PORT VILA, Vanuatu, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Vantage Markets, the award-winning multi-asset broker, has been honoured with the prestigious “Best Motorsports Sponsorship” award at the Forex Sports Awards 2025 for its dynamic partnership with Scuderia Ferrari HP, one of the most legendary names in motorsports.

The Forex Sports Awards, organised by Sports Media Gaming Limited, recognise excellence in sports sponsorship within the forex industry, celebrating brands that have made significant investments in high-profile sporting collaborations. Winners are selected through a rigorous process, combining open voting with an independent judging panel of esteemed professionals from the sports and media industries.

As Official Partner of the Formula 1 team, Vantage has strengthened its global presence through high-impact campaigns that highlight the shared values of innovation and excellence between both brands. This partnership engages motorsports fans and traders worldwide, celebrating the relentless pursuit of progress.

In its commendation, the Forex Sports Awards noted: “The Scuderia Ferrari HP brand is one of the most iconic names that has transcended the world of sport into a global lifestyle brand. By partnering with Scuderia Ferrari HP, Vantage has created a superb brand alignment to promote itself on the global stage.”

“We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition for our partnership with Scuderia Ferrari HP,” said Marc Despallieres, CEO of Vantage Markets. “Just as Scuderia Ferrari HP represents the pinnacle of motorsports, Vantage is committed to delivering excellence in trading. This collaboration has allowed us to connect with a passionate global audience, reinforcing our brand’s values of speed, precision, and innovation. We look forward to continuing this exciting journey with Ferrari and bringing even more thrilling experiences to our clients and fans.”

Visit Vantage Markets website, for more information about Vantage’s award-winning services and upcoming initiatives.

About the Forex Sports Awards

The Forex Sports Awards, created by Sports Media Gaming Limited, honour brands in the forex industry for their outstanding contributions to sports sponsorship. The awards ensure impartiality through a two-stage selection process: an open vote shortlists the top three brands in each category, followed by a final decision from an independent panel of sports and media experts.

About Vantage

Vantage Markets (or Vantage) is a multi-asset CFD broker offering clients access to a nimble and powerful service for trading Contracts for Difference (CFDs) products, including Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares, ETFs, and Bonds.

With over 15 years of market experience, Vantage transcends the role of broker, providing a trusted trading ecosystem, an award-winning mobile trading app, and a user-friendly trading platform that empowers clients to seize trading opportunities. Download the Vantage App on App Store or Google Play.

trade smarter @vantage

RISK WARNING: CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Ensure you understand the risks before trading.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, an offer, or solicitation of any financial products or services. The content is not intended for residents of any jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation. Readers are advised to seek independent professional advice before making any investment or financial decisions. Any reliance you place on the information presented is strictly at your own risk.

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NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026. The three-person group – the 16th since the inception of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010 – consists of Kurt Busch, Harry Gant and Ray Hendrick. In addition, Humpy Wheeler was named the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

Members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in an in-person closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote upon the 15 nominees for the induction class of 2026 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.

The Class of 2026 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion (Joey Logano). In all, 49 votes were cast. The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.

Busch and Gant both received 61% of the Modern Era ballot votes. Jeff Burton finished third, followed by Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton. Ray Hendrick received 31% of the Pioneer ballot votes. Bob Welborn finished second.

Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote were: Ray Hendrick (Pioneer); Kurt Busch and Harry Gant (Modern Era).

The two Modern Era inductees came from a group of 10 nominees that included: Greg Biffle, Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Randy Dorton, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Randy LaJoie and Jack Sprague.

Nominees for the Pioneer Ballot included: Jake Elder, Ray Hendrick, Banjo Matthews, Larry Phillips and Ralph Moody.

Nominees for the Landmark Award included Alvin Hawkins, Lesa France Kennedy, Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Les Richter and Humpy Wheeler.

Ten nominees appeared on the Modern Era ballot, which was selected by the traditional Nominating Committee. The same committee selected the five Landmark Award nominees. The Pioneer ballot, which included five nominees whose careers began in 1966 or earlier, was selected by the Honors Committee.

