CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 48-member NASCAR Hall of Fame voting panel on Tuesday faced one of its most challenging choices for the Class of 2026, with a three-way split among the voting for two spots on the “Modern Era” ballot.
By the numbers, 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kurt Busch seemed like a slam dunk. He won 34 Cup Series races (by far the most of anyone else on the ballot) and a Daytona 500. He was one of the elite talents of the 2000s and 2010s.
But Busch was also a volatile personality who burned some bridges, which was enough to make some voters wary of rewarding him for the times when they perceived him to be a detriment to the sport.
Ultimately, though, Busch was elected and received the same percentage of ballots (61 percent) as his fellow Modern Era inductee, “Handsome” Harry Gant, a beloved multi-nicknamed star also known as “Mr. September.”
Busch and Gant will be joined by modified racing legend Ray Hendrick from the “Pioneer” ballot, and famed Charlotte track promoter H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler was voted to be the recipient of the Hall’s Landmark Award in recognition of his contributions to NASCAR.
Jeff Burton finished third on the Modern Era ballot, followed by Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton. Hendrick, who received 31 percent of the vote, was followed by three-time Convertible Series champion Bob Welborn.
The new class will be inducted Jan. 23.
Below is how I voted and how I perceived the results unfolding.
Modern Era ballot
Entering the voting process, Busch was my one slam-dunk pick from which I would not be swayed. I was open to hearing arguments for the other Modern Era winner as well as the other categories, but Busch was a lock for me for one of the two selections each voter was allowed (the top two vote-getters, regardless of percentage, were elected).
Busch had 13 more Cup wins than Burton and 16 more than Gant, who were my other primary considerations. He won a championship, and they did not; he also won a Daytona 500, and they did not.
Busch was the top Hall-eligible driver in wins, top-fives and top-10s. His exceptional talent and abilities raised the level of every car he drove.
Was he a jerk during many years of his career? Yes. There’s no getting around that. Though he mellowed in his later years, he had many clashes off the track.
But for me, this isn’t the Hall of Good Guys. It’s the Hall of Fame. And Busch, without question, is a Hall of Famer for what he accomplished on the track. He’s not exactly the only driver who had prickly interactions with people in the garage during his career.
The sentiment in the room was divided over whether others viewed him the same way, and it became obvious Busch had some hurdles to face. In the end, though, enough voters decided to check their boxes for him to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Harry Gant celebrates his first win, at Martinsville in 1982. Gant was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame alongside Kurt Busch. (ISC Images / Archives via Getty Images)
It was also obvious there was a lot of support for Burton and Gant, and I was extremely torn on which one to vote for. Even when representatives from the accounting firm passed out the ballots, I had to stare at mine for a minute before making my second choice.
Ultimately, I went with Burton over Gant. Though “Handsome Harry” was very popular and won his 18 races in far fewer starts than most, I personally feel 20 victories is the current baseline for getting a Hall vote. Burton has 21, so he met my criteria for on the track.
That said, I also felt Burton met the standard for being a Hall of Famer off the track — contributions to the sport that cannot be discounted and are viewed favorably by voters. “The Mayor” has long been a safety advocate on behalf of his fellow drivers, he has helped explain the driver’s point of view through his extensive broadcasting appearances and has been working — for free — as the head of the Drivers Advisory Council, which acts as the key go-between for NASCAR and the drivers. Burton has undoubtedly made NASCAR a better place.
Surely, there were voters who took Gant’s age (85) into consideration, and I was almost swayed by that factor because I get the sentiment of wanting people to be inducted while they’re still alive. But ultimately, I chose to vote for who I felt was more deserving.
Based on the arguments for Burton in the room last year and even more this year, it feels like he has momentum. His time is coming soon, although the next two years could be tricky, with Kevin Harvick (2027 class) and Martin Truex Jr. (2028) likely first-ballot Hall of Famers.
Jeff Burton, who retired in 2014, continues to be an active presence around NASCAR. He finished third in Tuesday’s Modern Era voting. (Meg Oliphant / Getty Images)
Pioneer ballot
There was a push in the room to recognize NASCAR’s grassroots, and “Mr. Modified” was the clear choice for me after hearing the various discussions. He won more than 700 races and mastered places like Martinsville Speedway like no other.
Last year, it felt like the voters wanted to put Ralph Moody in before Banjo Matthews because Moody laid the groundwork for Matthews’ car-building genius. So I was a bit surprised Matthews didn’t have more support this year, but it felt like Hendrick’s accomplishments simply could not be overlooked — and Hendrick got my vote as well.
I know some Larry Phillips fans will be upset that he wasn’t the one recognized in the grassroots way, and he clearly deserves to be in. But in some ways, Hendrick’s inclusion might set the stage for a future Phillips induction.
Landmark Award
This was an easy choice with a very short conversation in the room. There was a massive wave of support for Wheeler, and I had no problem checking the box with his name next to it.
I have fond memories of watching Wheeler’s pre-race spectacles at Charlotte, but he was known for much more than being racing’s P.T. Barnum. He is largely responsible for the first intermediate track night race after lights were installed at Charlotte, which had a significant impact on NASCAR. And he was a friend and mentor to many in the garage, including drivers.
This seemed to be a wildly simple vote, similar to when Dr. Dean Sicking (inventor of the SAFER Barrier) got the Landmark Award last year.
(Top photo of Kurt Busch celebrating his 2021 win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his second-to-last Cup Series victory: David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
