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Well! Let’s see what I can do with my ideas on this HoF thing, and thanks to Nate Powers for the inspiration. Please refer to Nate’s article “NASCAR's Hall Of Fame To Open in ...

NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominees: Richard Petty, David Pearson, and...?

by Crabber 1967 . (Scribe)

17

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History

September 14, 2008


Well! Let’s see what I can do with my ideas on this HoF thing, and thanks to Nate Powers for the inspiration. Please refer to Nate’s article “NASCAR's Hall Of Fame To Open in 2010” for his comments on the nominees named below who I have not commented on.

 

I know very little about that HoF in Cooperstown, but, having said that, I like some of their ideas, and I’ll apply them to my version of the NASCAR HoF.

 

One of the few things I do know is that they have two ‘wings’ of the Hall; which I’ll call “Drivers” and “Others.”  (Suggestions for wing names are welcome.)

 

 

Others:

1.  Bill France.

 

 

2.  Carl Kiekhaefer. This car owner was Rick Hendrick and Jack Roush before anyone thought about entering multiple cars or having big-bucks sponsorship. Kiekhaefer used his Mercury outboard motor company, and the money he made from that company, to attack the NASCAR circuit like no one ever has. Kiekhaefer used car haulers (like those you see delivering cars to your local dealership) and team uniforms before they were common. Kiekhaefer had 190 entries (including 52 wins) in 1955-56.  (NASCAR ran 45 races in 1955 and 56 races in 1956.) Tim Flock in 1955 and Buck Baker in 1956 took the championships for Kiekhaefer. As you might expect, Kiekhaefer was not really popular among the other owners, and he decided to leave NASCAR at the end of 1956.

 

 

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17 comments Last one added 5 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. L.J. Burgess 9 months ago

    There might be 30 drivers worthy over the long haul...more interesting who isn't really worthy.

    Have you been over to the Formula 1 page and checked out the HoF we're putting together over there?

    The NASCAR page should have one too.

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  2. Anthony 9 months ago

    Waht about Benny Parsons?

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  3. Mary Jo Buchanan 9 months ago

    Good thoughts - some of them were new to me so thanks for that education. LJ is right, we need to think about a HoF page for NASCAR, especially since it is set to open in two years.

    Agree with Anthony - would add Benny Parsons for sure.
    Five star read.

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  4. Nate Powers 9 months ago

    I like The Wood brothers and Fireball(whos a favorite of mine)
    I thought of putting both on my list but there was so many to choose from.

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  5. SCOTT GIBB SR. 9 months ago

    WHAT A BOBBY H . SR WHO DROVE THE 55 CAR IN NASCAR AND FINISHED UP IN CRAFTMAN TRUCKS AND DJ. KARK MARTIN

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  6. Crabber 1967 . 9 months ago

    Thanks for all the kind comments.
    Since I was running a bit long for my first effort I decided to stop where I did.

    If I'd continue to use the "baseball model" I would limit nominees to individuals no longer active. This would knock Rick Hendrick out of the mix, and since we are talking people, not organizations, the Wood Brothers (Leonard, Glen and Delano) would still be eligible as they no longer run the team. I admit to being a "Ford Boy" so I'm sure this would get a burr under the saddle for some Bowtie Types!

    A "Broadcasters & Writers" Wing of the HoF would certainly be an opportunity for the much-loved "BP" to get into the Hall, and this 'wing' might be an exception to the "No Active" nominees rule. Certainly Ken Squire would qualify, as would Chris Economaki.

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  7. Jonathan Lintner 9 months ago

    I don't want the NASCAR Hall of Fame to be like other sports' hall of fames. It doesn't need to be overpopulated to the extent that everyone seems to be a part of it. They should start small and stay small.

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  8. Kara Martin 9 months ago

    Nice work. How about Ralph Earnhardt. Although he only raced for 6 years, he is know as one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers & in 1956 won the NASCAR Sportman Championship. Without Ralph there would be no Dale Sr. or Jr.!

