Greg Biffle, a 19-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series and the first driver to win both the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series titles, heads a list of newcomers to the NASCAR Hall of Fame ballot.
The 15 nominees for the Class of 2025, along with the five nominees for Hall’s Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR were announced on Wednesday.
Joining Biffle among first-time nominees are engine builder Randy Dorton and three-time NASCAR Truck Series champion Jack Sprague. The Pioneer ballot adds for the 2025 class are modifieds and Late Model racer Ray Hendrick and three-time NASCAR Convertible Division champ Bob Welborn.
Larry Phillips, who reached the maximum 10 years on the ballot, now appears on the Pioneer ballot for the first time.
A committee of long-time media members, racers and NASCAR contributors will meet in Charlotte on May 21 and select two Modern Era candidates and one Pioneer to represent the Class of 2025. The Pioneer ballot is for NASCAR racers and contributors whose careers began more than 60 years ago.
Dr. Dean Sickling, who invented the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier soft walls, is on the Landmark Award ballot for the first time.
Fans will also have a chance to have their say through a fan vote, where the leading on-line vote-getter will receive the fans’ vote.
Here’s the complete list of NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees and Landmark Award nominees:
Modern Era Ballot
Greg Biffle, 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and 2002 Xfinity Series champion and 19-time winner in NASCAR Cup Series.
Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories in 1982 and 1983.
Tim Brewer, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief who won titles with Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip.
Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s. He best season finish in Cup was third in 2000.
Randy Dorton, known for his time with Hendrick Motorsports, he built engines that won nine championships across multiple national NASCAR series.
Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion, He was Cup Series runner-up in 2008 and 2011.
Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories, He was runner-up in the Cup Championship in 1984, and he had arguably his best season in 1991 at the age of 51 with five wins.
Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief for Bobby Isaac.
Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400, and is second to only Richard Petty in career starts in the Cup Series.
Jack Sprague, three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion (1997, 1999, 2001).
Ray Hendrick, a superstar in the Modifieds ranks in the 1960s, was named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list in 2023.
Pioneer Ballot
Ray Hendrick, won more than 700 times in NASCAR Modified and Late Model Sportsman classes.
Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships.
Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as mechanical genius of Holman-Moody.
Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion.
Bob Welborn, three-time Convertible Division champion (1956, 1957, 1958).
Alvin Hawkins was NASCAR’s first flagman.
Landmark Award
Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
Lesa France Kennedy, NASCAR Executive Vice Chair and one of the most influential women in sports.
Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway.
Dr. Dean Sicking, inventor of the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier (soft walls) used in nearly all racing series today.
Les Richter, long-time NASCAR executive oversaw competition, helped grow the sport on the West Coast.
Mike Pryson covered auto racing for the Jackson (Mich.) Citizen Patriot and MLive Media Group from 1991 until joining Autoweek in 2011. He won several Michigan Associated Press and national Associated Press Sports Editors awards for auto racing coverage and was named the 2000 Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club’s Michigan Motorsports Writer of the Year. A Michigan native, Mike spent three years after college working in southwest Florida before realizing that the land of Disney and endless summer was no match for the challenge of freezing rain, potholes and long, cold winters in the Motor City.
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