The legacy of legends never fades. Over 76 years of golden stock car racing, NASCAR has witnessed motorsports icons whose on-track excellence has inspired people for ages. From Richard Petty’s jaw-dropping win record to Dale Earnhardt’s signature aggression, the unique talents are what help people remember these icons. Another thing that helps is the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which honors the sport’s history. However, the latest induction involves quite a bit of drama.

Kurt Busch, the 2004 Winston Cup Series champion, is undoubtedly a first-ballot nominee. However, the racer who halted his career due to a 2022 concussion was no less of a polarizing figure. This, along with a lack of recognition of other NASCAR legends, concerned fans, even as the voting panel declared its results.

NASCAR’s fresh set of icons is ready to be engraved

Yes, engraved in gold, indeed. Every year, NASCAR inducts a fresh batch of NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominees whose names are preserved with great reverence. Incepted in 2010, this tradition has thrown a spotlight on NASCAR veterans who have already contributed a lot to the sport. For 2026, there were 15 nominees for the induction class 2026 and five nominees for the Landmark Award. To select the prestigious winners, the comprehensive Voting Panel included veterans from all tiers of the sport. They included representatives from NASCAR, track owners, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), and a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com. Overall, 49 votes were cast. The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.

The result yielded a dazzling three-person group – Kurt Busch, Harry Gant, and Ray Hendrick. Humpy Wheeler received the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. According to journalist Bob Pockrass, the distribution of votes was as follows: “Busch and Gant both received 61% of the Modern Era ballot votes. Jeff Burton finished third, followed by Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton. Ray Hendrick received 31% of the Pioneer ballot votes. Bob Welborn finished second.” Busch and Gant won over a big modern era group involving ten drivers, including Greg Biffle, Neil Bonnett, and Tim Brewer.

There was some controversy regarding Kurt Busch’s NASCAR Hall of Fame voting. Although his 34 Cup Series race trophies beat anyone else on the ballot, Busch had a volatile personality and burned many bridges. For instance, he threatened to beat up journo Bob Pockrass after the Dover Nationwide Series race in 2012. Yet journalist Jeff Gluck pointed out that this ballot highlights his career, not his character. Gluck wrote, “For me, this isn’t the Hall of Good Guys. It’s the Hall of Fame. And Busch, without question, is a Hall of Famer for what he accomplished on the track. He’s not exactly the only driver who had prickly interactions with people in the garage during his career.”

Despite Jeff Gluck’s reassurance, fans are not so convinced about the Hall of Fame voting. They jumped into the comments section to express their displeasure.

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Claims of bias fly around as fans react to NASCAR’s 2026 HoF inductees

Well, granted, the winners are much deserving of this honor. Harry Gant accumulated 18 Cup race trophies over his career. He remains the oldest person to have won a race to date, as a 52-year-old Gant won at Michigan International Speedway in 1992. Yet Neil Bonnett, another 18-time winner, seems equally deserving as one fan pointed out: “Gant: 18 wins, 474 starts, 2 crown jewels…Bonnett: 18 wins, 362 starts, 3 crown jewels…Happy for Gant, but the current voting process is leaving some very deserving people behind.” What is more, Bonnett won back-to-back Coca-Cola 600 victories, appeared in Stroker Ace and Days of Thunder, and did TV race commentary for CBS, TBS, and TNN. Naturally, another fan wrote, “Neil Bonnett not getting in really bothers me. Between driving, broadcasting and doing The Winners show he contributed so much. Has 18 wins just like Gant in over 100 less starts…..“

Besides drivers, there were exceptional crew chiefs and engine builders among the nominees. Tim Brewer was a champion crew chief, leading Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip to 32 wins during a magical four-year stretch. That involved two titles (1978 with Yarborough and 1981 with Waltrip). So one fan questioned Brewer’s absence: “What does the voting panel have against Tim Brewer? He should be in the Hall of Fame!“ Then Randy Dorton’s engines won nine NASCAR Cup championships for Hendrick Motorsports. His leadership style and foresight helped shape the winningest NASCAR team. No wonder another fan bashed Busch’s importance: “Randy Dorton has done much more for the sport than skirt Busch.” Somebody else topped off this trend of discontent on a perfect note. They wrote, “Damn Hall of Mediocrity.“

Evidently, the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame festivities are not exactly living up to the hype among fans. Nevertheless, the winners are no less than legends in the sport. Congratulations to them!