DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Two championship-winning drivers, one of stock car racing’s most popular wheelmen, a team owner and legendary crew chief make up the 11thclass of inductees to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
The announcement was made Wednesday afternoon.
Interestingly, three members of the class worked together for several seasons as three-time NASCAR premier series champion Tony Stewart and 2000 premier series champion Bobby Labonte having both driven for Joe Gibbs Racing and team owner Joe Gibbs. All three will be inducted to the Hall of Fame on Jan. 31.
The final two inductees are driver Buddy Baker and crew chief Waddell Wilson.
In addition, NASCAR announced that Edsel Ford II earned the 2020 Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR
The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met Wednesday in a closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to narrow the 20 Hall of Fame nominees down to a class of five.
The Class of 2020 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and, for the sixth year, the reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion (Joey Logano).
Fifty-seven votes were cast, with two additional Voting Panel members recused from voting as potential nominees for induction (Ricky Rudd and Waddell Wilson). The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.
Stewart received a whopping 88 percent of the vote with Gibbs getting 72 percent. Wilson (72 percent), Baker (70 percent) and Labonte (67 percent).
The top vote getters to miss the cut were eight-time NASCAR touring champion Mike Stefanik, Ray Fox and Hershel McGriff.
Baker led the fan voting that was conducting via NASCAR.com. Following Baker in the fan vote were Neil Bonnett, Harry Gant, Labonte and Stewart.