What Makes a Hall of Famer in NASCAR?

What Makes a Hall of Famer in NASCAR? Hearst Owned A kerfuffle of sorts has developed in conversations related to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and which individuals deserve election into stock car racing’s most hallowed room. This particular debate is not new, but it has become much more public recently, in part because of the involvement of a couple of prominent commentators—Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The debate: Should the Hall of Fame be mostly a place of honor for those with major accomplishments in the NASCAR Cup Series, or should the hall welcome competitors from across all NASCAR series? In podcasts this week, Hamlin took the position that the hall should be Cup-dominant, while Earnhardt said the entire NASCAR universe should be considered when voters choose those who are saluted in the Charlotte, North Carolina hall. It’s an interesting conversation, and it’s one that has been held between many individuals, including hall voters, over the years.

I have been in the voting room for many years, and, although this particular debate doesn’t typically occur during public discussions as voters weigh candidates, it happens around the edges. More than a few members of the panel have told me that they rarely vote for individuals outside the Cup world, largely because anyone worthy of hall membership should have been good enough to be a Cup star. NASCAR Hall of Famers from 2025.

David Jensen - Getty Images In a nutshell, this is Hamlin’s view. While acknowledging the skill and talent of those who succeed in the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck series, Hamlin takes the position that numerous Cup drivers could compete regularly in smaller series and post big numbers. He mentioned Erik Jones, a veteran driver who has had limited success in Cup, as one who could run regularly in other series and stack up numerous championships and, in theory, become a hall candidate.