Tony Stewart and Neil Bonnett Join List of NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominees

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart and the late Neil Bonnett are among the list of new nominees eligible for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Five inductees from a list of 20 nominees will be chosen for the 2020 induction class on Voting Day, Wednesday, May 22 – the list of new honorees decided on by both the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel and a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.com

Stewart may join one of his former rivals and one of this year’s new inductees, four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon, who was chosen for the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Also newly added to the esteemed list released Wednesday is Bonnett, a popular member of the “Alabama Gang,” NASCAR Xfinity Series pioneer and two-time champion Sam Ard, former Daytona 500 winner Marvin Panch, short track master Jim Paschal and the sport’s first “master mechanic,” Red Vogt. A nominating committee representing NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners and the media selected the new slate of names.

There are three new nominees for the prestigious Landmark Award as well, including Edsel Ford II, Mike Helton and Dr. Joe Mattioli, who join returning nominees Alvin Hawkins and Ralph Seagraves. This award honors competitors; “those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner;” or someone considered “a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role.’’

Here is the full list of nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame (listed alphabetically):

Sam Ard, NASCAR Xfinity Series pioneer and two-time champion

Buddy Baker, won 19 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500

Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 wins

Red Farmer, three-time Late Model Sportsman champion; 1956 Modified champion

Ray Fox, legendary engine builder, crew chief and car owner

Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories

Joe Gibbs, combined for nine car owner championships in Cup and XFINITY series

John Holman, won two NASCAR Cup Series championships as co-owner of Holman-Moody Racing

Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief

Bobby Labonte, won a championship in both the Cup Series and XFINITY Series

Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR west series champion

Ralph Moody, won two NASCAR Cup Series championships as co-owner of Holman-Moody Racing

Marvin Panch, won 17 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1961 Daytona 500

Jim Paschal, 23 of his 25 NASCAR Cup Series wins came on short tracks

Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion

Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400

Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships

Tony Stewart, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, two-time Brickyard 400 winner

Red Vogt, the first master mechanic of NASCAR, and a founding member

Waddell Wilson, won three NASCAR Cup Series championships as an engine builder

The five nominees for the Landmark Award, listed alphabetically, are as follows…

Edsel Ford II, Ford Motor Company

Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.

Mike Helton, the first non-France family member to be named NASCAR President

Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway

Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company