NASCAR Hall of Fame 2026: Who Are the Nominees for the HoF Induction? ‘Governer’ to ‘The Mayor’ Who’s There?

As the engines cool from the 2025 Hall of Fame celebrations, NASCAR has now turned to a new ballot filled with fresh faces, but familiar heroes, and a few long-overdue nods. From underrated legends to mechanical maestros, the names of 2026 nominees bring a colorful mix of honor, legacy, and contribution. Who will finally get the call? And what about the Pioneer ballot’s wildcard names that are turning heads across pit road? This year’s race for immortality is open.

Who are the nominees for 2026?

NASCAR’s 2026 list of nominees showcases 15 names for 2026, including former champions Kurt Busch and Randy Lajoie. Busch won the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series and the 2017 Daytona 500 in his #45 Toyota Camry TRD. He is also the legendary brother of two-time Cup Series winner Kyle Busch. In 2006, Kurt joined the elite group of 36 drivers to perform in NASCAR’s top divisions: Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series. In 2023, he was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.

After Busch, there comes the legendary Randall Joseph LaJoie, the winner of the Xfinity Series (former NASCAR Busch Series) Championship in 1996 and 1997. He is also the 1985 NASCAR North Tour Champion and the 1981 Danbury Fair Race Arena Champion. LaJoie also clinched NAPA Auto Parts 300 trophies in 1997, 1999, and 2001 and was inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in 2016. He is also one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers alongside Busch. They joined returning nominees Greg Biffle, Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Harry Grant, Randy Dorton, Harry Hyde, and Jack Sprague in the list. These are the Modern Era nominees for NASCAR.

Alongside the Modern Era nominations, the Pioneer Era features iconic names like Jake Elder. The former NASCAR Grand National/ Winston Cup Series crew chief. He was known for his great knowledge of car setups and his efficiency as a chassis man. He was the crew chief on David Pearson’s championship-winning wheel Holman Moody in 1968 and 1969. Elder also worked with Dale Earnhardt and told him “Stick with me, kid, and we’ll win diamonds as big as horse turds.”

Well, he did help the Intimidator win the Rookie of the Year title in 1979. Elder was calling the shots on top of the pit box for the #2 Osterlund Racing Chevy the next year when Earnhardt won his first championship. But he was in command for only half a season before Doug Richert stepped in and helped the Intimidator clinch NASCAR honors.

The veteran crew chief passed away, but his legacy continued. Apart from Jake Elder, the other legendary names of Pioneer Era nominees are Ray Hendrick, Banjo Matthews, Larry Phillips, and Bob Welborn. Hendrick, aka Mr. Modified, is one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers (1998). He was also inducted into the National Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2003 and the International Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2007. He was ranked 4th on the All-Time Top 10 Modified Drivers (2010).

There is more to the list. The names of the Landmark Award Nominees are Alvin Hawkins, Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Les Richter, lesa France Kennedy and Humpy Wheeler. These people might not be directly linked to the sport, but their contributions helped in NASCAR’s growth.

The physical voting for these nominees will take place in Charlotte on 20th May. Fans can vote for their desired candidate by logging into the NARCAR’s official Hall of Fame website.

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What is the Eligibility and process to vote for NASCAR 2026 Hall of Fame nominees?

To vote for the desired candidate for the Hall of Fame, fans do not need to make any purchases. The voting is open to all; all they need to do is open NASCAR’s official website or Hall of Fame website and find the list of nominees. Each person can select up to 2 names from the Modern Era Ballot and 1 from the Pioneer Era Ballot. The selections need to be confirmed and then submitted. Users need to share their email addresses to complete the form. Each email address can submit up to 1 vote. The voting timings will begin on April 21st at 9 EST and close on May 18th at 6 pm EST.  NASCAR Digital Media has decided to disqualify votes through scripts, macros, and other automated methods. Modern Era Ballot’s top 2 names and Pioneer Era Ballot’s 1 name will form the fan ballot, which needs to be submitted during the Voting Panel Meeting.

The event can be physically attended by the public. For that, people need to keep an eye on the NASCAR Hall of Fame website or tickets. For others unwilling to attend in person, they can watch the full coverage on the NASCAR Channel when it is broadcast.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees list is full of deserving people. Have you decided which persons are going to be on your voting list? Don’t forget to share with us.