NASCAR's New Short Track Fix? | All-Star Race Format, Hall of Fame Nominees Revealed

NASCAR unveils this year's All-Star Race format, featuring a new tire compound developed by Goodyear. Also, the Class of 2025 Hall of Fame nominees are out! Let's react.
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Thumbnail Cred: Chris Graythen (Getty)
0:00 All-Star Race Format
3:05 New Tires!
6:52 Petty scheme
8:02 Hall of Fame Nominees

[@dcvanta]

Prime tires: perfect for the Amazon broadcast branding

[@EricEstepp]

Dang you're right lol

[@letto18]

NASCAR Goodyear Cup Series presented by Amazon Prime.

[@AlexE5250]

“Our car is as fast as xfinity 10G and our prime tires are faster than Amazon delivery.”

[@dcvanta]

heading towards the GEICO Restart Zone for one-to-go presented by Credit One Bank it's gonna be commercialized heaven

[@kevinschmid238]

Those lightning fast Prime tyre's lol yeah your right I see the ad now

[@gnnascarfan2410]

If this tire option doesn't work, then the horsepower has to be tried out. Otherwise we are condemning short tracks to death in the Cup series.

[@EricEstepp]

I'm with you. The "option tires" need to show us SOMETHING

[@elitegamer21005]

Would that be a bad thing?

[@Glitchunlocked]

@@elitegamer21005 Absolutely. If you don't think that's a bad thing then there's a chance you started watching NASCAR after the bigger tracks took over.

[@elitegamer21005]

@@GlitchunlockedI did, I also think Short Tracks are overrated

[@phoebeeileenbrooks110]

Nascar keeps saying increasing HP isn’t an option. I’m so close to leaving the sport as a fan and committing to Indy tbh..

[@bertpulaski2492]

For the HOF, drivers: Gant and Rudd. Pioneer: Larry Mac said it on one of his Sirius shows earlier today that it should be the doctor that designed the SAFER barriers. I mean, how many lives and injuries has his design saved?

[@KombatRacer]

It saved a life just this past Sunday 💯

[@extragoogleaccount6061]

Many people say those in the hall should be people that you cannot tell the story of NASCAR without. Gant and Rudd are mine, too. Gant maybe just for his September. Rudd for ironman. Lol....Eric picked the same (I was writing the comment before the video finished)

[@lewishamilton271]

I like that pick.

[@twoblacklabs904]

@@extragoogleaccount6061…I say NEIL and Harry. Neil’s slightly more impressive winning percentage (18 victories in 5 full-time cup seasons of his 20 year driving career) over Rudd’s longevity (23 Cup wins over a 32 year (full and part time seasons) career. Rudd has a much lower winning percentage. Give it time. He’ll eventually get the HOF jacket. But this year, it should go to Neil Bonnett.

[@JohnnyUtah13]

Tires were the savior of Bristol. I will hold judgement until I see it. I am cautiously optimistic.

[@maxmustermann6612]

Harry Gant deserves to be a Hall of Famer, no question at all

[@kingsally2864]

give it to Gant and Bonnet. both are well overdue

[@elitegamer21005]

Agreed

[@Itsgamingtime11-co5kp]

The Biff!!

[@the80hdgaming]

Handsome Harry Gant definitely deserves to be in the HOF...

[@lbf5984]

Always Mr September to me...

[@Glitchunlocked]

I'm stoked for All Star weekend. Not only is the race on my birthday, for the first time in the nearly 30 years I've been a fan, I'm going to the race in person too. Hopefully these tires along with the new surface can help put on a great show.

[@EricEstepp]

Hope you have a blast!

[@Glitchunlocked]

@@EricEstepp Thanks man! If you're at the race I'll try to find you haha.

[@sapphirekennedy]

I’m a big proponent of Randy Dorton getting in. He revolutionized engine building, and made Hendrick engines what they are. He was also one of the 10 killed on the way to Martinsville. There’s a special on KZbin called “Beyond 200” that was filmed not long after HMS got its 200th win, and Rick and DW and Terry Labonte talk about Randy. He sounds like a good man, a smart man, and a behind the scenes very influential man

[@hbigralpg]

Harry Gant was one of the best drivers to race against, a clean driver and always smiling. mr. september.

[@kharnthebetrayer1575]

Got to meet him back in 02 at my 1st cup race at charlotte. Still have the signed picture.

[@jdowls9538]

Ive been saying for years what Probst said there: Goodyear doesnt want to make "bad" tires - they dont want them to "fail", cause that makes Goodyear look bad. But fans and drivers want to see tire falloff, and the only way to do that is make "bad" tires.

