What’s Happening?

On Tuesday, NASCAR unveiled the Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Unfortunately, some nominees were not elected into the Hall of Fame. Today, we look at the 5 biggest snubs from the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.

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2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class Revealed

2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class Revealed

What’s Happening? On Tuesday afternoon, NASCAR unveiled the Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Here is everything you need to…

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• For this list, we will look at snubs from each ballot. Two from the modern era and pioneer ballot and one from the Landmark Award.
• This year’s Hall of Fame class was notoriously close, with no clear-cut choices. This means there had to be some controversy when the members were announced, even though they were worthy candidates.
• Fans always have their own opinions on who makes the Hall of Fame. While those who were voted in are generally seen as Hall of Famers, the fact that only 3 made it means someone had to get left out.

Modern Era Ballot: Tim Brewer

Tim Brewer was one of the top NASCAR crew chiefs from the late 1970s until the 1990s. After some solid years as the crew chief for owner-driver Richard Childress, Brewer moved to Junior Johnson and Associates and won Championships with Cale Yarborough in 1978 and Darrell Waltrip in 1981. When all was said and done, Brewer won 53 races with NASCAR Hall of Famers like Yarborough, Waltrip, Bill Elliott, and Terry Labonte.

After that, he became a broadcaster for ESPN in the Craftsman Tech Garage. He even won an Emmy Award in 2008 for his efforts. At some point, it feels Brewer will get in, but, it will have to wait at least another year.

Modern Era Ballot: Neil Bonnett

The late Neil Bonnett, a member of the famous “Alabama Gang,” was an 18-time Cup Series winner in 362 starts. He only competed full-time four times in the Cup Series, but he finished 8th or better in the standings in three of those seasons. His 4.9% winning percentage is also better than Donnie Allison’s, who was inducted earlier this year.

Bonnett also had a successful career as a broadcaster for TNN. While his heart was always in the race car, Bonnett was one of the most respected and beloved individuals inside and outside the garage.

Pioneer Ballot: Ray Hendrick

Ray Hendrick made his hay racing in the lower NASCAR series throughout the 1960s and 1970s. According to NASCAR, he won more than 700 races in the Modified Tour and the Late Model Sportsman Series (a precursor to the Xfinity Series).

Two Modified drivers have been elected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Richie Evans was inducted in 2012, and Mike Stefanik entered the Hall in 2021.

Pioneer Ballot: Banjo Matthews

Banjo Matthews was the best NASCAR car builder of his time. From 1974 to 1985, Matthews’ cars won 262 of 362 races, according to NASCAR. The golden era of his cars was from 1976 to 1978 when Cale Yarborough drove Matthews’ cars to three consecutive Cup Series Championships.

In the modern era of single-supplier parts, it’s important to note how important guys like Matthews’ were to the sport. Back then, car builders had much more influence on the cars themselves, and a good car builder could be the difference between a good race and a bad one.

Landmark Award: Lesa France Kennedy

Lesa France Kennedy has been one of the most influential people in NASCAR in modern times. In 2003, she took over International Speedway Corporation from her father, Bill France Jr. Now, she serves as NASCAR’s Executive Vice Chair.

A member of the first family of NASCAR, Kennedy has been involved in every big decision NASCAR has made in recent years. All that while showcasing how far women can go in this sport.

Unfortunately, some people had to be left out, with only four slots available. Will these individuals be able to get into the Hall next year?