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.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Simon Pagenaud’s career was cut short eight races into the 2023 season when he was badly injured in a crash that caused concussion-related symptoms he’s still battling nearly two years later.

He wants no sympathy, no pity, and looks back fondly on a career in which he won the Indianapolis 500, an IndyCar championship, 15 races and the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

He also doesn’t want to dwell on his personal health, which has been a frustrating rollercoaster of improvements, setbacks, and constant rehabilitation to return to some normalcy and enjoy life with his wife and two young children.

But the Frenchman will never be able to shake the motorsports bug — and he has a goal of one day returning to some form of racing because without goals, what does a racer even have?

For now, though, he’s adjusting to a slow comeback that began last year when Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin asked Pagenaud to be his driver coach at the Indianapolis 500. It wasn’t as easy as he’d hoped because everything from his vision to the noise at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the vibration he felt as cars whizzed past the Team Penske timing stand disrupted his recovery.

Even so, McLaughlin has him back this year as Pagenaud attempts to find a career outside the racecar.

“Last year he didn’t know how he was going to feel with the noises, but he definitely feels a lot better,” McLaughlin said. “I really enjoy working with him and bringing him back to the speedway, brought him back to something he loves. He’s really intense, too. His preparation is next level.”

It’s just the start for Pagenaud’s transition: Théo Pourchaire, a fellow Frenchman, announced Tuesday that Pagenaud will be his representation as Pourchaire tries to make a full-time move to racing in the United States.

“I don’t want to be involved with the management of 30 drivers, but I want to be involved with the best,” Pagenaud said. “I want to go to teams with a guy I know can perform. I don’t want to put my name on someone and then have a team come back to me and say he didn’t perform, the guy wasn’t good enough. I’ve got to be selective and to me, I think Theo can be one of the best.”

But that’s not all for Pagenaud, who was contacted by Chevrolet and asked to help do simulator work for the manufacturer in a true case of “just what the doctor ordered.”

“I had no idea if I was going to be of use, but I was very attracted by the idea and my doctors were very enthused by the chance to test myself on a moving simulator,” he said. ”I’m not going to lie — it was a big challenge personally — but it was awesome to have a reference, a new reference, of where I was at and how much I was struggling for different things.

“And we decided that we would do this a bit more frequently. It was very useful for my recovery. It’s probably been the most useful therapy I’ve had, and when I’m talking about therapies, physical therapy, eye coordination, reconnecting the bridges in the brain, things that were not as seamless as they used to be.”

Pagenaud is also open to a more formal role with former team Team Penske, where he spent seven seasons and time with their sports car program. Team President Tim Cindric didn’t rule out a role within the organization for the driver who contributed one of Roger Penske’s record 20 Indy 500 wins.

McLaughlin has raved about what Pagenaud has brought him at Indy.

“I’m probably a detriment to my own career throughout the years — I haven’t been as intricate with looking at little details, and I think Simon is the professor in that regard,” McLaughlin said. “He strives for perfection in a lot of ways in how he sets up his car and what he feels. He’s probably allowing me to look into more details and just the way I look at myself and the driving, the lines and what I’m doing with weight jacker and bars. It’s really helped sort of accelerate my progress here, and really am enjoying working with a friend, as well.”

That knowledge could be welcome inside Team Penske as a whole at some point, Cindric said.

“Simon is always welcome within our team,” Cindric said. “But Simon has a lot going on on his own, beyond our team. I know Simon has been offered some really good things to do, but there’s only so much that Simon really wants to do.

“I think he can be a benefit for anybody around this place. I don’t think there’s any limit in terms of what he does, but at the same time, he wants to be productive. Just hanging around probably isn’t what he wants to do, either. I think we have a pretty good balance, and we’re always open to him within our team.”

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23XI Racing announced today that Pinnacle has expanded its relationship with the team in a multi-year partnership that makes Pinnacle the official banking sponsor of Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 team. The Nashville-based firm is a leading financial institution located in urban markets across the Southeast. Pinnacle has been an associate partner with Reddick and 23XI since 2023, but this partnership expansion marks the first time Pinnacle will have a featured, brand-focused design on the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE.

