Changes to Hall of Fame Eligibility Process and Voting

Dec 5, 1:36 PM EST

NASCAR changes Hall of Fame eligibility process

By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- NASCAR announced sweeping changes to the Hall of Fame election process Thursday, including tweaks that make Bill Elliott and Mark Martin immediately eligible for enshrinement.

Among the six changes: Drivers are now eligible if they have competed for 30 or more years in NASCAR or turned 55 in the calendar year before nominating day. Previously, drivers were not eligible until they had been retired for three years, so drivers can continue to compete and still reach the hall.

Martin, winner of 96 races across NASCAR's three national divisions, has no plans at this time to race next year after 31 seasons in the Sprint Cup Series.

Elliott, winner of the 1988 Cup title, is 58 but raced as recently as 2012. Two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte ran in five races in 2013, but is 57 and has competed in Cup for 36 years.

Other drivers immediately eligible for Hall of Fame consideration include four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., who still competes at age 55, and Ken Schrader, who said last month's season finale at Homestead was his final race after 30 seasons.

The ballot will also include only 20 nominees, down five from the first five classes.

Also, any member of the nominating committee or voting panel who appeared on the previous year's ballot or current year's ballot will now be recused from participation in the nominating or voting process while they are on the ballot. Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, Junior Johnson are active Hall of Fame voters and were on the panel when they were elected.

Jerry Cook is a present voter and has consistently been on the Hall of Fame ballot.

NASCAR has also established the "Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions" that will begin with the 2015 class. Potential recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador.

Landmark Award winners will remain eligible for Hall of Fame induction. Five nominees for the Landmark Award will be selected by the hall's nominating committee. The winner must appear on at least 60 percent of the ballots.

Beginning next year, the nominating committee will meet in person to create its ballots for both the Hall of Fame and the Landmark Award. The committee previously submitted nominees via mail to an independent accounting firm.

The nominating committee will meet Feb. 21 in Daytona.

NASCAR previously announced that the reigning Sprint Cup champion will be an eligible Hall of Fame voter starting with the 2015 class. Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson will be the first active driver to cast a ballot in voting next year.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/16/16 07:54:05AM

That's good to a degree. I do see how inducting someone that was/is recently in the spotlight is a good idea. The last few years with Waltrip, Rusty, and now Dale Jarrett, means that they are wanting to induct a former driver that is currently on TV. My pick for the next induction would probably be Ray Evernham - he's a multi-time championship crew chief, car owner and now broadcaster.

I can see Elliott being picked over Mark Martin since Bill is starting to come back into the sportlight with his son's help. I would guess that during Chase's Sprint Cup debut season is the year that Awesome Bill goes into the hall of fame.

That's all well and dandy....but when will Raymond Parks and Red Byron being inducted? As much as I like Bill, I would rather see some of the early guys get in before him.

Somehow, I don't ever see Jerry Cook, who's on the voting panel, ever voting for my hero, Ray Hendrick who beat Cook a gazillion times in NASCAR modifieds.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

I think Parks and Byron's best chances were those 1st couple of classes. Now that the selection process has got a rhythm to it, I think they'll drift further out of contention with each passing year. I had a nice conversation with Dale Inman and the King at Phoenix about Jim Paschal's chances. Both kind of winced and felt like it would be an awfully long time before he'd even be considered.

Schrader is awesome. But when I see his name in print as now being eligible - even if its only a technicality, I'm troubled.

Richard made it a point about the voters and the public knowing the people that are selected. I get that to a point. Its certainly been recognized with DJ, Rusty, Waltrip and even the guys who came of age during the 70s-90s. But I hope and trust it doesn't mean backs will be turned to those who really got this thing rolling. I have to believe there will be more consideration of folks from the same era - and before - as Herb Thomas, Buck Baker and Lee Petty.

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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.

I love Kenny, but, I, too am troubled seeing his name bantered about, just as i was with DJ. Nice guys? Yes. HOF credentials? No way.

Somewhere down the way, after my time on this earth, I'm guessing there'll be some sort of Veteran's Committee formed to look back in time along the lines of baseball:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Committee_on_Baseball_Vet...

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

"Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions" - in other words, Anne B France is going into the Hall of Fame and we don't care what you think. This is also how they assuage the Raymond Parks people without admitting that Big Bill didn't do it all himself. This is probably the only cookie that Parks and Byron will get because they're too old for the desired demographic to care about. Bruton Smith gets one of these too.Schrader is a racer's racer. He's been everywhere and run most anything. But he's doesn't have Hall of Fame qualifications in the top three series. If he's done well in the lower tier then he should go in, but I don't know his record. Hornaday is a four-time champ, but failed in the big leagues. I think there's a difference between someone like Richie Evans, who dominated his series for many years, and someone who tried for the top and retreated to the lower series. I wouldn't object to Hornaday getting in, but I'd rather see fewer really great drivers than many pretty good ones.Martin & Elliott are shoo-ins for the Hall of Fame. There are many others I'd like to see get in first, but I understand why they want to rush things. Labonte? Alright, he's got two championships, but he's 32nd on the all-time wins list. I wouldn't hurry on that one. Honestly, I'd put in Herschel McGriff and James Hylton before any of those named above.i like that they're reduced the field from 25 to 20. Less dilution of votes across several well-qualified candidates. I think it would have worked better if they had increased the number elected by two or three instead.

I think its also how Wendell Scott gets "in" the Hall. Lots of sentiment to put him in as legit HOFer because of what he endured. Yet facts are what they are - not what they could or should have been. 1 win. That's it.

Yet the hell Wendell persevered through is worth noting in some manner. I'm pretty sure Scott never received the Myers Brothers or Buddy Shuman awards. This Landmark Award will probably be and rightfully awarded to his family as a genuine recognition of his contributions to racing.

But yes Andy, Wendell's family may get it AFTER Annie B.

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Schaefer: It's not just for racing anymore.

Good point on Wendell Scott. It may seem callous or racist, but I don't think Wendell belongs in the Hall of Fame based on the criteria we've set for everyone else. Sure, he endured a heck of a lot and was robbed of a win and his dignity; but he was a champion of a man not a champion driver. I would not object to a large display detailing his travails, but he doesn't have the bona fides to stand beside David Pearson. A Landmark Award would be a small measure of compensation.