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NASCAR’s latest group of Hall of Fame inductees has been determined, but as is often the case, there are questions that remain unanswered.
The selection of car owners Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick and Raymond Parks, along with driver Benny Parsons, as four of the five inductees for the Class of 2017 means that 24 of the 25 names on the inaugural list of nominees are now members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
The only nominee from that list who has not been chosen for induction is Red Byron, NASCAR’s first Modified and Strictly Stock (the forerunner of today’s premier series) champion.
Eight classes in and Byron, who won two races in just 15 career starts, appears no closer to selection than he did when the original list of nominees was released in July of 2009.
Byron, who passed away in 1960, has obviously been seen as worthy of consideration by the Nominating Committee, which meets annually to compile each year’s list for consideration by the Voting Panel. While it is not a requirement that those not chosen for induction remain on the list of nominees for the following year, it has often been the case.
Should there be a limit to how long a nominee can remain on the Hall of Fame ballot? If a nominee hasn’t been selected for induction after, say, 10 years, should his or her name come off the ballot?
It doesn’t appear likely that there will become an increasingly long list of nominees who continue to be passed over, but the possibility exists.
The formation of the Landmark Award, now in it’s third year, has eased some of the concern there, although one can be on the ballot for Hall of Fame consideration as well as the Landmark Award.
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A second concern often voiced involves inducting those who remain active in the sport, particularly car owners. Childress, Hendrick and Jack Roush remain at the helm of their respective organizations. Their careers are not complete.
Eligibility guidelines for drivers stipulate that he or she have competed in NASCAR for a minimum of 10 years and have been retired for two years. Additionally, any driver who has competed for 10 years and is 55 years old on or before Dec. 31 of the previous nominating year is eligible for consideration.
Any driver competing for 30 or more years is automatically eligible, regardless of age.
For non-drivers, the only requirement is that they have worked in the NASCAR industry for at least 10 years.
Anyone who has made significant achievements in NASCAR, regardless of occupation, but did not meet the previously mentioned minimum requirements may also be considered.
Should those still involved, in whatever fashion and to whatever extent, be considered when many others who are no longer active have yet to be nominated and/or inducted?
Well, would that person be chosen if he or she was no longer active?
In most cases, the answer has been yes. What then would be the purpose of delaying the inevitable?
Childress, Hendrick or Roush may decide to step aside at some point and turn their organization over to someone else. But what if they don’t? What if they remain at the helm until they are physically no longer able to do so?
Should they, or anyone else, not be considered simply because they’re still living? Fortunately, that is not the case.
Should each year’s group of nominees be categorized, with at least one driver, one owner, and one crew chief among those going into the Hall?
Drivers have been the overwhelming choices in recent years — nine of the last 10 members inducted have been selected for their accomplishments behind the wheel. The 2017 class favors car owners.
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A crew chief hasn’t been inducted since Leonard Wood’s selection in 2013. And there are several worthy candidates on the list of nominees, led by Ray Evernham, a three-time champion with driver Jeff Gordon.
Waddell Wilson was not only a successful crew chief, but was equally successful as an engine builder.
Harry Hyde worked with some of the sport’s most talented drivers, including Hall of Fame member Bobby Isaac, Buddy Baker and Tim Richmond and is credited with 55 victories as a crew chief. Yes he was a colorful character. But he was also extremely successful.
The most obvious drawback is that such a plan could penalize a deserving candidate or candidates based on nothing more than the number of nominees in a particular category during a given year.
The current process is fair and it is deliberate. It is not easy.
Spending several hours with many of NASCAR’s legends and powerbrokers is a tremendous way to spend an afternoon.
But at the end of the day, everyone understands the importance of the process. Each of us is being asked to rate the value of a particular person’s career accomplishments.
That’s a pretty heavy undertaking. And it’s something that none of us take lightly.
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