The 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2025 nominees are here.
NASCAR announced April 24 the 15 modern-era and five pioneer ballot nominees for the eventual three-person class for 2025.
New additions include Greg Biffle, the first driver to win a championship in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series as well as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Biffle has scored 19 wins NASCAR Cup Series wins throughout a NASCAR career that stretches into the mid-1990s, alongside 20 Xfinity victories and 17 Truck triumphs. He last competed on the NASCAR national level in 2022.
Randy Dorton, a nine-time champion engine builder while with Hendrick Motorsports, and three-time Truck champion Jack Sprague are also first-time additions to the modern-era ballot. Dorton was the director of engine operations for Hendrick when he was killed in the October 2004 plane crash that took the lives of multiple members of the Hendrick family and team, and Sprague snagged an Xfinity win and 28 Truck victories over a multi-decade career that last saw him on the national stage in 2011.
Meanwhile, Ray Hendrick and Bob Welborn were added to the pioneer ballot. Unrelated to Rick Hendrick and the Hendrick Motorsports camp, Ray Hendrick amassed hundreds of victories in modified competition over three decades and was named to NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers list in 1998. Welborn, who was also on that list that year, won nine Cup races in the late 1950s and was a champion in NASCAR’s convertible division.
Also appearing on the pioneer ballot is Larry Phillips, who reached his maximum amount of 10 appearances on the modern-era ballot.
Two from the modern-era ballot and one from the pioneers will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year.
Additionally, Dr. Dean Sickling, who invented the SAFER barrier, joins the Hall of Fame’s Landmark Award ballot for the first time.
A fan vote is now open to comprise part of the final ballot, which will also feature votes from the Hall of Fame’s voting panel. The deadline to vote in the fan ballot is May 19.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel will meet in person to discuss and vote for the Class of 2025 and Landmark Award on Tuesday, May 21. The winners of a NASCAR.com Fan Vote (www.nascar.com/halloffame) will comprise the final ballot tallied. The Fan Vote is currently open and will close on May 19 at 12 p.m. ET.
The full list:
Modern Era
Greg Biffle
Neil Bonnett
Tim Brewer
Jeff Burton
Randy Dorton
Carl Edwards
Harry Gant
Harry Hyde
Ricky Rudd
Jack Sprague
Pioneer
Ray Hendrick
Banjo Matthews
Ralph Moody
Larry Phillips
Bob Welborn
Landmark Award
Alvin Hawkins
Lesa France Kennedy
Dr. Joseph Mattioli
Dr. Dean Sicking
Les Richter
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Thank you for sharing the list with us. There are lots of deserving people.
Modified and Late Model Sportsman driver Ray Hendrick was a beast northeastern circuit in the 1960’s -70’s. A deserved winner. There are several pioneering Modified drivers and owners/builders who earned a spot in the Hall of Fame. Some who rose to the Cup ranks.
Modified stars such as Carl “Bugsy” Stevens, Fred DeSarro, Ed Flemke Sr, Jerry Cook, Richie Evans, Maynard Troyer, solo car & engine builder Len Boehler, Geoff Bodine, Ron Bouchard, Paul Radford, Max Berrier, Don “Satch” Worley, Gene Bergin, engine builder Jack Tant…. way too many to list here.
While a few, very few, of the Modified guys made it into the NASCAR HOF, they are largely overlooked.
Mt choices are Welborn and Hendrick. Still no Smokey! Neil Bonnett over the rest.
WTH did Greg Biffle do … a few wins.. never a major contender or champion