The Class of 2026 Induction Ceremony is set for Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the Induction Ceremony will be available later this month on NASCARHall.com.

Class of 2026 Inductees:

Kurt Busch

Kurt Busch’s journey to NASCAR stardom began in 2000 with a Truck Series rookie season that foreshadowed greatness. With four wins and a championship runner-up finish, Busch signaled to fans and competitors alike that he would soon be a force at the top level of the sport. By 2002, Busch was already making waves in the NASCAR Cup Series. His first win came at the famed Bristol Motor Speedway, he finished third in points, and from there, his career soared to new heights. Busch’s big breakthrough came in 2004, when he captured the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, becoming the first driver to win the title under NASCAR’s ‘playoff’ system – a feat that proved both his excellence and adaptability. Busch earned 34 Cup Series wins in 776 starts, including a thrilling victory in the 2017 Daytona 500.

Harry Gant

Harry Gant was a man with many nicknames: “Handsome Harry” for his good looks, the “Bandit” due his long-time sponsor Skoal Bandit, “Mr. September” after his four consecutive premier series and two Xfinity series wins in September of 1991 and “High Groove Harry” because of his proficiency in taking the high line through the corner. Gant won 18 premier series races, including the Southern 500 in 1984 and 1991. The North Carolinian also registered 21 wins in the Xfinity Series. In the five seasons from 1981 through 1985, Gant finished in the top five in points four times, including a runner-up championship finish to Terry Labonte in 1984.

Ray Hendrick

The original “Mr. Modified,” Ray Hendrick is one of the winningest drivers of all time, amassing more than 700 modified and late model sportsman wins between 1950-88. Hendrick’s success started in his home state of Virginia, where his famous No. 11 was known to all. He won five track championships at South Boston Speedway – four modified and one late model sportsman. Despite never winning a Modified Division championship, Hendrick finished in the top 10 in the standings nine times from 1960-69. Hendrick was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers and one of NASCAR Modified’s All-Time Top 10 Drivers.

Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:

Humpy Wheeler

Humpy Wheeler’s name is synonymous with promotion and innovation. Best known for his 33-year tenure as President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Wheeler played a pivotal role in transforming the venue into a world-class facility that attracted a wide range of fans and corporate sponsors. Most notably, Wheeler spearheaded the construction of the iconic Turn 4 grandstands and introduced the “NASCAR Experience,” which brought fans even closer to the action. Adding a new dynamic to the sport, Wheeler’s visionary leadership and creativity helped shape today’s fan experience with the introduction of dramatic pre-race ceremonies and the development of night racing at superspeedways.

NASCAR PR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The grandson of NASCAR’s chief executive officer was involved in a YouTube channel that featured videos of motorcycles appearing to weave through traffic on Central Florida roadways at high speeds, running red lights and performing risky stunts, like wheelies, News 6 has learned.

“I just put their life in danger!” an unidentified motorcycle operator exclaimed in one of the videos while passing other motorists in Winter Park. “Be careful, you almost died! I almost killed you!”

Speedometers seen in some of the YouTube videos indicated the motorcycles accelerated to speeds exceeding 150 mph while zigzagging around other vehicles on Interstate 4, Florida’s Turnpike, the 417 expressway, Semoran Boulevard and other local thoroughfares.

News 6 could not independently confirm the accuracy of the speedometer readings captured in the videos.

The Florida Highway Patrol said it has assigned an investigator to review the “Speed Demon 407” YouTube channel after a News 6 viewer expressed concern that the high-speed motorcycle stunts could get an innocent motorist hurt or killed.

Dallas Ashley appeared in several videos posted on the YouTube channel.

Ashley, 25, is the great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and the grandson of the family-owned racing company’s billionaire CEO Jim France, court records and interviews confirm.

Multiple videos on the YouTube channel showed motorcycles entering the Daytona Beach International Speedway, where NASCAR races are run, and stopping by bronze statues that honor Ashley’s great-grandfather and other France family members.

In at least two YouTube videos, Ashley shared a quote about motorcycle safety that he later told News 6 he learned from his grandfather Jim France: “You’ve got to treat every car like it’s a bullet with your name on it.”