[@joshuadodginsatgoogle4116]

Harry Gant was still building houses and Cutting Grass

[@KFB4LIFE8]

LETS VOTE ERIC FOR THE ALL STAR RACE AND MAKE NASCAR PUT HIM IN

[@InsaneCelery238]

and for hall of fame as best outside entertainer in the sport

[@GymLeaderEllie]

i thought you meant jones at first lol

[@celebritiesoncesaid8628]

@@GymLeaderEllie i though he meant almirola im dumb

[@sla31]

I was a Jeff Burton fan for many years, so I'll admit I'm biased. Just like Eric is for Kenseth, but... I believe Hall of Fame consideration should consider a persons entire contribution to the sport, not just their driving career statistics. I love Carl Edwards, but he left the sport and you basically never hear from him anymore. Burton has 21 Cup wins, 27 Xfinity wins, was always considered to be one of the cleanest drivers out there, and was often referred to as the Mayor of the garage. Those are great stats for any career, but consider his whole families continued involvement in the sport. As Eric mentioned he's the head of the drivers council, he continues to help promote the sport via NBC, and his son and nephew both continue to drive in both the Cup and Xfinity series. I think his continued involvement beyond his driving career makes him one of the top contenders for entry into the Hall of Fame, but as Eric mentioned, it is a close this year. If I'm being honest I think Biffle's overall statistics with championships in the truck series and Xfinity series give him a leg up on that front.

[@JieVanPushrodGeesaman]

Very well thought out and written. I've never been a Burton fan at all, but have always appreciated his style of driving and his off-track demeanor. When I saw Carl Edwards name on the list I was dumbfounded. The guy abruptly left NASCAR like a bad habit, then just sort of drop kicked everyone and everything about it. Even in his most recent return on television for that throwback telecast where Mark Martin joined them in the booth for a few, he stated that he didn't even want to be there. He had to be talked into coming. I can't see exonerating someone for something in an activity where they really could care less to relive, reminisce, or so much as revisit. To him it seemed to be just a j. o. b. Nothing more.

[@conordonnelly4290]

There needs to be a fine line between very good and great. Burton was very good but he was not great. NASCAR needs to be careful with who they induct, otherwise it'll turn into the Rock & Roll HOF.

[@memolestas1017]

>Nascar introduces different tire options Formula One: First Time? ;)

[@billy88joe]

This is why I wish NASCAR kinda held off a little bit on adding so many “golden era” guys like Jr, Gordon, and Tony Stewart so quickly. I feel like some of the names on the ballot this year would have got a little more hype around them in the early year of the HOF when they were choosing 5 guys.

[@kingzap8]

The Nascar Hall of Fame needs to be similar to the MLB HOF where drivers must reach a certain percent of votes to get in so that means some years we may not get any one, but it secures the prestige of getting in

[@louislepage5111]

BEAUTIFUL paint scheme on the 43 😊

[@forced5.949]

If they had stayed with the full season championship instead of the chase, Carl Edward's would be a 2 time champion. He was very good in a fairly brief career.

[@user-yt5qk4fo3d]

If they stayed with the full season deal instead of the Chase...Jeff Gordon would have 7 not Jimmie.

[@chrebetcrunch]

It is past time to see Tim Richmond on the list for the HOF. He died young and was at the height of he career. He won 9 of the last 25 races he competed in and was a huge star in the sport, but he contracted Aids and being the scared and ignorant 80's, Nascar banned him after 8 races in August of 1987 and he died two years later. If he had died on the track he would have been in the HOF already, and if he had not contracted Aids, he would have won Championships.

[@brianhogg3964]

Agreed.

[@JackCallSports]

AJ Foyt getting kicked off is insane

[@lbf5984]

?

[@caseysmith544]

​@@lbf5984 AJ Foyt who only did races before the Indy car racing season would start, whatever the series was called in 1990's.

[@lbf5984]

@@caseysmith544 but he was kicked off of something?

[@THE-oe4pc]

So for tires your have a set of mediums, softs, and intermediate

[@yachtyteam6978]

goodyear is confusing a "tire failure" and a "driver pushing the tire to failure"

[@driverslqqk7940]

Goodyear is intentionally playing stupid money means more to them than good racing😂

[@charlespetersonjr1994]

for me this years Hall of Famers should be the following Pioneer Ballot: Banjo Matthews Modern: Harry Gant and Ricky "tough S.O.B." Rudd

[@optimalpowersimracing6625]

Been said tire compounds should be in nascar and make both mandatory throughout the race... will add so much strategy and variation of wear

[@GrandpaShark]

No. Absolutely not!

