Time for five new Hall of Fame jackets.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame announced Wednesday its Class of 2019, headlined by four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon. Gordon was not selected unanimously, though.
Seven-time champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt were also not inducted unanimously, nor was NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. Inductees who have appeared on the highest percentage of ballots in the past (outside of the inaugural 2010 class, for which NASCAR has no records) are David Pearson (2011) and Robert Yates (2018), each garnering 94 percent of votes. Gordon did earn 96 percent of the votes, making him the highest vote-getter in history.
Gordon will be inducted alongside 1992 Cup champion Alan Kulwicki, 19-time winner Davey Allison, and current team owners Jack Roush and Roger Penske. This is the 10th class to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Kulwicki and Allison, two of NASCAR's top drivers from the 1990's, are also two of the sport's more tragic stories. Each died midway through the 1993 season, cutting short two promising careers. Roush, whose Roush Fenway Racing team includes Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Matt Kenseth/Trevor Bayne in the Cup Series, has worked with several of the best racers ever and won eight championships at every level of the sport. Same goes for Roger Penske, who has five combined championships and over 100 Cup victories with Team Penske.
Along with these five inductees, the Hall of Fame voting panel _ comprised of former drivers, manufacturers, media members, and more _ selected Jim Hunter as this year's Landmark Award winner, given annually to someone for their, "outstanding contributions to NASCAR." Hunter worked in the industry for most of his life as an award-winning reporter, public relations specialist, track president, and NASCAR executive.
The 2019 class will be inducted and officially honored in a ceremony on Feb. 1, 2019.
