NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2012

The great thing about NASCAR? The fans get to decide who gets into the NASCAR Hall of Fame class each year.  This year, like the past two, is no different.  The Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012 consists of:

The first inductee is Cale Yarborough, who competed from 1957-1988.  Over this period, he managed to accumulate eighty-three wins (including four Daytona 500s) in five hundred and sixty-two races.  However, he is most known for his three consecutive Cup Series Championships from 1976-1978.

The second inductee is Darrell Waltrip, who people were shocked that he didn’t get in sooner – but they can’t say that anymore!  Waltrip competed from 1972 -2000; and in over eight hundred and nine starts, he won eighty-four (with one Daytona 500 victory in 1989).  He, like Yarborough, is a three-time Cup Series Champion; all of which he won with Junior Johnson, who is already inducted into the Hall of Fame. 

The third inductee is Dale Inman, who competed from 1958-1992; he is the champion Crew Chief with Richard Petty.   Over his career in NASCAR, he amassed one hundred and ninety-three victories.  Inman worked at Petty Enterprises for almost thirty years; and it is said that Petty may not have been “The King” without Inman.  Inman’s favorite year had to have been in 1967 when he and Petty won a record of twenty-seven races. 

The fourth inductee is Richie Evans; who was ranked number one in the 2003 “NASCAR All-Time Modified Top Ten Drivers.”  Over a thirteen-year span, Evans was able to accumulate nine NASCAR Modified titles and four hundred and seventy-five wins.  He is nicknamed the “King of Modified Racing.”

The fifth, and final, inductee is Glen Wood, driver and owner of Wood Brothers Racing.  During his years of competing (1953-1964), he won four races out of sixty-two.  Glen and his two brothers, Leonard and Delano, formed Wood Brothers Racing; winning many races, including the 1965 Indianapolis 500 with Jim Clark; and more recently, the Daytona 500, with rookie, Trevor Bayne.   

Hopefully, the ones you voted for made it in this year; but if they didn’t, be sure to vote for them again next year, and maybe they’ll make it in next year!