The Nascar Hall of Fame

Ok, first off, the 5 inductees this year are David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Lee Petty, Ned Jarrett, and Bud Moore. Now I have nothing wrong with those folks going in the Hof, they did so much for the sport, that I couldn't even list them all! BUT.......what about the founders? Last year, there were 2 Frances, Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Dale Earnhardt. They also are worthy nominees, but they didn't found the sport. Heck, Earnhardt didn't come along until the late 70's. Raymond Parks SHOULD be in the Hof, he should've went in when he was still alive! Now that he's passed, their gonna overlook him more than they should him. He was very instrumental in the beginning of the sport. Not to bash any one of the inductees, but the founders should have gone in first. Like I said, Earnhardt didn't come along until the Late 70's after Nascar was about 30 years young. If it weren't for Mr. Parks, there probably wouldn't be a nascar or not as a big organization. Red Byron was another that should be in there. Kyle Petty said before they announced the names, that even though Byron/Parks won 2 races in "Strickly Stock" it was the first. I also hate how Nascar now-a-days only counts their "Old" History as after 1949. Even though their logo says "Since 1948" they don't discuss that year. Hopefully next year, Parks and Byron will be in together along with greats like Roberts, Turner, Flock, etc. Not these new drivers! When I read the press release on Nascar.com just a few minutes ago, I read just a few of the hundreds of comments already brewing. Most said something like "Cale Yarborogh should've gone in" or something like "I can't believe DW is not in!?! He should've went in the first class" But out of about 100 or so comments I read, only 2 said something about Raymond Parks not going in.....

updated by @cody-dinsmore: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

I agree with you, Cody. I think the HOF voters this year needed to honor a least one other person from the early days of NASCAR. Especially, they needed Raymond Parks, put in the HOF this year. He was a founding father like the Frances'. I think it's also a cheap shot to Cale & DW, to have Allison go in before them. Those 3 should have gone in next year...all together.

All in all this isn't surprising. This is how screwed up Nascar is now. David, Bobby and Lee I have no problem with. I think Ned Jarrett and Bud Moore should have gone next year or the year after. Raymond Parks defintely should have went this year. I have a feeling it will be 5 to 10 years from now before he gets in, if in that span. I think Tim Flock should have been in this year also. But my opinion dont mean a hill of beans to Nascar anyways. But they are for the fans though. Yeah right!

I don't have any problem with any of last year's inductees & this year's electees as NASCAR Hall of Famers. I do have a problem with the order in which some of them are going into the Hall. I, too, believe that Raymond Parks should have been in the 1st class, and if not the 1st, then most assuredly the 2nd. However, the 1st & 2nd class choices really doesn't surprise me considering the quality of choices NASCAR is making these days............the problem here is that many of the people chosen for the HofF have been and are going to be those who are freshest & most recent in people's memories.............or those who have managed to be a part of NASCAR for a long period of time. There are too many people out there who don't have a clue who Raymond Parks was or are aware of his many contributions to the foundation of what NASCAR has become. I believe it is a real shame & an injustice that so many people who have voted or influenced the HofF choices in any way apparently have not bothered to research or educate themselves on the full history of NASCAR. Please don't misunderstand me here............they are all very deserving, but I believe that many of the 1st inductees should have been more of the pioneers of the sport, because I fear that the more times they are overlooked, the more likely it is that they will continue to be overlooked in the future.

Cody, that is so well thought out and so beautifully written! I am extremely proud of you, as always. Your statements are spot on, as they say in Merrie Olde England. Problem is, putting both France members in and then limiting the inductees to five a year. The reasoning behind that escapes me, but then, considering who is doing the reasoning, I guess I should not be surprised.
Keep up the great work Cody for it is because of young folk like you, and, especially you, that I feel comfortable knowing no matter how badly NASCAR screws it up, there will be someone around to keep the memories alive. Remember, good old D.W. said, at least three times during the Daytona 500 telecast, that NASCAR history started in 1980. I do hope to see the Hall of Fame at some point, but if they put D. W. in within the next 100 years, I'll never set foot in the place.
Thanks, Cody, for all you do.
Tim


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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.

