NASCAR Hall of Fame announces 5 first-time nominees for class of ’17

Team owner Jack Roush, drivers Ricky Rudd and Ron Hornaday, engine builder Waddell Wilson and broadcaster Ken Squier are the first-time nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017.

Voting for the five-member class will take place May 25. The most recent five join five others who were nominated in 2016 but weren’t voted in: Buddy Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Ray Evernham and Ray Fox. Ten others remain on the nomination list: Rick Hendrick, Harry Hyde, Alan Kulwicki, Mark Martin, Hershel McGriff, Benny Parsons, Larry Phillips, Mike Stefanik, Raymond Parks and Robert Yates.

Roush’s teams have won five NASCAR national series owner championships, while his drivers have won three titles. Rudd won 23 races and held the Cup series record for consecutive starts (788) until Jeff Gordon broke it in 2015. Squier founded the Motor Racing Network and is one of the sports’ most recognizable voices. He is perhaps best known for calling the memorable 1979 Daytona 500. Wilson built engines that helped drivers such as David Pearson and Benny Parsons win titles.

Janet Guthrie, the first woman to compete in a NASCAR superspeedway race, was nominated for the Landmark Award. She joins previous nominees H. Clay Earles (founder of Martinsville Speedway), Raymond Parks (NASCAR’s first champion car owner), Ralph Seagraves (formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco) and Squier.

Here’s a closer look at the 20 nominees:

• Buddy Baker, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier (now Sprint Cup) series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500.
• Red Byron, first NASCAR premier series champion, in 1949.
• Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series.
• Ray Evernham, three-time NASCAR premier series championship crew chief.
• Ray Fox, legendary engine builder, crew chief and car owner.
• Rick Hendrick, 14-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series.
• Ron Hornaday Jr., four-time NASCAR Truck Series champion.
• Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR premier series championship crew chief.
• Alan Kulwicki, 1992 NASCAR premier series champion.
• Mark Martin, 96-time race winner in NASCAR national series competition.
• Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR West series champion.
• Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner.
• Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier series champion.
• Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion.
• Jack Roush, five-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series.
• Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR’s premier series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400.
• Ken Squier, legendary radio and television broadcaster; inaugural winner/namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.
• Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships.
• Waddell Wilson, won three NASCAR premier series championships as an engine builder.
• Robert Yates, won NASCAR premier series championship as both an engine builder and owner.

This story was originally published February 24, 2016 at 6:05 PM with the headline "NASCAR Hall of Fame announces 5 first-time nominees for class of ’17."