Ashley claims he is currently estranged from his mother Amy Lea France’s side of the family that owns NASCAR and said he has not spoken with his grandfather or other France relatives recently.

Representatives of NASCAR and the France family did not provide comment for this story.

After News 6 contacted Ashley last week with questions about the YouTube channel, more than 120 videos were deleted or set to private and could no longer be viewed publicly.

YouTube later removed some of the videos for violating the company’s community guidelines.

“YouTube prohibits videos that encourage dangerous or illegal activities,” a spokesperson for the video-sharing website told News 6.

When the YouTube channel was fully active, Ashley appeared on camera in videos providing information about motorcycle operations, including one titled “5 Things NOT To Do When Riding a Motorcycle.”

Most other videos on the YouTube channel showed an unidentified man riding motorcycles through Central Florida at what appeared to be high speeds.

The footage was captured by a camera mounted on the operator’s helmet that displayed the rider’s point of view. Shots showing the biker’s face were intentionally blurred.

News 6 could not immediately confirm who was driving the motorcycles.

In a phone call with News 6, Ashley repeatedly denied he was the biker who appeared in the videos performing risky stunts.

Ashley also suggested some of the footage may have been digitally altered for entertainment purposes.

“You can’t prove who was riding,” Ashley told News 6. “You can’t trust anything you see on the internet.”

Ashley said he understood why some observers might be disturbed by the YouTube videos that appeared to show motorcycles putting other Central Florida motorists in danger.

“I do have concerns for other people,” said Ashley. “Is anybody going to get injured? Hopefully not.”

In a video titled “Orlando to Daytona in 20 mins,” a motorcycle’s speedometer could be seen hitting 154 mph as the bike travelled on I-4 from Maitland to the Daytona International Speedway. The maximum posted speed limit on the interstate is 70 mph.

The video showed the motorcycle driving between two side-by-side vehicles in a maneuver called “lane splitting” and traveling on the shoulder of the interstate to pass slower vehicles. Both driving techniques are prohibited by Florida law.

After cruising through the tunnel of the Daytona International Speedway and parking in the infield to watch a Bike Week event on the track, the unidentified biker spoke to a fellow spectator.

“Good to meet you, Dallas,” the spectator could be heard saying on the video.

Most of the videos on the YouTube channel showed motorcycles appearing to drive at high speeds around Winter Park and Orlando.

“That person right there, I just put their life in danger,” an unidentified biker said as his motorcycle passed an SUV on Semoran Boulevard. The speedometer indicated that the bike was travelling 35 mph over the posted speed limit.

“Watch out! Here comes a menace!” he exclaimed while gesturing at other vehicles.

The motorcycle’s speedometer displayed a speed of 130 mph as it passed by vehicles attempting to turn into apartment complexes on the same road, the YouTube video showed.

Another video appeared to show a motorcycle doing a wheelie on State Road 436, passing other vehicles as the speedometer read 154 mph and narrowly avoiding a collision with an oncoming vehicle that was making a U-turn, all within 30 seconds.

A different video captured another near collision. A car with a flashing turn signal attempted to change lanes on Semoran Boulevard as the motorcycle approached from behind. The bike’s speedometer indicated it was travelling more than 20 mph over the posted speed limit.

“What a f***ing dumb b****,” the motorcycle operator said after swerving to avoid striking the car, the video showed.

The motorcycle then failed to stop at a red light at Aloma Avenue, the video showed. The speedometer indicated the bike was travelling 83 mph when the traffic signal turned red and more than 60 mph as it coasted through the intersection.

In a clip titled “Passing State Trooper Over Double the Speed Limit!,” the motorcycle’s speedometer showed a reading of 148 mph as the bike was driven down the I-4 Express Lanes.

The operator reportedly saw a Florida Highway Patrol vehicle in a regular lane, which was separated from the express lanes by concrete barriers.

“Oh no, there’s a trooper right there,” the unidentified biker said on the video. “I ain’t going to jail today, motherf***er.”