Cody, I think what you don't understand about the hall of fame is that NASCAR doesn't give a hoot about the people that got it all started. They are looking at the big dollars that is not happening for them in the HOF. I go to museums to see the things of the past. Darlington is a good example of what they think about the past, to me it is not worth the cost to get in. Thank you and many others for thinking about the old folks. Jimmy Helms

I agree with you, Jimmy............it appears to me that NASCAR stopped caring about the fans a long time ago, especially since Bill, Jr. relinquished the reins. I believe they pay these marketing "experts" big bucks to come up with more ideas on how to extract more dollars from the fans' pockets - I think this is one of the reasons we see more empty seats & declining TV ratings. It might behoove them to hire some real race fans as marketing experts - but we probably won't see that. I know this discussion is about the HOF, and as I said earlier, the electees are all deserving, but my concerns are that NASCAR has not built much of a credible track record in recent years and I fear they will eventually screw up this latest attempt at attracting more dollars.

What! There's a Nascar HOF? Oh well! Hey I"ll see all you guys This weekend as we induct 15 more grass roots legends into the RacersReunion Memory lane HOF. It's all about them! Lets have a great time! W

There's a very "arbitrary" NASCAR Hall of Fame...one that neglects to choose the financial backer that got it all started...Raymond Parks...is too ignorant to know better.But, I'm personally pleased that several of my friends of 40 years and more are in...David Pearson, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, Lee Petty and Bobby Allison made the grade. Cale and DW will too.Hey Michael...where my picture?

There was one more thing I forgot to mention............I believe the NASCAR HoF should (or should have) consider creating two categories for nominees & inductees - a DRIVER category & a NON-DRIVER category. Both are equally important regarding NASCAR history, but it might make future selections a little easier and more defining.

It is hard to put this in perspective but there will always someone that seems to be left out. It looks like the balloting is working from the top down. using overall impact on the sport.

I thought Red Byron should have went last year with Herb Thomas. Buck Baker is right there also. Lee petty's 3 titles and the first Daytona locked him in but we have to consider that Petty had a huge impact on Nascar. I got tripped up on Bobby getting in but with out a doubt he is the best driver/mechanic in the history of Nascar.

Ned Jarrett is a two time champion and his presence was felt for years after he stopped driving, what can you say.

Bud Moore is an American Heroe plain and simple. He was a like a David in the land of Goliath's. Bud has seen a side of life and death that few of us know as he walked across the beaches in Normandy and found triumph with tragedy in racing.

David need's no explanation obviously.

Certainly Parks and others deserve to be in the Hall and they will be soon enough. People like Parks are winners in life regardless of the circumstances and if you asked him he would be ok with it.

There is an old story about being invited to a dinner and taking the least favored seat and in doing so being invited to the head table as opposed to taking the best seat and being told that it is reserved for another.

Cody, I agree 100% but unless nascar forms a panel for voting in HOF you can copy and paste your post every year because I highly doubt the so called fans will ever vote in Raymond Parks.

Or, maybe it's because Raymond called Big Bill Sr. "Watermelon" when Big Bill was born because when Raymond was a little boy he was told the reason Big Bill's mommy was getting so big in the stomach was because she had a watermelon inside of her when they all lived in Maryland.

I agree,I voted again for Raymond Parks to get in ,maybe next year.peace,out.

Cody you are a true race fan and a very smart young man. That said had NASCAR and it string of puppets really wanted to honor the history of racing then the first induction would have started with 50 inductees . They could have had 10 for each decade and fans would have been more receptive to the HOF. And then dropped 5 spots per year until you get to 20 spots. They then could get some of the pioneers in the HOF instead they chose to go with politics and money and you see where that has gotten them.At the rate they are going now the city of Charlotte will kick them out in less than 5 years and open a indoor zoo there.

The brilliant masterminds at NASCAR think that by limiting the inductees to 5 per year, they can continue to stretch out the money stream from fans for years & years. It's all about the money & their plan to extract the maximum number of dollars from race fans over the long term. It would appear from the number of empty seats at NASCAR races & the declining TV ratings that NASCAR might be well-served to hire themselves a new group of masterminds.