[@aj_theshark]

I think Jack Sprague is a clear hall of famer. The moment you mentioned his name I was like "Well obviously Sprague should get in now!" The man was an absolute beast in the early years of the Truck Series. I've watched those races. And man, he could drive the heck out of a truck!

[@alfiefowler3306]

I’ve been a Roush fan for a long time nd like u said Greg Biffle was close to becoming the driver to win a Championship in three national series but to be honest the Biff is an all time driver he’s 44th all time in cup wins, he’s 17th all time in Xfinity series wins, and he’s 8th all time in truck wins

[@ChrisPuiatti]

I am biased to Rudd but he does deserve it and honestly we have to give love to the Truck series so Sprague

[@RyanWebb-pv6rz]

I had already voted and Harry Gant, Ricky Rudd and Banjo Matthews were also the 3 I voted for.

[@redxraider0613]

Neil Bonnett, Ricky Rudd, Harry Gant, and Jack Sprague are the names on modern era list that need in

[@kevinschmid238]

I think Jack Sprague, but I could be biased since he was one of my favorite drivers when I was a kid. That #24 GMAC truck and the #16 Napa truck battles were iconic for anyone who watched trucks back then. Not to mention a 3x truck champion who honestly could have done more in upper levels had he caught that right break, just never happened imo

[@truckercowboyed2638]

I remember watching the inaugural truck season and Sprague with that GMAC blue was so recognizable

[@ryandubia]

Harry Gant, Ricky Rudd, Larry Phillips

[@TheCloudCreation]

I really like the idea and initiative for different tires... HOWEVER, I worry Goodyear is focused on the wrong area of the tire. A softer compound, in theory should wear out faster, but in every single race (outside Bristol) the only thing that causes drivers to slow down is tire HEAT, not wear. I worry that the softer tire will just be a stickier version of the existing tire, where the only thing slowing drivers down is the heat of the rubber, not the removal of layers of the rubber. I have no idea how tires are made now-a-days, but back in day, when I raced lower tier series, we had, for lack of a better term, a dual compound tire. The very top layer of tire was SUPER soft and sticky, but quickly got worn away to the 2nd layer of tire which was a rock hard layer that pretty much never wore, but also provided no grip. For whatever reason, Goodyear switched to only doing a single layer tire and I'm not sure when that happened, but I think that is the direction Goodyear and NASCAR should be looking. We could get Bristol every week, without the risk of tires blowing, by having a super soft, tacky top layer that wears away to a rock hard layer that doesn't stick at all.

[@driverslqqk7940]

Exactly this is just Goodyear sneaky way of saying we're doing something about the tire I would love if they're soft tire runs better than the existing Tire that Joey Logano can drive half of the race LOL

[@joshmuecke85]

Harry gant- Mr. September

[@mariner_]

Harry gant just for that September alone deserves to be there Neil bonnet is also legendary

[@williamsiebert9830]

18 wins isn't legendary 😂

[@xavierjuno4572]

​@@williamsiebert9830Ya but keep in mind a majority of those wins were in his 40s-50s which is insane to think about considering most drivers fall off during those years of their life

[@enjoymusic6365]

Mr September deserves a spot in the hall of fame. Oldest cup series winner, absolutely a fan favorite, he should be in. I think jack sprague also deserves a spot. Rudd will get in one of these years, but the contribution Sprague made in the lower divisions and helped make the truck series as popular as it is now need to be recognized.

[@JackCallSports]

I would say Tim Brewer and Ricky Rudd Brewer won championships and I believe over 50 races Ricky Rudd had I believe 19 straight seasons in the top 10 in points which is insane But it’s tough man…

[@diecastcollector7982]

Reminds me of something nascar did with the sprint unlimited this format reminds me of that a little bit

[@bennettcom]

I can't believe that Harry Gant and Harry Hyde are still not in the hall!?!?!?!?!

[@Kenadams240]

Happy to see that NASCAR is trying to make the short track racing better by shaking up the tires

[@trevleisner]

I try to listen to you every day Eric, your starting to be noticed. Denny Hamlin even said your name is his Pod... keep it up brother!

[@terryd3008]

4:45 Why is NASCAR saying that it’s difficult to ask Goodyear to build different types of tires?? Firestone already does it for IndyCar and Pirelli does it for F1. It’s time for Goodyear to start bring option tires to each race and allow for some tire strategies to come into play.