Another YouTube video showed officers with the Longwood Police Department stopping a motorcycle on Ronald Reagan Boulevard for alleged equipment violations.

[Watch the Longwood police bodycam footage from the traffic stop below]

Although the audio was muted on the YouTube clip when the biker told police his name, video footage from the officer’s body-worn camera obtained by News 6 confirmed that Ashley was operating the motorcycle at the time of the traffic stop.

The officers issued Ashley three citations with fines totaling nearly $1,400 for operating a motorcycle with an obstructed license plate, folded-in mirrors and no eye protection.

“You guys are f***ing straight f***ing dickheads,” Ashley said as he drove away from the traffic stop while holding up his middle finger, the YouTube video showed. “That’s why nobody f***s with cops. That’s why I should have f***ing left you f***ers in the past.”

The Florida Highway Patrol has previously investigated social media videos that feature motorists exhibiting risky driving on public roads.

The challenge for law enforcement and prosecutors is proving who was operating the vehicles seen in the videos.

A motorcycle vlogger known as Gixxer Brah pleaded guilty to exhibition of speed last year and was sentenced to two weeks in jail after allegedly publishing a YouTube video titled “From Colorado Springs to Denver in 20 minutes”, according to Road & Track.

Years before Ashley became associated with the “Speed Demon 407” YouTube channel, he was the subject of a high-profile child custody dispute that was featured in a tabloid magazine.

Ashley’s father, Andrew Ashley, filed a lawsuit against his former girlfriend, Amy Lea France, in 1999 seeking custody of their son who had been born months earlier, court records show.

Following a decade of litigation, an Orange County judge awarded Amy Lea France sole parental responsibility in 2009.

Court records show the judge’s decision was based, in part, on evidence that Andrew Ashley had published a brochure titled “How NASCAR Stole My Son,” which disparaged the France family.

The brochure was distributed to TV networks, including ESPN, and was reportedly handed out at a NASCAR race in the child’s presence, the judge said.

In a 2010 article published in The National Enquirer, Andrew Ashley publicly accused the France family of interfering in the child custody dispute.

“Jim France has used his millions to take away my 10-year-old son Dallas,” Andrew Ashley told the tabloid.

Earlier this month a message was posted on Andrew Ashley’s public Facebook page referencing the YouTube Channel that read, “I just saw Speed Demon 407” with a motorcycle emoji.

Andrew Ashley told News 6 that he had intentionally avoided watching any of the videos on the channel.

“I hope no one gets hurt,” he said.

Andrew Ashley, a musician who registered to run for president of the United States in 2024 as an independent candidate and currently works as an Uber driver, said he occasionally sees other motorists driving dangerously on local roads.

“I worry about my son’s safety every day,” Andrew Ashley told News 6. “My son has been through way too much.”

A recent photo of Dallas Ashley wearing a T-shirt that read “NASCAR sucks” was posted on his father’s public Facebook page in March.

A man wearing an identical T-shirt whose face had been blurred out appeared in the YouTube video titled “Orlando to Daytona in 20 mins.”

“I’m going to go over to the track,” the unidentified biker said on the video shortly before he is seen entering the Daytona International Speedway. “On the track with this shirt is diabolical, bro.”

As those who have the “pleasure” of listening to me ramble in person might be annoyed to hear, one of my favorite one-liners is “it takes all types to make a world.” I often use this as a stand-in for simply saying that how someone else chooses to do a task is not the way I would have done it. It’s not good or bad, just different than what I would do. Last weekend, I went against my own sensibilities and took my 1985 Corvette to a local autocross event to see just how much fun I could have and how quickly I could go with the tired 120,000-mile car. The answer surprised me, but didn’t come without consequences.

For starters, I’m a person who loves track time. Unfortunately, my heart and wallet are often in disagreement about the value of track time. So when a flyer was left in my driver’s seat about an autocross event happening just two miles from my driveway with a comically low $35 per-day entry fee, both heart and wallet were finally in full syncromesh. The only problem was a lack of an appropriate car.

