Meet the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class

What’s Happening?

Tuesday, NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps announced the three newest members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame class consists of Kurt Busch, Harry Gant, Ray Hendrick, and Landmark Award recipient Humpy Wheeler.

• Humpy Wheeler, the long-time track promoter at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was known for his outrageous marketing gimmicks and ideas. Now, he is the newest recipient of the Hall of Fame’s Landmark Award, which honors those who made “outstanding contributions to NASCAR.”
• Ray Hendrick, a legend of the modified racing scene, was the first driver elected to the Hall of Fame from the Pioneer Ballot. Hendrick is credited as one of the greatest short track racers of all time and was named on 1998’s list of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.
• After Hendrick came “Handsome” Harry Gant, who is a fellow member of the 50 Greatest Drivers list and one of the most iconic drivers in NASCAR history. Gant raced full-time in the Cup Series from age 40 to 54, winning 18 races, including four in a row in the fall of 1991.
• The final inductee is Kurt Busch. The elder of the two Busch Brothers joined the ballot for the first time this year following his early retirement in 2022. Busch is a 43-time National Series race winner, 34-time Cup Series race winner, Daytona 500 champion, and 2004 NASCAR Cup Series Champion.
• Notable nominees not to be elected this year include Banjor Matthews and Jake Elder from the Pioneer Ballot. Drivers from the Modern Era Ballot, like Greg Biffle, Randy LaJoie, and Jeff Burton, who came in third in voting, were also not elected.

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