NASCAR Hall of Fame Picks Kurt Busch, Ray Hendrick, Harry Gant for 2026 Class

The NASCAR Hall of Fame selection panel chose three racing giants on Tuesday in Charlotte. Kurt Busch, Ray Hendrick, and Harry Gant will join the 2026 class. The 49-person panel made their picks after careful review.

Busch made it in his first shot at the honor. His stats tell the tale: a Cup Series crown in 2004 and 34 wins in 21 years. “I’m very grateful and thankful that it happened this first time,” said Busch to the Washington Post.

The votes stacked up strong. Both Busch and Gant pulled 61% on the modern-era list. Hendrick nabbed 31% of pioneer votes. Jeff Burton took third place, with Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton next in line.

At 85, Gant’s mark on racing stands firm. His 18 Cup Series wins shine bright. No one tops his age records: winning at 52 and taking pole at 54. He struck gold twice at Darlington’s Southern 500, first in ’84, then in ’91. Seven times they’d put him up for the Hall.

Speed ran in Hendrick’s blood until his last day in 1990. He blazed past finish lines more than 700 times in modified and late model races from 1950 to 1988. Five times he ruled South Boston Speedway. His wins stretched from Talladega to Charlotte to Dover.

“Each name on that ballot changed racing forever,” Busch told NBC Sports. “Me? Just a kid from Vegas who dreamed big. Never saw this coming.”

The panel mixed voices from every corner of racing: track bosses, news folks, car makers, drivers, and more. Fans got their say, too, through NASCAR.com’s voting system.

Humpy Wheeler walked away with the Landmark Award. For 33 years, he ran Charlotte Motor Speedway like no other. He brought lights to big tracks and turned race day into a show before cars hit the track.

These three stars already shine on NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list. Come January 23, 2026, they’ll take their place in Charlotte’s Hall of Fame.