won't be one of the pioneers you mentioned.

Voting Committee (47 members plus one fan vote)
• 20 members of the nominating committee.
• 14 media representatives: Three each from the National Motorsports Press Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Eastern Motorsports Press Association; one each from FOX, Turner Sports, ESPN, MRN and PRN.
• One representative each from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota.
• Three retired drivers.
• Three retired owners.
• Three retired crew chiefs.
• Fan vote.

Here's the list of all those people: (It's too long to post here)

NASCAR.COM - Hall of Fame nominating, voting members named - Apr 30, 2009

I'd be interested in seeing who all the members voted for, including the fan vote. I hope they'll release that information.

[Bob Tanner]

I think the entire thing has the potential of turning into a "Feel-Good," popularity contest with only recognizable names being voted it. My bet is that it will be Bill Sr., Bill Jr. (Who, IMHO, belongs in there as much as I do!), Dale, Richard and DW, with Benny having an outside chance.

Here's the way the bookies see it going down:
Bobby Allison: 5-1
Buck Baker: 10-1
Red Byron: 5-1
Richard Childress: 20-1
Dale Earnhardt: Even
Richie Evans: 15-1
Tim Flock: 10-1
Bill France Jr.: 3-1
Bill France Sr.: 1-100
Rick Hendrick: 20-1
Ned Jarrett: 15-1
Junior Johnson: 4-1
Bud Moore: 12-1
Raymond Parks: 5-1
Benny Parsons: 15-1
David Pearson: 2-1
Lee Petty: 8-1
Richard Petty: 1-100
Fireball Roberts: 9-1
Herb Thomas: 10-1
Curtis Turner: 9-1
Darrell Waltrip: 5-1
Joe Weatherly: 9-1
Glen Wood: 12-1
Cale Yarborough: 5-1
five favourites in red

Don't misunderstand me. With the exception of two, I believe that everyone on the list has a place in the HOF within its first three years. But, I think this initial vote is a very special one and should belong to the founders of the sport and not the ones who became stars as a result of the work the people who came before them did.

But, I still think it'll end up being a "feel-good," popularity contest and people like Tim Flock, Raymond Parks, Herb Thomas and Red Byron will be slighted over the more recognizable names.

[Robertdjr]

Last night on the Hub, they had a pretty good discussion about the first five going into the Hall of Fame, with 4 guys who are on the voting panel, Mike Joy, Ken Squire, Doug Rice (PRN) and Rick Allen (Speed). They said there's two trains of thought happening right now among the voters.

One, is to put in the top stars from the past to make an initial impact, and then start putting in the people who built the sport from the early days. That would include drivers like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

The other train of thought is to put in the pioneers of NASCAR, who built the sport from the beginning, which builds the foundation, and then start putting in people like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. They all agreed that Richard Petty's statement the night before, to do it this way, made an impact.

The only consensus among all four was Big Bill. None of the four said who they were voting for other than him.

So we'll see later today which train of thought prevails...

[nascaraddict]

I think that it's pretty much a lock. But I'd like to see Benny Parsons, and Fireball Roberts get in on the first round.

[Robertdjr]

Update:
Nate Ryan of USA Today, who's one of the voting panel members, is reporting via Twitter, the voting is complete and there was a spirited debate. They will release the top 8 vote-getters with the top 5 being inducted. There was also debate on releasing the results, with some media voters (mostly writers) wanting the list, but the rest didn't. And there was no tie in the hall of fame voting, but if there'd been one, there'd been a runoff between those tied.

[Robertdjr]

Here we go, in the order as they are announced...

#1) Bill France, Sr.
#2) Richard Petty
#3) Bill France, Jr.
#4) Dale Earnhardt
#5) Junior Johnson

There's the inaugural class for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Robertdjr

Here we go, in the order as they are announced...

#1) Bill France, Sr.
#2) Richard Petty
#3) Bill France, Jr.
#4) Dale Earnhardt
#5) Junior Johnson

There's the inaugural class for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Oh well, in my opinion they got two of the five correct.

[Robertdjr]

The other three who got votes were David Pearson, Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison. Just not enough to make the first class.

[Bob Tanner]

Bill Junior should have been discounted, if only because he gave control of NASCAR to Brian.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Robertdjr

The other three who got votes were David Pearson, Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison. Just not enough to make the first class.

Popularity wins out over tradition. Who ever heard of Herb Thomas or Tim Flock?

[Robertdjr]

More than 670,000 NASCAR fans submitted votes online at NASCAR.COM as part of the fan voting process. The fans voted Petty, Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison as their top five.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Robertdjr

Here we go, in the order as they are announced...

#1) Bill France, Sr.
#2) Richard Petty
#3) Bill France, Jr.
#4) Dale Earnhardt
#5) Junior Johnson

There's the inaugural class for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

No respect for the guys that set it up for 3 of those guys to take it further.... sometimes I wonder about this world....