NASCAR Hall of Fame 2026 nominees announced
Three nominees were announced to the short list for possible induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2026.
Meet our #NASCARHall Class of 2026 nominees! Two Modern Era candidates and one Pioneer candidate will be elected to join the Legends of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Learn more: https://t.co/cDyHRWAnAj pic.twitter.com/AJLYFO1zre
— NASCAR Hall of Fame (@NASCARHall) April 21, 2025
NASCAR announced Monday (April 21) Kurt Busch, Randy LaJoie and Jake Elder made the list, with Busch and LaJoie on the Modern ballot and Elder on the Pioneer ballot.
In total, 10 nominees are on the Modern Era ballot while five are on the Pioneer ballot. The Pioneer ballot is designed for nominees whose careers started more than 60 years ago.
Of the 15 nominees, two from the Modern Era ballot and one from the Pioneer ballot will be inducted in 2026.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame committee will meet on Tuesday, May 20 to vote for the Class of 2026.
Fans will have an opportunity to cast their vote via the NASCAR.com website.
Below are all the drivers eligible for the NASCAR Hall on each ballot.
Modern Era Ballot
Greg Biffle, 19-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, 2002 Xfinity Series champion
Neil Bonnett, 18-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, 1982 & 1983 Coca-Cola 600 champion
Tim Brewer, 2-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief (1978, 1981), 53-time winner as crew chief
Jeff Burton, 21-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, 1999 & 2001 Coca-Cola 600 champion, 1999 Southern 500 champion
Kurt Busch, 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion, 34-time Cup Series winner, 2017 Daytona 500 champion
Randy Dorton, 9-time championship engine builder across NASCAR’s national series
Harry Gant, 18-time winner NASCAR Cup Series races, 1984 &1991 Southern 500 champion
Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief, 56-time winner as crew chief
Randy LaJoie, 1996 & 1997 Xfinity Series champion, 1985 North Series champion
Jack Sprague, 1997, 1999, 2001 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion
Pioneer Ballot
Jake Elder, 1968, 1980 NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
Ray Hendrick, won over 700 times in NASCAR Modified, Late Model Sportsman division
Banjo Matthews, car builder who won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three titles
Larry Phillips, first 5-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
Bob Welborn, 9-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner, 3-time Convertible Division champion
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Dominic Aragon View All
Dominic Aragon is currently the editor-in-chief for The Racing Experts.
From Grants, New Mexico, USA, Aragon started watching NASCAR in 2004 and has been covering the sport since 2009. Aragon is a 2012 graduate of Grants High School and a May 2016 graduate of the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Mass Communications & Journalism. Aragon has worked in local and national media, as a musician, and an educator. He is co-author of the 2024 book "All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story" with racer Geoff Bodine.
Aragon, his wife Feliz, and son Christopher currently reside in Grants, New Mexico, USA.
You can reach Dominic at daragon@theracingexperts.net.