NASCAR Hall of Fame
On Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009, the first group of inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame were announced. The five inductees represent the birth, spirit and success of NASCAR racing. The induction ceremony for the following five honorees will take place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. on May 23, 2010.
Death: February 18, 2001 (Killed in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500)
Nickname: The Intimidator
Earnhardt co-holds the record for most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (7) with Richard Petty. In only his second full season, 1980, Earnhardt nabbed his first championship. He won consecutive titles on three separate occasions (1986-87, '90-91 and '93-94). Earnhardt's 76 victories rank seventh all-time.
In 1998, Earnhardt finally won the Daytona 500. As Earnhardt's black No. 3 rolled down pit road, a Daytona 500 winner at last, every crew member from every team lined up to congratulate one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history.
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Death: June 7, 1992
Nickname: Big Bill
Called "Big Bill," only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature, France spearheaded NASCAR from its beginning and directed it to its present status as the world's largest stock-car racing organization. In 1936, he helped lay out the first beach/road course in Daytona Beach. In 1938, he helped promote races on the sands of Daytona Beach. In 1947, France became the driving force behind the establishment of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR, it was called, resulting from a famous meeting at the Streamline Hotel on State Road A1A in Daytona Beach – a structure that stands to this day, as a racing landmark.
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Death: June 4, 2007
Nickname: Bill Jr.
Bill France Jr. followed his visionary father at NASCAR's helm -- becoming a visionary himself -- and guided NASCAR to unprecedented levels of popularity.
France became NASCAR's president in January 1972, replacing his father and becoming only the second president of the world's largest auto racing sanctioning body. His emergence coincided with the sport's emergence, and its eventual ascent to become America's No. 1 form of motorsports and the nation's second-most popular sport overall. France remained president until November 2000.
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Nickname: Junior / The Last American Hero
Robert Glenn "Junior" Johnson is unique in NASCAR history, with tremendous success both as a driver and a car owner. Johnson won the second annual Daytona 500 in 1960 and in the process, became credited with the discovery of "drafting" on the massive superspeedways. He won 50 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series then surprised many people by retiring from driving to become an owner. As an owner, Johnson never missed a beat; through the years, his drivers won 132 races. There also were six series championships produced with Cale Yarborough (1976-78) and Darrell Waltrip (1981-82, '85).
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Nickname: The King
Richard Petty's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series records are staggering: Most wins (200), most poles (123), tied for most championships (seven), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185).
Petty's success continued even after his retirement from driving in 1992. He would still hold the top spot in the family business – Petty Enterprises, and now, Richard Petty Motorsports. In all, Petty Enterprises totaled 268 victories before merging with Gillett Evernham Motorsports for the 2009 season to become Richard Petty Motorsports.
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Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Born: April 29, 1951 (Kannapolis, N.C.)Death: February 18, 2001 (Killed in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500)
Nickname: The Intimidator
Earnhardt co-holds the record for most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships (7) with Richard Petty. In only his second full season, 1980, Earnhardt nabbed his first championship. He won consecutive titles on three separate occasions (1986-87, '90-91 and '93-94). Earnhardt's 76 victories rank seventh all-time.
In 1998, Earnhardt finally won the Daytona 500. As Earnhardt's black No. 3 rolled down pit road, a Daytona 500 winner at last, every crew member from every team lined up to congratulate one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history.
Courtesy of www.nascarhall.comMore »
Bill France Sr.
Born: Sept. 26, 1909 (Washington, D.C.)Death: June 7, 1992
Nickname: Big Bill
Called "Big Bill," only partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature, France spearheaded NASCAR from its beginning and directed it to its present status as the world's largest stock-car racing organization. In 1936, he helped lay out the first beach/road course in Daytona Beach. In 1938, he helped promote races on the sands of Daytona Beach. In 1947, France became the driving force behind the establishment of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR, it was called, resulting from a famous meeting at the Streamline Hotel on State Road A1A in Daytona Beach – a structure that stands to this day, as a racing landmark.
Courtesy of www.nascarhall.comMore »
Bill France Jr.
Born: April 4, 1933 (Washington, D.C.)Death: June 4, 2007
Nickname: Bill Jr.
Bill France Jr. followed his visionary father at NASCAR's helm -- becoming a visionary himself -- and guided NASCAR to unprecedented levels of popularity.
France became NASCAR's president in January 1972, replacing his father and becoming only the second president of the world's largest auto racing sanctioning body. His emergence coincided with the sport's emergence, and its eventual ascent to become America's No. 1 form of motorsports and the nation's second-most popular sport overall. France remained president until November 2000.
Courtesy of www.nascarhall.comMore »
Junior Johnson
Born: June 28, 1931 (Wilkes County, N.C.)Nickname: Junior / The Last American Hero
Robert Glenn "Junior" Johnson is unique in NASCAR history, with tremendous success both as a driver and a car owner. Johnson won the second annual Daytona 500 in 1960 and in the process, became credited with the discovery of "drafting" on the massive superspeedways. He won 50 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series then surprised many people by retiring from driving to become an owner. As an owner, Johnson never missed a beat; through the years, his drivers won 132 races. There also were six series championships produced with Cale Yarborough (1976-78) and Darrell Waltrip (1981-82, '85).
Courtesy of www.nascarhall.com
Richard Petty
Born: July 2, 1937 (Level Cross, N.C.)Nickname: The King
Richard Petty's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series records are staggering: Most wins (200), most poles (123), tied for most championships (seven), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185).
Petty's success continued even after his retirement from driving in 1992. He would still hold the top spot in the family business – Petty Enterprises, and now, Richard Petty Motorsports. In all, Petty Enterprises totaled 268 victories before merging with Gillett Evernham Motorsports for the 2009 season to become Richard Petty Motorsports.
Courtesy of www.nascarhall.comMore »
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