news-record.com

Editor's note: Staff Writer Dustin Long is among those who will vote for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Although some fans claim that the NASCAR has abandoned its roots, that's not true with the 25 men nominated for the sport's inaugural Hall of Fame class.

Nearly all 25 nominated are from the South, with eight from North Carolina and four from Virginia. The list pays homage to a time when the sport had a regional following as opposed to its national footprint these days. Case in point: Saturday's Sprint Cup race at Daytona features no more than three drivers from both North Carolina and Virginia.

The five-man inaugural class will be determined in October and honored in May 2010 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises on the 25-man list is Curtis Turner. Bill France Sr., also a nominee, suspended Turner from 1960 until late in the 1965 season, for attempting to unionize the drivers. Turner finished with 17 wins — well short of many other drivers nominated for the first class — but those who saw the Roanoke, Va., native race say he was among the sport's best drivers.

North Carolina's contingent on the 25-member list features Richard Petty (Level Cross), Lee Petty (Level Cross) Dale Earnhardt (Kannapolis), Junior Johnson (Ronda), Ned Jarrett (Newton), Richard Childress (Winston-Salem), Herb Thomas (Sanford) and Buck Baker (Charlotte).

The other Virginians on the list are Joe Weatherly (Norfolk), Glen Wood (Stuart) and Rick Hendrick (Palmer Springs).

Here's a look at the people nominated for the Hall of Fame and when they might be inducted.

BOBBY ALLISON
Hometown: Hueytown, Ala.
Notable: Tied for third on all-time list with 84 wins. Won 1983 series title and is a three-time Daytona 500 champ.
First-ballot chances: Good
Hello to Hall: Should be in by second year

BUCK BAKER
Hometown: Charlotte
Notable: First two-time champion (1956, '57). Finished first or second in points each year from 1955-58. Won 46 races.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Likely four or more years away

RED BYRON
Hometown: Anniston, Ala.
Notable: Inaugural series champion (1949) and winner of the first NASCAR-sanctioned race.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Might be five years off

RICHARD CHILDRESS
Hometown: Winston-Salem
Notable: Independent driver who was nominated as a car owner. Has six titles as an owner and finished second three times.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Chances improve after five years

DALE EARNHARDT
Hometown: Kannapolis
Notable: Seven-time champion who won 76 races. All-time leader in total victories at Daytona International Speedway (34).
First-ballot chances: Lock

RICHIE EVANS
Hometown: Rome, N.Y.
Notable: Nine-time NASCAR Modifieds champion. Considered series' greatest Modifieds driver before his death at Martinsville.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Maybe in five years or so

TIM FLOCK
Hometown: Fort Payne, Ala.
Notable: Won 39 races in 187 starts (20.8 percent winning percentage). Two-time champion. Drove at times with a monkey in the car.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Doors open in three to four years

BILL FRANCE SR.
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Notable: Driving force behind NASCAR's creation and ran the sport from its beginnings in 1949 until 1972.
First-ballot chances: Count on it

BILL FRANCE JR.
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Notable: Took over sport from his father in 1972 and led it until 2000 as NASCAR grew from a regional to a national sport.
First-ballot chances: Possible
Hello to Hall: No later than Year 2

RICK HENDRICK
Hometown: Palmer Springs, Va.
Notable: Sport's top car owner. Tied with Richard Childress with 11 total NASCAR titles as an owner. Has eight Cup titles.
First-ballot chances: Try again
Hello to Hall: May be five years or so away

NED JARRETT
Hometown: Newton
Notable: Two-time champ who won 50 races. Retired before age 35.
First-ballot chances: Try again
Hello to Hall: Three to four years away

JUNIOR JOHNSON
Hometown: Ronda
Notable: Won 50 races as a driver and 139 races and six titles as a car owner.
First-ballot chances: Fans might be drinking moonshine with him in May
Hello to Hall: If not in Year 1, then in Year 2

BUD MOORE
Hometown: Spartanburg, S.C.
Notable: Car owner for Joe Weatherly's two titles and revolutionized the sport as the first owner to use two-way radio communication. Car owner for 37 years.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Might have a to wait awhile

RAYMOND PARKS
Hometown: Dawson County, Ga.
Notable: One of the sport's earliest car owners. His car won the first series race and title.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Also might have to wait awhile

BENNY PARSONS
Hometown: Detroit
Notable: Won the 1973 title and collected 21 career wins. First driver to qualify a stock car at more than 200 mph.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Likely four years away or longer

DAVID PEARSON
Hometown: Spartanburg, S.C.
Notable: Three-time champion ranks second all-time with 105 wins. Ranks second with 113 poles.
First-ballot chances: He'll be in Charlotte in May

LEE PETTY
Hometown: Level Cross
Notable: First driver to win three series titles. His 54 wins ranked first all-time until son Richard surpassed his total.
First-ballot chances: Deserving, but unlikely
Hello to Hall: Year 2 he makes it

RICHARD PETTY
Hometown: Level Cross
Notable: Seven-time champion who has a series-record 200 wins and was known just as much for how he treated fans.
First-ballot chances: Everyone get your cowboy hats ready

FIREBALL ROBERTS
Hometown: Daytona Beach, Fla.
Notable: Won 33 races and often is described as the sport's greatest driver without a title. Died from injuries suffered in fiery crash in 1964 during the World 600.
First-ballot chances: May get a few votes
Hello to Hall: Definitely by Year 3

HERB THOMAS
Hometown: Sanford
Notable: First two-time series champ who won 48 races. First three-time winner of the Southern 500. Career winning percentage of 21.0 — highest among those with at least 100 starts.
First-ballot chances: Slim
Hello to Hall: Should be in by Year 3

CURTIS TURNER
Hometown: Roanoke, Va.
Notable: Won only 17 races, but is considered one of the sport's greatest drivers. He was suspended for nearly five seasons for attempting to unionize drivers.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: May have to wait 4 or more years

DARRELL WALTRIP
Hometown: Owensboro, Ky.
Notable: Three-time champion whose 84 wins are tied for third all-time.
First-ballot chances: Outside shot
Hello to Hall: Expect "Boogity, boogity, boogity'' by Year 2

JOE WEATHERLY
Hometown: Norfolk, Va.
Notable: Won 25 races and claimed titles in 1962 and '63 before his death in a crash early in the 1964 season.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: Check back in about four years

GLEN WOOD
Hometown: Stuart, Va.
Notable: Although a driver, he's known more as one of the leaders of the Wood Brothers team. Helped revolutionize pit stops.
First-ballot chances: None
Hello to Hall: In about three years

CALE YARBOROUGH
Hometown: Sardis, S.C.
Notable: First driver to win three consecutive series titles. Collected 83 wins, including four Daytona 500s.
First-ballot chances: Could slip in
Hello to Hall: Lock by Year 2.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com