New 2018 Hall of Fame nominees

By | Published: March 2, 2017 58

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Davey Allison
Davey Allison was born with speed. The son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison grew up more interested in football, but could not escape the racing bug, following his father into the family profession. The younger Allison honed his skills at local Alabama tracks before getting his big break in 1987, taking over for legendary driver Cale Yarborough in Ranier-Lundy’s Ford Thunderbird.

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Allison won 19 races and 14 poles, including a victory in the 1992 Daytona 500, before he was killed in a tragic helicopter accident on the infield at Talladega Superspeedway in 1993. A member of the renowned Alabama gang, Davey was known for his toughness and fierce competitiveness, refusing to miss a race after being airlifted to a Charlotte hospital due to an on-track accident following his win at the 1992 All-Star Race. In 1992, Allison concluded his best Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, running first in the championship standings until his car was collected in an accident during the final race at Atlanta.

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1988: Talladega Superspeedway (with Red Farmer)

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1988: With father and fellow driver Bobby Allison in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway

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1990: With daughter Krista Marie prior to the Daytona 500

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1990s: Daytona International Speedway

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1990

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1990: Atlanta Motor Speedway

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1991: All-Star Race Victory Lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway (with Miss Winston and car owner Robert Yates)

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1991: Nazareth Speedway (with driver Ken Schrader)

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1992: Daytona 500 Victory Lane

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Red Farmer
Red Farmer's career is one long series of immeasurable accolades. For instance, it's entirely unknown just how many wins Farmer has. One thing is for sure: It's a lot ... somewhere north of 700. His passion for the sport is likewise immeasurable. After all, he continues to race, even after eclipsing 80 years of age.

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The record books do have a few things that are black-and-white and proof positive about this member of the Alabama Gang. He collected three consecutive championships in NASCAR's Late Model Sportsman division from 1969-71, long after he won the Modified title in 1956.

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Unknown date

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1958: SCCA race at the Masters Field road course in Miami

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1963: Atlanta Motor Speedway

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1968: Daytona 500

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1970

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1971: Daytona International Speedway

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1973: Daytona 500

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1988: ARCA Permatex 500K Victory Lane with car owner Davey Allison at Talladega Superspeedway

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1991: Daytona 500 (serving as crew chief for Davey Allison)

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Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs has won throughout his entire life. The three-time Super Bowl champion football coach started Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992 and has led the organization to four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships and five NASCAR XFINITY Series owners titles. Known as a master motivator, Gibbs' 140 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series owner wins rank third all-time. They include two Daytona 500 victories and five Brickyard 400 championships.

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2009: New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the No. 18 team

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2010: Texas Motor Speedway

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2010: XFINITY/Camping World Truck Series Banquet with driver Kyle Busch.

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2012: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

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2013: Darlington Raceway

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2014: With son J.D. Gibbs

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2014: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin)

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2015: Daytona 500

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2015: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

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2015: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Awards show in Las Vegas with Joe Gibbs Racing driver and 2015 champion Kyle Busch, and Busch's wife, Samantha, and son, Brexton.

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2016: Kansas Speedway

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2016: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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2017: Atlanta Motor Speedway

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Roger Penske
Roger Penske is known, simply, as 'The Captain.' A true captain of industry, Penske has steered one of the most successful ships in the sport's history. Penske, who celebrated his 50th anniversary in racing in 2016, reached a major milestone and collected a prestigious award during the golden anniversary season. That year, he reached 100 wins in NASCAR's premier series and capped off the season by receiving the Bill France Award of Excellence.

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1950s/60s

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1963: Daytona International Speedway

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1969: With drivers Mark Donohue and Chuck Parsons after winning the 24 Hours of Daytona

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1970s/80s: With Team Penske driver Bobby Allison

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2007: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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2012: Chicagoland Speedway with Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski

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2013: The White House, with 2012 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and driver Brad Keselowski

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2014: Charlotte Motor Speedway

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2014: XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Banquet

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2015: Daytona 500 Victory Lane with Team Penske driver Joey Logano

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2016: Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway with Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski

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2016: Homestead-Miami Speedway

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Bobby Labonte
The ultimate grinder, Bobby Labonte raced any car he could get behind the wheel of before he got his first break as a full-time premier series driver at 29 years old in 1993. His persistence paid off with a career highlighted by 21 trips to Victory Lane and the 2000 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title. A success in all three of NASCAR's national series, Labonte was the first of four drivers to win both an XFINITY and premier series championship. He is also one of 27 drivers to win a race in all three national series.