Even as the most approachable form of motorsports, autocross has technical and safety requirements, a few of which were unwelcoming to my 1965 Chevrolet Corvair. I really love my Corvair as it sits, but the lap-belt-only restraint combined with an unbolstered seat and solid steering shaft makes the car less than ideal for modern motorsports. I love to drive the Corvair—on the street. The amount of modifications I would want to do to feel comfortable autocrossing the Corvair would change it more than I want to. So when I bought my 1985 Corvette last fall, I saw the opportunity.

The Corvette is well-worn, but when I saw that the technical inspection for this autocross event boiled down to tires not showing cords, battery restrained with OE or better hold down, me having a helmet, and not much more, I realized my black targa would be perfect. I no longer had an excuse to stay home. So I registered online, did an oil change and brake fluid flush, and drove out to the baseball field parking lot to be greeted by a field of Michigan’s state flower—traffic cones. And plenty of them.

After sailing through tech inspection with my taped-on car numbers and class designation, a quick driver’s meeting confirmed the run schedule for the day. Each of the three run groups also has to work for one of the other run groups, helping with staging cars or resetting cones between runs. It was pure luck that I was put into the third run group and was positioned in the center of the track, flagging for the first group. It gave me a great view to see how things worked and also how drivers with more experience took the course.

A lot could be learned from spectating, but there is no replacement for time in the driver’s seat. The sky was spitting rain off and on all morning while the temperature struggled to get above 55 degrees. While this all but ensured the Corvette wouldn’t overheat even with its broken front air dam, it also made sure that the high-performance summer Bridgestones were not going to be happy. Before the driver’s meeting, I walked the course with a friend who regularly autocrosses his C5, and even with the big layout, I had dedicated most of it to memory before I rolled up to the start line. Sitting and waiting for the car in front of me to get about halfway through their run, I mentally ran the course in my head, and right when I opened my eyes, the guy in charge of starting waved his hand and said, “You’re good to go.”

I got the clutch out and put my right foot down, grabbed a quick shift to second, and settled in for a rodeo ride. A tame rodeo ride. With no experience, my goal was just to make a clean run, not getting lost as I used the pointer cones to navigate the multiple slalom sections and tight switchback corners. The Corvette rolled and pitched more than it ever had in my ownership, even more than those times I tried to set the record for fastest pass through the new roundabout in town. Squealing tires told me that my requests for both braking and steering at the same time were not only foolish but detrimental to a smooth and quick run. Regardless, 68 seconds after leaving the starting line, my front tires tripped through the timing beams at the finish. I looked over to the timing tent and got a thumbs up, confirming I hadn’t taken out any cones or cut the course. Back around to the staging lanes to make some mental adjustments and get prepared for my remaining four runs.

With each clutch drop from the starting line, I had my fingers crossed that the bone-stock and barely prepared Corvette wouldn’t snap a ball joint or push a head gasket out from between the head and the block. Even when I was “taking it easy” on the early runs, this was clearly the hardest this particular car had been driven. But at the end of each run, the gauges leveled out, and despite my picking up the pace with each run, there were no new clunks or hiccups. I’d bet my relative novice inputs were actually harder on the car than what a better driver would do. Despite the hard braking and wide-open pulls for most of the afternoon, the Corvette happily drove home at the end of the day with no signs of anything bad or broken.

Having been lucky enough to try a few different forms of motorsport over the last few years, there is no question in my mind that autocross is far and away the most approachable. The atmosphere was laid back all day, and everyone I talked to was both kind and helpful. Even a small amount of interest would have drivers offering the right seat of their car for a ride, something I leveraged heavily on the second day when the course switched directions. I also took advantage of the ability to double-enter the car with two drivers. My friend Tim loaned me one of his cars to participate in a bump-n-run race last fall, so I repaid the favor by tossing him the keys to try autocross for the first time in my Corvette.

It also meant I got to ride passenger for his six runs. We alternated driving, each picking up a little from the other and debriefing after each run between the two of us. We both spun the Corvette multiple times, and Tim even took out a few cones in one spectacular rotation near the finish line, and the only consequence was a little rubber scuffed off the tires.

