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Home , A Few Questions, Buddy Baker, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde

NASCAR THIS WEEK 8 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, April 15, 2020

QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE

Compelling questions ... and maybe a few actual answers

Is Junior Earnhardt a first-ballot lock for the Hall of Fame?

Absolutely, especially compar- ing his overall numbers to some already enshrined. His 26 Cup Series wins (including two Day- tona 500s) and two Busch Series championships might fall short of what many Earnhardt fans had hoped or expected from him, but the numbers them- selves are enough, and when you consider all those “Most Popular Driver” awards, there’s no way he doesn’t make it in his first year of eligibility.

Any surprises on that ballot?

Just one of omission: , who has yet to make a list of nominees. made the Hall of Fame with 19 career Cup wins and one . Bodine has 18 wins and a Daytona 500, but also piled up amazing numbers in racing before coming to NASCAR. You can’t dismiss that, considering and Jr.’s impact on the sport should make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer. [N-J/NIGEL COOK] are in the NASCAR Hall based on their Late Model careers. Not sure why Bodine remains overlooked.

Who joins Junior?

I like from the Pio- Predicting the 2021 neer Ballot, and unless someone can explain why Kirk Shelmer- dine doesn’t match up with the other crew chiefs already inducted, I’m not sure how you NASCAR Hall of Fame class ignore a four-time champion. By Zach Dean Bonnett in terms of career numbers Ken Willis, ken.willis@ [email protected] and overall resume, but we’ll give news-jrnl.com the edge to Rudd. NASCAR’s iron- ntil drivers get the com- man for over a decade, Rudd held mand to finally restart the Cup Series record for consecu- their engines on the 2020 tive starts (788) before season, fans of NASCAR broke it in 2015. His 906 overall HALL OF FAME LIST willU be stuck in the past. starts rank second in NASCAR his- That doesn’t come with- tory to ’s 1,185. Recently released list of nomi- out controversy, though. The native finished with nees for the NASCAR Hall of Last week, NASCAR unveiled the 23 career wins, including the 1997 Fame’s 2021 class: 15 nominees for the 2021 Hall of Fame Brickyard 400, 374 top-10s (sev- class, headlined by Dale Earnhardt Jr., enth all-time) and 29 poles. He was Modern Era Ballot who was one of five first-timers on named the Rookie of the Year in 1977, the ballot. New this year, three drivers earned a best points finish of second will be inducted instead of the usual (left) was NASCAR’s iron-man in 1991 and won at least one race in 16 Dale Earnhardt Jr. five — two from the Modern Era bal- for a decade. [AP PHOTO/TERRY RENNA] consecutive seasons from 1983-98. lot and one from the Pioneer ballot. In 1998, Rudd was named one of The Modern Era ballot includes: Neil Popular Driver, a two-time Day- NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers. Bonnett, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt tona 500 winner, a two-time Xfin- Larry Phillips Jr., Carl Edwards, Harry Gant, Harry ity Series champion, and won 26 Pioneer inductee Ricky Rudd Hyde, Larry Phillips, Ricky Rudd, career Cup races. Earnhardt has also Matthews: Matthews was an Kirk Shelmerdine and . proven to be an elite car owner, field- artist in the garage, building cars Mike Stefanik The Pioneer Ballot includes: Jake ing cars that have won three Xfin- that won more than 250 Cup races Elder, Red Farmer, Banjo Matthews, ity titles, including the past two. and three championships over his Pioneer Ballot Hershel McGriff and Ralph Moody. Beyond the stats, Junior was the face career. Just how much of a master While voting is still at least a of NASCAR for nearly 20 years, car- was he? From 1974-85, cars built Red Farmer month away — it usually takes place rying the sport on his back following in the Banjo Matthews Shop won a Banjo Matthews around the Coca-Cola 600 — let’s the tragic death of his father in 2001. staggering 72% of Cup races (262 of Hershel McGriff drop the virtual green flag a little The numbers aren’t as gaudy as 362), including all 30 races in 1978. Ralph Moody early and make some predictions: some Hall of Famers, and he never The car builder from Ohio also had won that elusive Cup champion- success behind the wheel, work- Landmark Award Modern era inductees ship, but what Junior meant, and ing on modifieds and driving to Janet Guthrie Dale Earnhardt Jr.: There was argu- still means, to the sport makes Victory Lane 50 times in 1954. Alvin Hawkins ably nobody more important to him a first-ballot Hall of Famer. If you won a race in the ’70s or ’80s, the sport over a two-decade span Ricky Rudd: You could throw a blan- Matthews most likely had a hand in it. Dr. Joseph Mattioli than Junior. He was a 15-time Most ket over Rudd, Harry Gant and Neil That’s worthy of a spot in the Hall. Ralph Seagraves

2 0 2 0 C U P S E R I E S April 5: Bristol (postponed) June 21: Chicagoland Sept. 6: Darlington SCHEDULE AND WINNERS April 19: Richmond (postponed) June 27: Pocono Sept. 12: Richmond Feb. 9: Clash at Daytona () April 26: Talladega (postponed) June 28: Pocono Sept. 19: Bristol Feb. 16: Daytona 500 () May 3: Dover (postponed) July 5: Indianapolis Sept. 27: Las Vegas Feb. 23: Las Vegas () May 9: Martinsville July 11: Kentucky Oct. 4: Talladega March 1: Fontana () May 16: All-Star Race at Charlotte July 19: New Hampshire Oct. 11: Charlotte March 8: Phoenix (Joey Logano) May 24: Charlotte Aug. 9: Michigan Oct. 18: Kansas March 15: Atlanta (postponed) May 31: Kansas Aug. 16: Watkins Glen Oct. 25: Texas March 22: Homestead-Miami (postponed) June 7: Michigan Aug. 23: Dover Nov. 1: Martinsville March 29: Texas (postponed) June 14: Sonoma Aug. 29: Daytona Nov. 8: Phoenix

M O T O R M O U T H S SPEED FREAKS — A few questions we had to ask ourselves PODCAST Aside from , which NASCAR has months of old stories ... and a tractor! Anyone know where we driver would be most fun to share a quar- can buy a simulator for antine house with? Did we hear hedging on some iPodding? GODSPEAK: If the Dawsonville pool hall is retirement? Mon.-Fri. open, I’ll go with . Also, free GODSPEAK: I doubt there was a pandemic 8AM-4PM Tune in online at PARTShelicopter rides! & SERVICEclause in his contract, so anyare changes in OPEN! www.news-journal KEN’S CALL: Easy, .For He yourhas protectionplans will have to &be donesafety... on the fly. online.com/• We are sanitizing all customera replica of touch Augusta points National’s all day par-3 12th KEN’S CALL: It• seems We offer that it free depends pick on up and delivery daytonamotormouths hole in his backyard. I doubt that would how much of the 2020 season is eventu- • We are sanitizing touchever points get old. on cars when we bring them inally raced. If something• Competitive resembling pricing a full on all maintenance needs and before we return them. season, with playoffs,• We have gets expandeddone, he’s seating (no contact) areas if you must wait. Same question, regarding all-time drivers? done. If not ... we’ll see. GODSPEAK: It’d be Totough schedule to say anyone an appointment call or go online other than Richard Petty, assuming the Ken Willis, [email protected]; Kevin Harvick (left) and Chase Elliott would be • Rt 257 • Seneca • 814-676-7000King has royal servers. Godwin Kelly, northpointeauto.com godwin.kelly@news- enjoyable quarantine mates, our guys suggest. KEN’S CALL: , because he jrnl.com [AP FILE]