CHARLOTTE, N.C. — From blue collar to blue jacket.
That is a flip of phrase coined by Kurt Busch, nevertheless it might apply equally to the three latest inductees to the NASCAR Corridor of Fame.
Drivers Busch, Harry Gant and the late Ray Hendrick, all of whom emerged from relative obscurity to achieve the top of their occupation, entered the Corridor because the Class of 2026 in the course of the Friday evening induction ceremonies on the Charlotte Conference Middle.
Busch and Gant had been elected through the Trendy Period Poll by the NASCAR Corridor of Fame Voting Panel. Hendrick was chosen from 5 Pioneer Poll nominees.
Additionally honored on Friday had been legendary promoter H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler with the Landmark Award for Excellent Contributions to NASCAR and veteran reporter Deb Williams with the Squier-Corridor Award for Media Excellence.
“From blue collar to blue jacket” — the blazer awarded to every inductee into the Corridor of Fame — was Busch’s description at a pre-induction social gathering of his meteoric journey from a interest racer who labored on his father’s automobiles in his native Las Vegas to a championship within the NASCAR Cup Collection, inventory automotive racing’s foremost division.
After successful the Southwest Tour championship in 1999, Busch graduated to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection via workforce proprietor Jack Roush’s “Gong Present” audition for potential drivers.
In 2000, his solely full season in vehicles, Busch received 4 occasions, claimed Rookie of the 12 months honors and completed second within the collection standings behind teammate Greg Biffle. By midseason, Roush already had earmarked him for a full-time Cup Collection trip.
Busch struggled throughout his first season and completed twenty seventh within the standings, however a 12 months later he rocketed to 3rd within the remaining rankings after successful at Bristol, Martinsville, Atlanta and Homestead-Miami.
Two years later, Busch received the primary Cup championship contested beneath the 10-race Chase format, regardless of a freak incidence within the decisive season finale at Homestead, when his proper entrance tire broke free from his No. 97 Ford because the automotive approached pit street.
Busch rallied to complete fifth and wrapped the title by eight factors over NASCAR Corridor of Famer Jimmie Johnson.
Busch, 47, went on win 34 Cup Collection occasions, tied with Martin Truex Jr. for twenty sixth all-time. His resume features a victory within the 2017 Daytona 500 and a uncommon sweep of the NASCAR All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2010.
The ultimate inductee of the night, Busch obtained his Corridor of Fame ring from brother Kyle Busch. With 97 victories between them, Kurt and Kyle boast extra Cup victories than some other pair of brothers in NASCAR historical past.
“To be right here with the alumni of the NASCAR Corridor of Fame, NASCAR executives, the voting panel, workforce homeowners, sponsors, my household and pals, and the hundreds of followers who’re watching tonight, that is one thing I by no means might have imagined,” Kurt Busch mentioned.
Like Busch, Gant acquired his begin racing interest automobiles, in his case on the previous grime monitor at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Not like Busch, Gant acquired a late begin in NASCAR’s premier division, working his first Cup race for proprietor Junie Donlavey in 1973 at age 33. It wasn’t till 1979 that Gant determined to promote his development enterprise and decide to NASCAR racing full-time.
Gant holds two “age” data in NASCAR’s high division. He’s the oldest driver ever to win a Cup race, a feat he achieved at age 52 years, 219 days on Aug. 16, 1992, at Michigan. Gant is also the oldest driver to win his first Cup race. He was 42 years, 105 days previous when he took his first checkered flag on April 25, 1982, at Martinsville.
Gant is most well-known, nonetheless, for the streak that earned him the nickname “Mr. September.” Driving the No. 33 Skoal Bandit, which carried him to all 18 of his Cup victories, Gant received consecutive races at Darlington, Richmond, Dover and Martinsville in September 1991.
Along with his success in NASCAR’s premier division, Gant additionally received 21 occasions in what’s now the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection.
For his accomplishments, Gant was named one among NASCAR’s 75 Best Drivers in 2023.
“Thanks to NASCAR, and the France household, for giving us a Corridor of Fame like this and giving us a spot to make a dwelling,” Gant mentioned after receiving his Corridor of Fame ring from Kyle Petty.
“And thanks to the followers. I owe this to them. I hear from lots of followers that they voted for me for the Corridor of Fame. I assumed I might get in ultimately, however I am happy with everyone that voted for me.”
A prolific racer and prolific winner, Ray Hendrick was a driver who would compete “anyplace and in all places” — in all places, that’s, the place there was prize cash at stake.
In a profession that spanned almost 40 years, Hendrick received 44.4% of his begins and completed within the top-five in 4 of each 5 races he entered. On the conclusion of his profession within the late Eighties, Hendrick had greater than 700 wins to his credit score in modified and late mannequin sportsman divisions, having earned the moniker “Mr. Modified.”
Winner of 20 races at Martinsville alone — together with a sweep of a modified and late mannequin sportsman occasion on the identical day — the Richmond, Va., native, named one among NASCAR’s 75 Best Drivers, succumbed to most cancers in 1990 at age 61.
Although Ray Hendrick and NASCAR Corridor of Fame automotive proprietor Rick Hendrick are usually not associated by blood, Rick Hendrick was impressed as a young person within the Sixties whereas watching Ray Hendrick’s “Flying 11” modified automotive dominate races in Virginia.
“On behalf of the Hendrick household, we’re proud to be right here tonight to honor our father, ‘Mr. Modified’ Ray Hendrick,” mentioned Ronnie Hendrick, Ray Hendrick’s son, after receiving the Corridor of Fame ring from the inductee’s grandsons, Chuck Hendrick and Ray Hendrick III.
“I am not so positive Ray realized simply what number of followers he had all through the years. If our dad was right here tonight, he can be so honored and grateful to be acknowledged amongst so many different nice drivers.”
Wheeler, who handed away final 12 months at age 86, was NASCAR’s first nice impresario, a popularity he earned throughout his 33-year tenure as president and common supervisor of Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Wheeler’s daring, revolutionary and sometimes outlandish stunts highlighted the races he promoted, notably the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend, which frequently featured armed forces maneuvers rife with explosions within the Charlotte infield.
Williams, a pioneering journalist in a discipline that had been dominated by males, is the 14th winner of the Squier-Corridor Award, named for broadcasters Ken Squier and Barney Corridor.
Williams started her profession at United Press Worldwide (UPI) as one of many first feminine NASCAR reporters and spent 18 years with Winston Cup Scene — 10 of these as editor of the definitive racing journal.
Through the ceremony, NASCAR Corridor of Fame govt director Winston Kelley additionally acknowledged 1960 NASCAR Cup champion Rex White and veteran driver Greg Biffle, who died in 2025.
Biffle, who was killed in a non-public aircraft crash alongside together with his spouse and two youngsters, was the recipient of the NMPA Myers Brothers Award and the inaugural North Carolina Motorsports Affiliation’s philanthropy award.