Interestingly, a large takeaway from the weekend was that the Corvette as it sits and I were pretty well matched. I had convinced myself I needed a host of performance suspension bits before really wheeling the ‘Vette, and yet, at the end of two days, I found that the car was faster than me in stock form, and I would likely be better putting my cash into entry fees than fancy suspension. It was humbling to go out with what looks like a rough car and find that nothing on the car was holding me back; I was holding myself back. Maybe I’ll find the limit of the Corvette one day and will likely put a few fun parts on it at that time, but between here and there, I’ve got a lot of learning and even more driving to do.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Given his résumé, Kurt Busch knew it was a matter of when, not if, he would be selected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Still, getting voted in on the first ballot Tuesday was a huge relief for Busch, who let out an emotional sigh of relief after hearing his named called at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“I’m very grateful and thankful that it happened this first time,” Busch said. “You want to have that answer as fast as you can.”

Ray Hendrick and Harry Gant were also voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday, while executive Humpy Wheeler was named the Landmark Award winner for his contribution to the sport. A ceremony will be held Jan. 23 to officially induct the Class of 2026 into the Hall of Fame in March.

The 46-year-old Busch held off Jimmie Johnson to win the 2004 Cup Series championship and went on to win 34 Cup races, including at least one victory in 19 of his 21 full-time seasons on the premier circuit before he retired in 2023.

His journey to NASCAR stardom began in 2000 with a Truck Series rookie season that foreshadowed greatness. His big breakthrough came in 2004, when he became the first driver to win the title under NASCAR’s “playoff” system — a feat that proved both his excellence and adaptability.

The consistent Busch finished in the top 10 in the Cup Series standings 10 times.

“Things happened fast for me in this sport and I don’t know how or why,” Busch said. “There was no template, there wasn’t the ladder that these days you see the kids that have a system where it is going to be this or that. For me it was being in the right place at the right time and the universe smiled down on me.”

Hendrick, who died in 1990 at age 61, was the original “Mr. Modified.”

He is one of the winningest drivers of all time, with than 700 modified and late model sportsman wins between 1950 to 1988. His success started in his home state of Virginia, where his No. 11 was well-known. He won five track championships at South Boston Speedway — four modified and one late model sportsman.

He was known as a driver that was willing to race “anywhere and everywhere,” and did just that. He filled his schedule with modified and late model sportsman races across the East Coast. Hendrick was known best for his wins on short tracks, but also produced victories at Talladega, Charlotte and Dover.

Despite never winning a Modified Division championship, Hendrick finished in the top 10 in the standings nine times from 1960 to 1969.

The 85-year-old Gant, known as the “Bandit” for his longtime sponsorship with Skoal Bandits, won 18 Cup Series races, including the Southern 500 in 1984 and 1991. In the five seasons from 1981 through 1985, he finished in the top five in points four times, including a runner-up championship finish to Terry Labonte in 1984.

He also won 21 Xfinity Series races.

Members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met Tuesday in an in-person closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote on the 15 nominees for the induction Class of 2026 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.

The 49-person voting panel included representatives from NASCAR, the Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion (Joey Logano).

Busch and Gant received 61% of the “modern era” ballot votes. Jeff Burton finished third, followed by Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton.

Hendrick received 31% of the “pioneer” ballot votes. Bob Welborn finished second.

Gant raced into his 50s and still holds premier series records for oldest driver to win a race (52 years old) and a pole (54). He drove the first race car with a telemetry system installed in it at Talladega in 1985 and relayed the data to CBS during its coverage of the event.

This was the Gant’s seventh time on the ballot. He did not attend the announcement ceremony Tuesday and was not available for comment.

All three were among NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers and one of NASCAR Modified’s All-Time Top 10 Drivers.

Wheeler became synonymous with promotion and innovation.

He spent 33 years as the president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway and played a pivotal role in transforming the venue into a world-class facility.

Wheeler added a new dynamic to the sport, a visionary whose leadership and creativity helped shape today’s fan experience with the introduction of dramatic prerace ceremonies and the development of night racing at superspeedways.

He was known for his innovative promotions and stunts.