The Pinnacle-branded paint scheme will first compete at Nashville Superspeedway in June and will return during the Playoffs for the Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. Additionally, Pinnacle branding will be included on the No. 45 team’s equipment and will continue to be featured on Reddick’s driver uniform.

Pinnacle has long supported Reddick, partnering with him in NASCAR each season since 2018, when he won the first of his two consecutive Xfinity Series championships. While Reddick has raced a Pinnacle-branded car in the Xfinity Series, the Nashville race will mark the first time Pinnacle will be featured with a paint scheme in the Cup Series. In addition to the partnership with 23XI and Reddick, Pinnacle is the official bank of the Memphis Grizzlies, Tennessee Titans and The Pinnacle, a recently opened state-of-the-art premier live music venue located in the heart of Nashville Yards.

“Our team has enjoyed the partnership with Pinnacle since Tyler joined the team, and we’re excited to grow our relationship with Pinnacle to more prominently feature their brand on the No. 45 car,” said team president Steve Lauletta. “Much like 23XI, Pinnacle is driven to be impactful for their clients, their employees and their community, and we look forward to developing more programs and activations with them.”

“The group at Pinnacle has played such an important role in my career, and I’m honored to have the chance to represent them in a greater way through this partnership expansion,” said Tyler Reddick, driver of the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE. “From supporting me earlier in my career to continuing to believe in me and what we’re doing at 23XI, I’m excited to represent all the associates at Pinnacle and look forward to having a great opening race with them in Nashville.”

“Pinnacle and 23XI are such a great match for each other because we both share a vision of being the best,” said Andy Moats, Pinnacle’s director of music, sports and entertainment. “The love for NASCAR and racing runs deep at our firm, and we’ve been with Tyler for a long time. Working alongside him as he’s grown into the racer he is today has been a privilege, and this partnership will bring us even closer to him, his team and the incredible community that surrounds this sport.”

23XI PR

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Given his resume, 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 on 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 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 1950-88. His success started in his home state of Virginia, where his No. 11 was well know. 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 1960-69.

The 85-year-old Gant, known as the “Bandit” for his long-time 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 both 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 on 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.

For the sixth time, Neil Bonnett appeared among the 10 modern-era nominees on the NASCAR Hall of Fame ballot. And for the sixth time, the late Alabama driver was not chosen for induction into the stock-car racing shrine.

On Tuesday, the NASCAR Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026, with drivers Kurt Busch and Harry Gant chosen from the modern-era nominees and driver Ray Hendrick picked from the pioneer-era ballot.

Bonnett and Gant have the same number of career victories on NASCAR’s top circuit.

Voting for the Class of 2026 took place on Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers during the stock-car organization’s celebration of its 75th anniversary in 2023, Bonnett died in a crash at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 11, 1994, while turning practice laps for the Daytona 500.

Bonnett was a protégé of the Alabama Gang. He went from working on Bobby Allison’s cars in Bonnett’s hometown of Hueytown to driving in NASCAR.

Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison and Red Farmer were the original members of the Alabama Gang, as they came to be called when their exploits put Hueytown on the map in stock-car racing circles.

All three are members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, as is Davey Allison, Bobby Allison’s son.

Bonnett raced in 18 NASCAR Cup Series seasons, but he completed the full schedule only four times. He still won 18 Cup Series races, including back-to-back victories in the World 600 in 1982 and 1983, and posted 83 top-five finishes.

Bonnett won at Talladega Superspeedway driving the No. 21 Purolator Mercury for the Wood Brothers in 1980.

In addition to the Allisons and Farmer, NASCAR Hall of Fame members with Alabama roots are Anniston’s Red Byron and Fort Payne’s Tim Flock.

The other nominees on the Class of 2026 modern-era ballot included Greg Biffle, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Randy Dorton, Harry Hyde, Randy Lajoie and Jack Sprague.

The other nominees on the Class of 2026 pioneer ballot included Jake Elder, Banjo Matthews, Larry Phillips and Bob Welborn.

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)