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    • Crabber 1967 . 9 months ago

      Nice nominee!
      Ralph E was certainly one of the greats who helped build the sport.
      Perhaps another Wing of our theoretical HoF would be for drivers like Ralph Earnhardt who were very dominant in their area, but for what ever the reason, (sometimes because they simply did not want to leave their family for extended periods of time) they did not have many Cup starts, if any.
      Tommy Houston is another one who comes to mind, a short track terror who is, I believe, Teresa Earnhardt's uncle.
      From Virginia: Ray Hendrick was another regional driver who had a few Cup starts, but was the guy to beat on the short tracks.
      Thanks for your kind comments!

      I agree with Jonathan that the main thrust of the HoF should be Cup, as, after all, it has been the premier series, no matter what its name has been.
      I would want the HoF to be fair, as sometimes the baseball writers have some strange ideas, such as: "That guy doesn't deserve to be elected on his first year of eligibility, so I won't vote for him this year." Having a huge quantity of drivers wouldn't be a problem at the beginning, for the fact that baseball has been around about twice as long as stock car racing, and one driver 'takes the place' of a "starting nine."

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  9. S M Napier 9 months ago

    Great read Crabber 67. Like the list so far need to add Alan Kulwicki to the list, since he's the only owner/driver to win a title. Maurice Petty in the crew member/engine department, Buck Baker, Tim Flock, Bill Elliott he's done after this year, Terry Labonte is also to believed to be done this year, and since no else did Rusty Wallace

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  10. Crabber 1967 . 9 months ago

    Thanks!
    Alan Kulwicki was my favorite during his time. I believe that he would have done great things for the sport during 1993 and the years following; as he certainly was well spoken and very thoughtful. His death was a very sad day for me.

    Maurice, Buck, and Tim are certainly good candidates; Bill is a good choice as well, with Terry a bit less so. [I can be good at picking nominees; but a final choice can be very tough, perhaps that's why I just put togethertogether a list of nominees, not being able to set a criteria for a "winning" point.]

    I've never cared for Rusty, so I can't be objective. He just rubs be the wrong way, even today. Even though I hated Dale E more often than not, and he drove me nuts, I respected his ability while detesting his run-over-you attitude. I couldn't cheer for Rusty even when he drove a Ford!

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  11. Ken Knight 5 months ago

    Great subject crab!

    From my viewing years for drivers musts would have to be Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. Man, I wish he had named Jr. something else. Tired of having to differenciate the two.

    Loved Kulwicki too, especially when he turned down Jr. Johnson's Bud ride. He wanted to do it on his own and by golly he did it! Not many can say that.

    I never liked Rusty's whining ass either. Jeff Gordon took over where he left off.

    You would also have to give HOF consideration to Cale Yargorough. It's too bad Bobby Issac walked away so early. He could have rewrote the book. What potential.

    Gotta consider Daryl Derringer. He did more for tire R & D than anyone in Nascar.

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    • Crabber 1967 . 5 months ago

      Thanks Ken!
      It looks like they have just named some of the criteria for the HOF, and it looks like only five people will elected to the Hall at one time.
      I continue to believe that there should be two "wings" to the Hall, one for the drivers and one for "Contributors." The second wing would be anyone, such as Big Bill France [sure to get in, as it is after all, the NASCAR Hall of Fame!!] and people such as Raymond Parks [probably won't happen as the France family continues Big Bill's efforts to ignore the origins of the sport] and the builders of Martinsville, Darlington [again, probably won't happen as the France's built Daytona Speedway and want everyone to believe that their track has always been the 'big one' in NASCAR] and others, as determined by the electors.

      I was a fan of Darel Dieringer, [seven wins in 12 years] and you are right, he did a lot of testing, including the Bud Moore Mercury Comet, the first "mid-sized" car back in 1966. LeeRoy Yarbrough, and Cale Yarborough [no relation] are two possibles also!

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