Dale Earnhardt Jr. has always been outspoken about NASCAR’s legends, paying them strong tributes through his podcast and other shows. But now he has come up with another idea that would not just uplift the former drivers but also give them a new identity and more popularity amongst the younger generation.
Earlier, NASCAR inducted three people into the Hall of Fame, class of 2026. This tradition has been going on for years now and has seen seventy drivers getting inducted. However, a former FOX broadcaster and driver seems to be uncertain of HoF’s future, but Dale Jr. seems to have a solution for it.
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Dale Jr. calls out for deceased veterans
Kenny Wallace has concerns of his own. Speaking on social media, he claimed that NASCAR might soon run out of drivers to award the Hall of Fame to, comparing the sport to MLB.
“I don’t see how you’re gonna put somebody in a Hall of Fame every year unless we don’t pay attention to stats. And that’s where I come in.”
Dale Jr, however, proposes a unique solution. Dropping a comment, he mentioned that NASCAR should also induct some of the most veteran drivers in the sport, most of whom are deceased now. He included the likes of Larry Phillips, Butch Lindley, and Ray Elder, with special focus on the latter.
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“Larry Phillips, Ray Elder, Sam Ard, Jack Ingram, Butch Lindley. Ray was a 6 time Winston West champion. Beat the Cup boys twice when they came out west to Riverside. He was racing NASCAR and building the western foundation of the sport’s long before it was popular to do so. So many dudes who won hundreds of nascar sanctioned races in their careers,” he wrote.
Ray Elder did not get enough chance to run the top-tier Grand National Series in the late 60s and early 70s; however, he did manage to absolutely dominate the Winston West series, now the ARCA Series. Winning 47 races over a span of a decade, he managed to clinch six championships.
Similarly, Sam Ard ran the Busch (now NOAP) Series for three consecutive years, winning twice, and finishing in second place once. But again, he did not get the chance to race enough in the Cup Series.
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This is exactly what Kenny Wallace wants NASCAR to do. He wants the sport to focus more on statistics rather than the series that a driver has raced. Many drivers absolutely dominate the lower tiers, but never get enough chance to showcase their performance in the Cup Series.
Meanwhile, let’s take a look at this year’s inductees.
NASCAR 2026 Hall of Fame inductees
Out of the 15 nominees that were selected for 2026, three iconic drivers, Kurt Busch, Harry Gant, and Ray Hendrick, were inducted into the Hall of Fame, Class of 2026. Busch, known for his long term in the Cup Series, participated in over 800 races across all three NASCAR tiers, winning 43 collective races. He also won the Cup Series championship in 2004, and was expected to continue racing. However, had to retire mid-season in 2022 owing to his injuries with 23XI Racing.
January 22, 2026, Charlotte, Nc, USA: NASCAR, Motorsport, USA honors its 2026 class of inductees, Kurt Busch, Ray Hendrick, and Harry Gant at the NASCAR Hall Of Fame in Charlotte, NC. Charlotte USA – ZUMAa161 20260122_aaa_a161_007 Copyright: xWalterxG.xArcexSr.x
Meanwhile, Harry Gant, although he never won the title in the Cup Series or the NOAPS, had quite a long career. Running 474 races in the Cup Series alone, he managed to win 18 races and was within the top 10 a whopping 208 times, proving his consistency against competitors.
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Ray Hendrick happens to be the most interesting candidate of the three. In four decades of his career, he managed to clinch 700 race wins in modifieds and the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series, which eventually became the Busch Grand National Division.
These drivers have proven to be some of the best challengers in the sport’s history, and there is still a lot to come. But Kenny Wallace might not be completely wrong with his prediction. Dale Jr did come up with an interesting solution, so let’s see how long before NASCAR decides to act on it.
The post Dale Jr. Confronts Ex-FOX Broadcaster Over Hall of Fame Concerns, Urging Recognition for Deceased Veterans appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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