“They Will Be the Ones That Go in” – NASCAR Legend Richard Petty Unravels His Prediction for the Change in the Selection of Hall of Fame

NASCAR’s rich history has produced uncountable professionals worthy of a Hall of Fame induction. The NASCAR HoF was established in 2010, more than six decades since the sport’s inception, and the organization started to induct the legends of the past, year after year into the revered spot. However, 7-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty believes that the situation is about to change soon.

With the list of notable NASCAR personalities who made an impact before the 2000s coming to an end, ‘The King’ feels that it is time for the younger legends of the sport to take their rightful place. Richard Petty’s former crew chief and Hall of Famer, Dale Inman, also joined him in the conversation and divulged the sad reality of Hall of Fame inductions.

Richard Petty thinks the HoF is majorly dominated by older drivers

Petty’s accolades need no introduction. He is the winningest driver in Cup Series history, with seven championships and 200 wins. These numbers ensured that he was one of the first names in the prestigious Hall of Fame. He headlined the inaugural edition of the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2010.

However, Richard Petty was at the peak of his powers in the 1960s and 70s. Owing to his exploits back then, he was awarded with the recognition. The sport has undergone enormous changes since then, and addressing the same changes in the Hall of Fame inductions, Petty said,

“The drivers that are retiring now in the last 2-3 years, they will be the ones that go in because I think going back, they’ve got the majority of us old guys in the Hall of Fame. So they’re going to have to start coming closer to modern times in order to get more people into the Hall of Fame.“

Richard Petty’s crew chief, Dale Inman, responded with his opinion. Stating that once upon a time, there were five annual inductees into the Hall of Fame, unlike the current number of three, Inman claimed that it was the right decision in that period. Being a part of the nomination committee, he continued to provide insights on the selection of Jimmie Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knaus.

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Dale Inman reveals the inevitable reality of Hall of Fame inductions

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Inman was the voice behind all of Richard Petty’s seven championship wins. He also has 193 wins and eight championships, making him the top-ranked crew chief on all-time lists. His eighth championship win arrived with the 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Terry Labonte’s championship win in 1984. Speaking about the initial days of being a part of the nomination committee, Inman said,

“They started out putting five in, and I thought that wasn’t enough. Richard said it was too many. Well, he turned out to be right for one time. They cut it back to three now. I’m on the committee, and you are, too. It’s a tough job trying to select somebody.”

The Johnson and Knaus duo is one of the most dominant partnerships in NASCAR history. Akin to Richard Petty and Inman, the pair won seven championships together in the sport’s modern era. Relating to the Hendrick Motorsports duo, Inman knew that their feats were too big to ignore. However, choosing a specific driver or crew chief downplays the chances of another Hall of Fame prospect. Shedding light on the same, Inman added,

“This year it throwed a wrinkle in because of Chad and Jimmie’s record being so good. You just couldn’t overlook it. They weren’t totally out of it, but they were eligible. So, there was no way not to vote for them. There’s still some good ones out there that need to be in there. The sad part part about it is that there’s some that will be overlooked but should have been in.”

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The drivers who could retire in the next decade have possibly recorded some of the best feats since the turn of the 2000s. Keeping the level of competition in mind, multiple-time champions like Kyle Busch are the favorites. However, from the looks of it, drivers who hogged the limelight in the ’90s are next in line to dominate the Hall of Fame inductions.