CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ NASCAR announced the finalists for its 2020 Hall of Fame class on Wednesday, and for the second year in a row, there's a surefire headliner to count on.
Four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon was inducted 2019, and in his first year of eligibility, three-time champion Tony Stewart figures to follow his old rival into the Hall.
In addition to his three titles at NASCAR's highest level, Stewart won 49 races and now co-owns Stewart-Haas Racing.
Stewart is one of six new nominees this year, joined by Sam Ard, Neil Bonnett, Marvin Panch, Jim Paschal, and Red Vogt. Bonnett, who died in a practice crash before the 1994 Daytona 500, won 18 Cup races during his career, including consecutive Coca-Cola 600s in 1982 and 1983.
A panel of media members, NASCAR representatives, and track representatives will select the next five-person Hall class on May 22. That class will be inducted in February, before the start of the 2020 NASCAR season.
The full list of nominees, in alphabetical order:
_ Sam Ard, two-time Late Model Sportsman (now Xfinity) Series champion
_ Buddy Baker, 19 Cup Series wins, including the 1980 Daytona 500
_ Neil Bonnett, 18 Cup Series wins
_ Red Farmer, three-time Late Model Sportsman champion
_ Ray Fox, legendary engine builder, crew chief, and car owner who worked with several Hall of Fame drivers
_ Harry Gant, 18 Cup Series wins, including a stretch of four straight in September 1991 that earned him the nickname "Mr. September"
_ Joe Gibbs, four-time Cup Series champion as a car owner, nine car owner championships across series
_ John Holman, two-time Cup Series champion as a car owner
_ Harry Hyde, 1970 Cup Series championship crew chief
_ Bobby Labonte, 2000 Cup Series champion and 1991 Busch (now Xfinity) Series champion
_ Herschel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR west series champion
_ Ralph Moody, two-time Cup Series champion as a car owner
_ Marvin Panch, 17 Cup Series wins, including the 1961 Daytona 500
_ Jim Paschal, 25 Cup Series wins, including 23 on short tracks
_ Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
_ Ricky Rudd, 23 Cup Series wins, including the 1997 Brickyard 400
_ Mike Stefanik, nine-time Modified and/or Busch West champion
_ Tony Stewart, three-time Cup Series champion and car owner
_ Red Vogt, named NASCAR and considered the sport's first master mechanic
_ Waddell Wilson, three-time Cup Series champion as an engine builder
The Hall of Fame also released its five nominees for the Landmark Award, given annually for outstanding contributions to NASCAR. Jim Hunter, a former journalist, public relations professional, and track president, won in 2019. Those nominees are:
_ Edsel Ford II, Ford Motor Co.
_ Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR's first flagman who helped establish NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with founder Bill France Sr.
_ Mike Helton, the first non-France family member named NASCAR president
_ Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway
_ Ralph Seagraves, responsible for longtime NASCAR-Winston partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco.
