Editor’s Note: NASCAR.com’s Zack Albert was among the voting members casting ballots to elect the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. This year marked his seventh time participating in Voting Day. Here, he explains his three choices on his ballot, a handful of honorable mentions and his pick for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
Class of 2026 selections
Kurt Busch — This case for the first playoff-era Cup Series champion comes with an acknowledgement that his sometimes fiery past probably cost him some votes. Personality aside, when stacking up his statistics, accolades and longevity, Busch stood out from the crowd with a record few others on the ballot could match. His 34 Cup Series wins — which included the 2017 Daytona 500 — and premier-series title should be more than enough.
Harry Gant — Realizing that the Hall of Fame vote is not a popularity contest, it’s hard to ignore how well-loved Gant was for such a long stretch in Cup Series racing. He always said with self-effacing jest that he was probably a better carpenter than driver, but for many years — including an untold number of wins back in the Late Model Sportsman days — he was the standard for hard-nosed racers. That legacy lasted well into his 50s, when he set age records that may never be broken.
Banjo Matthews — Another difficult Pioneer Ballot choice, but the nod goes to Matthews for the second consecutive year — primarily for his work in advancing safety and performance in car-building. He was also heralded as a driver who barnstormed short tracks as a master of the Modifieds, but later in his career, his chassis were everywhere, winning all 30 Cup Series races in 1978.
Honorable mentions: This year’s ballot was among the toughest in recent memory. Strong consideration was given on the Modern Ballot to Randy Dorton for his engine-building excellence, a legacy that lives on at Hendrick Motorsports. Jeff Burton’s on-track performance, broadcast prowess and off-track influence on making the sport better will make him worthy of further contemplation for future ballots. Short-track legend Ray Hendrick was the other Pioneer Ballot nominee who drew a long look here, and his election to this year’s class is well-deserved.
Landmark Award
H.A. Humpy Wheeler — In another crowded field of superlative nominees, Wheeler’s ingenuity ushered in a new era of stock car racing by enhancing the fan experience at every turn. A promoter’s promoter, Wheeler was a forward thinker who set the bar that other speedway owners would try to meet. Night racing at larger speedways? Unheard of until Wheeler made that dream a reality at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Though Alvin Hawkins and Lesa France Kennedy were under heavy consideration on this ballot, Wheeler’s contributions continue to resonate each time fans walk through the gates.