Daytona Beach, Fla. (May 12, 2023) – Last night’s announcement of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers completed the list after a several-week rollout. The drivers, honored in celebration of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary, will be recognized during the annual Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway.
Hershel McGriff
Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 5, 2021) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia, going into the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 on Sunday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90). (more…)
NASCAR Announces NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021, Landmark Award
Earnhardt Jr., Farmer, Stefanik make up first three-person class
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 16, 2020) – NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Red Farmer and Mike Stefanik make up the Hall of Fame’s 12th class, and first with three members. In addition, Ralph Seagraves was named as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
As a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met virtually to debate and vote upon the 15 nominees for the induction class of 2021 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award. The group also became the first to vote on two different Hall of Fame ballots.
Ten nominees appeared on the Modern Era ballot, which was selected by the traditional Nominating Committee. The same committee selected the five Landmark Award nominees. The Pioneer ballot, which included five nominees whose careers began in 1961 or earlier, was selected by a new Honors Committee. Beginning with the Class of 2021, each Hall of Fame class will feature two inductees from the Modern Era ballot and one from the Pioneer ballot.
Earnhardt Jr. received 76% of the Modern Era ballot votes, Stefanik received 49%. Ricky Rudd finished third, followed by Neil Bonnett. Red Farmer received 71% of the Pioneer ballot votes. Hershel McGriff finished second.
Each class is selected by the Voting Panel, which expanded to 65 members this year. They include representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion (Kyle Busch) and a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com. Seven new voters from the Honors Committee – Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Ron Hornaday Jr., Dale Jarrett, Roger Penske, Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace – participated for the first time. In all, 63 votes were cast. The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.
Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote were Neil Bonnett, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Red Farmer.
In addition to Earnhardt Jr. and Stefanik, the other Modern Era ballot nominees included Neil Bonnett, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Larry Phillips, Ricky Rudd and Kirk Shelmerdine. The other Pioneer ballot nominees were Jake Elder, Banjo Matthews, Hershel McGriff and Ralph Moody.
Nominees for the Landmark Award included Janet Guthrie, Alvin Hawkins, Mike Helton and Dr. Joe Mattiolli.
Class of 2021 Inductees:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., a third-generation NASCAR champion in a family synonymous with the sport, is perhaps the most popular driver in NASCAR history. The son of “The Intimidator,” Earnhardt Jr. made his own path and served as the face of NASCAR as 15-time Most Popular Driver. He began his career at family-owned Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) winning back-to-back Xfinity Series titles and 13 races in two full-time seasons. He quickly moved to the Cup Series where he won in his 12th career start. Like his father, Earnhardt Jr. was a master of the draft and thrived in restrictor plate racing. Ten of his 26 Cup victories came at Daytona and Talladega, including Daytona 500 wins in 2004 and 2014. In 2006, Earnhardt founded JR Motorsports, adding team owner to his resume. The team has three Xfinity Series championships and 47 wins. Earnhardt currently serves as an analyst for NBC Sports and hosts the popular podcast ‘Dale Jr Download.’
Red Farmer
Red Farmer’s career is one long series of immeasurable accolades. For instance, it’s entirely unknown just how many wins Farmer has. One thing is for sure: it’s a lot … somewhere north of 700. His passion for the sport is likewise immeasurable. After all, he continues to race, even as he approaches 90 years of age. But the record books do have a few things that are black-and-white and proof positive about this member of the Alabama Gang. He collected three consecutive championships in NASCAR’s Late Model Sportsman division from 1969-71, long after he won the Modified title in 1956. Though he preferred racing in the Late Model Sportsman division, Farmer did run 36 Cup Series races, with a best finish of fourth (twice). In 1998, Farmer’s many successes – clearly too many to officially count – landed him on the list of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.
Mike Stefanik
At the very top of the list of all-time NASCAR championships sit two men: NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans … and Mike Stefanik. Each tallied nine in their exemplary careers, with Stefanik’s coming in both the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR East Series. Seven of his titles came in his primary racing series – the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. In 2003, he was named one of the Tour’s 10 Greatest Drivers, an obvious choice if there ever was one – Stefanik holds the all-time series record in championships, wins, poles, top fives and top 10s. Stefanik won two championships consecutively in the NASCAR East Series, in 1997-98. That, along with a win total that ties for ninth on the all-time series wins list, earned him a spot on the Top 10 Drivers of the First 25 Years of the NASCAR East Series list in 2011. In addition, Stefanik spent one full-time season in the NASCAR Gander Outdoor & RV Truck Series – and it was a successful one. He captured the Rookie of the Year Award in 1999.
Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:
Ralph Seagraves
Ralph Seagraves’ life – and NASCAR’s world – changed the moment he met NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson. In the late 1960s, Seagraves, an official with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, had been searching for a means to market cigarettes after the federal government banned RJR’s products from advertising on television and radio. Johnson, ever the entrepreneur, had an idea. How about RJR sponsor his cars? Seagraves had a bigger idea: Why not sponsor NASCAR’s top series? And so, in 1971, for the first time since its inception in 1949, NASCAR’s premier series had major corporate backing. The NASCAR Winston Cup Series was born. The partnership helped NASCAR launch into the national spotlight, and created a bedrock of stability for the next three decades. RJR’s Winston brand sponsored NASCAR’s top series for more than 30 years, ending in 2003. Under Seagraves leadership, RJR helped a number of race track operators refurbish their facilities, many of which were short tracks that ran developmental NASCAR Winston Racing Series races.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About the NASCAR Hall of Fame
Located in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, includes artifacts, hands-on exhibits, a 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Productions-operated broadcast studio. Opened on May 11, 2010, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. For more information, visit nascarhall.com.
Drivers, Crew Members Leave Their Mark At Bill McAnally Racing
ROSEVILLE, Calif. – Bill McAnally Racing made its debut in what was then known as the NASCAR Winston West Series in 1992 at Shasta Speedway in Anderson, California, with car owner Bill McAnally behind the wheel.
In the 28 years since then, BMR has won nine series championships – a record for the series and for all of NASCAR Regional Touring. In addition, the team has scored a record 99 wins overall in what became the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.
Bill McAnally Racing
✔@BMR_NASCAR
. @derek9kraus Captures #KNWest Title At Phoenix https://www.bmrnaparacing.com/bmr-racing/kraus-captures-kn-west-title-at-phoenix.html … Strong Finishes By All 3 @BMR_NASCAR Drivers In Season Finale
See Bill McAnally Racing’s other Tweets
Although McAnally was initially an owner/driver, he eventually opted to turn over the driving duty and focus on his role as a team owner. Including McAnally, 80 drivers have wheeled a BMR entry in the series now branded as the ARCA Menards Series West. Some drove for BMR in multiple seasons, some for only one season, and some for a select race or races.
There’s also a long list of crew members who contributed to the success of the team based in Roseville, California. Some of them called the shots as crew chiefs, some honed their skills as specialists and some worked as general mechanics. Some moved on and worked their way up to a team at the national level in NASCAR and some chose to remain on the West Coast.
“We’ve been fortunate to have some very talented drivers at BMR and we’ve had some great crew members through the years, as well,” said McAnally. “Together, they deserve the credit for BMR’s record success.
“It’s been great to see drivers develop their skills with our team,” he said. “Some spent multiple seasons with the team, as they honed their talent in the series, and others passed through more quickly as they moved up the NASCAR ladder. Others took advantage of the opportunity with BMR to compete in a select event or get experience at a particular track.”
Many crewmembers have done likewise, according to McAnally.
“Some crewmembers chose to remain on the West Coast and some chose to move on after gaining experience,” he said. “When you walk through the garage at a Cup Series, XFINITY Series or Truck Series race, it’s remarkable to see the number of crew members there who worked at BMR.”
Drivers who have competed in the series in a BMR entry, meanwhile, include current NASCAR Cup Series regulars Christopher Bell, with three BMR starts; Clint Bowyer, two starts; Alex Bowman, one start; Cole Custer, with four starts and one win; and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., with one start. The list also features Chase Briscoe, three starts; Riley Herbst, 16 starts; Bryan Herta, one start; Trevor Bayne, one start; Travis Pastrana, two starts; Sarah Fisher, 13 starts; Kerry Earnhardt, eight starts; and Michael Waltrip, seven starts. Even legendary driver Hershel McGriff competed in 16 events for BMR.
