5 More People Who Should be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame
5 More People Who Should be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame
By Brian H. Cotnoir
Well, the NASCAR Hall of Fame recently enshrined its latest class. Congratulations to the newest members, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik, and Red Farmer. This got me thinking back of an article I wrote back in 2020 about five drivers who I thought should be in enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame (James Hylton, Jack Sprague, Sam Ard, Dave Marcis, and Randy Lajoie). As of right now the only driver from my original list who is presently a nominee from the Hall of Fame is Sam Ard, who I'm sure will be enshrined sooner rather than later. While I still maintain that all five drivers belong in the Hall of Fame, I thought of five others who are definitely overdue for the Hall of Fame.
1.) Fonty Flock
Truman Fontell "Fonty" Flock absolutely belongs in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Fonty Flock is one of the early pioneers of NASCAR. Fonty and his brothers' Bob & Tim Flock were there at the very beginning competing in the first sanctioned NASCAR race at Charlotte Speedway on June 19, 1949. Fonty finished runner-up to Jim Roper, but he wouldn't have to wait long to get his first win. The following season Fonty would score his first win at Langhorne Speedway in Pennsylvania. Fonty would win 19 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, and some of the major highlights of his career include winning the 1952 Southern 500 and the 1949 NASCAR Modified Champion. He nearly won the 1951 NASCAR Cup Series Championship, but despite winning a season high 8 races, Fonty lost the championship to Herb Thomas.
Even before his racing career took off, Fonty served heroically in the United States Army Air Corps during World II for four years. Fonty's 19 career wins are equaled to NASCAR Hall of Famer's Davey Allison and Buddy Baker and Fonty's youngest brother, Tim Flock, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014, so I feel it's only appropriate that Fonty join his brother in the Hall of Fame.
2.) Harry Gant
If I had to pick one driver from both of my lists who is most likely to get elected this year to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, I'd say my top choice would be Harry Gant. His 18 career wins, all of which happened while driving the iconic #33 Skoal Bandit. Gant was one of the best drivers of the 1980's and 1990's. He finished runner-up to Terry Labonte in the 1984 Cup Series Championships, and in 1991 he won 4 consecutive Cup Series Races (including 2 Grand National Series races) in the month of September. This helped Gant earn the nickname "Mr. September". It was nearly 5 consecutive Cup Series wins, but wound-up finishing 2nd Place to Dale Earnhardt Sr. at North Wilkesboro. He also played himself in the film "Stroker Ace" starring Burt Reynolds. His awesome nicknames, Hollywood status, longstanding career, and iconic ride are more than enough reasons that Harry Gant should be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
3.) Ricky Rudd
"The Rooster", Ricky Rudd is another driver from the Golden Era of NASCAR that belongs in the Hall of Fame. Rudd was the 1977 Cup Series Rookie of the Year and won 23 Cup Series Races in his Career (and had one win taken away at Sonoma for no particular reason by NASCAR). He is second in career starts in the Cup Series (906 starts) only behind "The King", Richard Petty (1,184 starts). Ricky Rudd is one of the most versatile drivers in NASCAR History. He won on short tracks, road courses, intermediate tracks, and even the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Rudd actually won races for five different team owners (Richard Childress, Bud Moore, Kenny Bernstein, Robert Yates, and Rick Hendrick), he even managed to win 6 races as an Owner-Driver including the prestigious 1997 Brickyard 400. Rudd also held the NASCAR Ironman record, making 788 consecutive starts in the Cup Series between 1981-2005 (a record that has since been surpassed by NASCAR Hall of Famer, Jeff Gordon).
4.) Junie Donlavey
Another pick of mine for the Hall of Fame that may be a longshot, is former car owner Wesley "Junie" Donlavey. Donlavey was a NASCAR Car owner for over 50 years from 1950 to 2005. During that time Donlavey entered 863 NASCAR Cup Series races as a car owner. In 1981, driver Jody Ridley scored the first--and only--win for Junie Donlavey. Compared to other NASCAR owners, those starts are pretty unremarkable, but NASCAR pioneer Wendell Scott is in the Hall of Fame, and he only has one win in the Cup Series and he's in the Hall of Fame. During his tenure as an owner over 67 different drivers got behind of Donlavey's cars. Junie Donlavey passed away in 2014 (appropriately enough) at the age of 90, which was the same number on the iconic racecars he entered for over five decades.
5.) Duke & Rhonda Thorson
ThorSport Racing is one of the few NASCAR teams whose home base is not located in North Carolina. ThorSport Racing is located in Sandusky, Ohio and has run every season in the NASCAR Truck Series since 1996 and is owned by husband-and-wife Duke & Rhonda Thorson. What started out as a one-truck operation in 1996 has since blossomed into one of the best and most successful teams in NASCAR Truck Series History. ThorSport has won 39 races and 4 drivers Championships in the NASCAR Truck Series (3 with Matt Crafton and 1 with Ben Rhodes). Despite for drivers Championships, the Thorson's first time clinching the owner's championship came in 2021, they also won an ARCA Championship as owners in 2013 with All-Time ARCA wins leader, Frank Kimmel, who won his 10th and final ARCA series championship while driving for ThorSport Racing. The Thorson's absolutely need to be enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the commitment and successes in the NASCAR Truck Series!
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