5 Drivers that should be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

5 Drivers that should be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

By Brian Cotnoir

The NASCAR Hall of Fame recently announced that Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik, and Red Farmer will be inducted next year.  I first must say congratulations to all three of these men; all of them are more than deserving of this honor.   However, it did get me thinking that there are some drivers that are nominated (or yet to have been nominated).  Some are more obvious choices for the Hall of Fame, but I think they deserve more attention and praise for their career accomplishments in NASCAR.  Here are 5 drivers that I think should be inducted into the Hall of Fame someday.

1.)  James Hylton

If I had to pick just one driver who I think doesn’t get enough credit for his career it would be James Hylton.  Hylton has only 2 career wins at the Cup Level, but don’t let that dissuade you from thinking he doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame.  In his career, he made 602 starts at the Cup Level and finished in the Top 10 in 301 times, which means he finished in the Top 10 in 50% of his starts!  He was the 1966 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, and in his 27 year career in the Cup Series who finished Runner-Up in the Final Points Standings 3 times!  

For a driver who only won 2 races in his Cup Series Career, that’s damn impressive!   In 2018, Hylton and his son James Jr. were driving the ARCA teams hauler back from a race a Talladega, along a stretch of highway in Georgia the hauler wrecked and both Hylton and his son died in the accident.   It’s very tragic that he is no longer around, and I think he definitely deserves to be enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.


2.)  Jack Sprague

Jack Sprague absolutely belongs in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.   He won 3 championships in the Truck Series, and is presently tied for third all-time in Truck Series wins with 28 career wins.  In twelve full-time seasons in the NASCAR Truck Series, he never finished outside of the Top 10 in points.  His best years came with Hendrick Motorsports.  In addition to the multiple Truck Series Championships he won at Hendrick, he also had a decent Grand National Series campaign.  He scored his only Grand National Series win and finished 5th in the drivers’ standings in his only full-time season. 

 

3.)  Sam Ard

Ard only ran 3 seasons in the NASCAR Grand National Series, but in all 3 seasons he was the man to beat.  Ard made his debut in 1982 in the inaugural Busch Grand National Series season.   That year he finished runner-up to future Hall of Famer Jack Ingram.   The following season Ard would win the championship, and he’d repeat in 1984.   Unfortunately Ard would be involved in a serious accident at Rockingham, and would be forced to retire from racing.

In his 3 full-time seasons Ard won 22 times, scored back-to-back series championships, and had an average start of 3.4 and an average finish of 5.5.   Those are some pretty good numbers for a driver with one of shortest careers in NASCAR history.


4.)  Dave Marcis

This one is a real long shot, but Dave Marcis was such a huge part of NASCAR for so long that he should be considered for the Hall of Fame.   He may have only one 5 races, but he was journeyman driver, who has gone down in NASCAR lure.   When you think of Dave Marcis you think #71 and a man racing a car with an open faced helmet, wingtip shoes, and wearing a Goodyear hat.   Marcis started a record 33 Daytona 500’s (including 32 in a row!).  Marcis started every Daytona 500 from 1968-1999, and made his last career start at the 2002 Daytona 500.  He ran a good chunk of his career as an owner driver and was a test-driver for Richard Childress.  Give Dave Marcis credit where credit is due!


5.)  Randy LaJoie

This pick is just a personal one because he was one of my favorite drivers as a kid.  Randy LaJoie had some lackluster success in the NASCAR Cup Series despite part-time rides with Bill Davis Racing and Hendrick Motorsports.    Most of LaJoie’s success came in the Grand National Series.   He won 15 races and was Champion of the Series in 1996 & 1997.  From 1996-2001 LaJoie was competing for wins at every race, and was a Championship Contender too.  LaJoie ran well at multiple tracks including Daytona, New Hampshire, Nazareth, Myrtle Beach, Rockingham, and IRP.   He was one of the best drivers of the Grand National Series in the 1990’s, and definitely deserves some Hall of Fame Recognition.



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