Eric Holmes tops the list of drivers with starts and wins for BMR, competing for the team in 81 series events and scoring 15 of his 17 career series wins with BMR. A three-time series champion, he captured two of those titles with BMR, in 2008 and 2010. In addition to his victories, Holmes notched 44 top-five and 63 top-10 finishes in BMR’s iconic blue and gold NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry.
Austin Cameron and Todd Gilliland are tied for second on the team’s list of winners.
Cameron scored 13 of his 15 career series victories with BMR. His 44 starts in a BMR entry, meanwhile, ranks him fifth in that category. A major win for Cameron and BMR came in the inaugural NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, a prestigious post-season event that drew drivers and teams from across the country to California’s Irwindale Speedway.
Gilliland also had 13 series wins with BMR. In addition, he captured two championships, with back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. In his two full seasons with BMR, Gilliland also scored five wins in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
Derek Kraus is fourth on the list of BMR wins in the K&N West. He scored 10 wins in 42 starts during his three years racing in the series for BMR – capping things off with a championship in 2019.
Rounding out the top five list among drivers with wins at BMR is Chris Eggleston, who notched nine victories. He captured the series title in 2015 and his 45 series starts with BMR ranks him fourth on that list.
Other drivers who captured a series championship with McAnally were Brendan Gaughan – who won back-to-back titles in 2000 and 2001, while scoring eight wins – and Sean Woodside, who won BMR’s first series championship in 1999.
Ranked second in terms of series starts at BMR, is Moses Smith – who raced for the team in 64 events. Smith, a four-time Most Popular Driver in the series, accumulated 17 top-five and 39 top-10 finishes between 2007 and 2011.
McAnally’s 56 starts ranks him third on the list of races with BMR. He registered three top-five and 16 top-10 finishes while building the team from its infancy.
Seven crew chiefs, meanwhile, have won championships with the McAnally-led team. Shane Wilson and Chris Lawson lead the way, each with a pair of titles. Wilson teamed with Gaughan in winning championships in 2000 and 2001. Lawson was paired with Gilliland as he won titles in 2016 and 2017. Wilson went on to win races as a crew chief in all three of NASCAR’s national series, as well as winning a championship in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Lawson continued on as a key member at DGR-Crosley.
Other championship crew chiefs at BMR include John Camilleri, who won the title last year with Kraus behind the wheel, and Roger Bracken, who was the champion crew chief with Eggleston in 2015. Camilleri and Bracken serve as crew chiefs at BMR this season.
Also winning championships as crew chiefs at BMR were Matt Goslant, with Holmes in 2010; Ty Joiner, with Holmes in 2008; and Chris Diederich, with Woodside in 1999. Joiner also won a title with Holmes for car owner Allen Beebe in 2006.
Rookie drivers at BMR have also captured the series spotlight through the years, with six drivers winning the Rookie of the Year Award. They include Andrew Lewis in 2005, Peyton Sellers in 2006, Paulie Harraka in 2009, Todd Gilliland in 2016, Derek Kraus in 2017 and Hailie Deegan in 2018.
NASCAR on NBC
✔@NASCARonNBC
Bill McAnally Racing @BMR_NASCAR names 2020 ARCA Menards West driver lineup https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/01/14/bill-mcanally-racing-2020-arca-menards-west-driver-lineup/ …
23 people are talking about this
Deegan set several major records while driving for BMR. In her rookie season, she became the first female driver to win a series race and the first woman to win a pole award in the series. She went on to also become the first woman to win the Rookie of the Year Award in the series.
In 2019, Deegan became the first woman to lead the championship standings of a series at the regional or national levels of NASCAR. In finishing third in points that year, she set a new mark for the highest ranking by a female driver in the final standings in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, East or West.
NASCAR Roots@NASCARRootsHistory.@HailieDeegan climbs out following her #Idaho208 victory @meridianspeed, the first win for a female in series history. #NASCAR
NASCAR Announces Nominees For NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021, Landmark Award
Burton, Earnhardt Jr., Edwards, Elder, Matthews nominated for first time
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 7, 2020) — NASCAR today announced the 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021, introducing the Modern Era and Pioneer Ballots for the first time.