[@johnseavey6622]

Costs for teams would be staggering

[@greenyonline]

I agree! High Wide and Handsome Harry Giant and the Ironman Ricky Rudd! Whatever happened to great nicknames? Rowdy? Hmmmmmm. See you next year Carl!

[@kclaptraffic]

Larry Phillips is a Midwest legend. He should have already been in.

[@johndornoff]

I am a little biased toward Harry Gant because I worked for Oldsmobile during his 4-win run in 1991, and that fact that he was the nicest NASCAR driver I have ever met and was always smiling even when he had a broken leg in 1988 from a crash in Charlotte and the armchair quarterbacks were saying he should be forced to retire. So my one pick would be Harry Gant and my other pick would be Harry Hyde. Let's not forget that Hyde was the basis for Robert Duvall's Harry Hodge in Days of Thunder. The Pioneer one is also harder for me, but I am going to go with Banjo Mathews I think all of them are deserving that are on that ballot.

[@user-nu7tt3hj8f]

My vote is for Harry Gant and Randy Dorton

[@FlakJak74]

Carl Edwards had 28 Cup victories, not 26...and he did it in only 12 full-time seasons. Not to mention, without the playoff format(s), he most likely would've had 2 championships. Throw in the fantastic numbers from the other two series...he definitely deserves some respect. For my second pick...Harry Gant, a true legend. Rudd is a close 3rd, though.

[@davids5006]

Carl was good but definitely not Hof material imo

[@GrandpaShark]

I caught that too. It was 28 wins. And I remember 2011 when he tied with Tony Stewart in the championship points. Tony won on a tie breaker. Good argument for him.

[@TheTrashman72]

Its nice to see them trying different compounds like IndyCar and formula 1

[@GASparky217]

If we wanted two compounds, we’d go watch the racing that already offers it. This is such a sad attempt to fix short track racing.

[@TheTrashman72]

@@GASparky217 Ultimately I agree, however id like to see more variety in the setups as opposed to trying to get everything exactly the same

[@lbf5984]

Just bring Hoosier in, that'll fix it 😂

[@GASparky217]

@@TheTrashman72 I agree. Hopefully this 2 compound test at the all star race will lead to a better short track tire.

[@walletracer9882]

I agree, will excited to see the variations of strategy it brings.

[@Steve-kr3ho]

Larry Phillips was also the mentor for both Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin during their formative years. Both hall of fame drivers attribute much of their growth and skill to the guidance from Larry. To me, the mentor needs to join them in the hall.

[@bighatLJ]

I say Banjo Mathews for the Pioneer Era and Carl Edwards and Jeff Burton for Modern Era. I say Edwards because of the 29 wins (and the backflips) and Burton not only because of his career on track but the impact he's had on the sport off track.

[@BrandoTheGamingChampionship]

Carl Edwards won the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series championship and nearly won the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, but lost by a tiebreaker to Tony Stewart & Carl Edwards starts 444/win 28/poles 2. Over 13 years in the Cup Series ncluding the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500, both in 2015. He was the championship runner-up twice, including the closest finish in NASCAR history

[@johnny-crawford]

Jsck Sprague is a Truck series legend. That should count for something. He deserves to eventually get in.

[@drdetroitwheels]

The old school ballot should be Ray Hendricks the flying Chicken

[@themetalfusionologist]

Goodyear has been building tires for NASCAR for the entirety of its existence…yet they are so damn disconnected from their earlier generations of management/manufacturing that they have the balls to say “you actually want us to build a tire that wears?!?!?!?”… Well of course! WHO the fuck said build a tire that last the entire race?

[@josephphillippe8823]

"B-but if the tires wear then our sales will plummet because all of our customers are too retarded to differentiate a racing tire from a general public tire"

[@seanlinehan4724]

They have tried this before. Thought it was with the last gen car, it still didn’t impact the racing, as the dirty air mattered more then softer tires.

[@autophile-cv621]

I have to agree with you Eric. It's really hard to pick just 2. And I've seen every one of those drivers compete over the years. Maybe we should look at their personality, or what they've done off the track as well. I will just sit and wait for the official picks.

[@YouTubeAuditor1]

It's not Goodyear's fault that the teams lower the psi below the recommended minimum. Everyone is always so quick to blame the tire instead of the crew chiefs. No matter how hard or soft Goodyear builds tires, crew chiefs will always lower the psi to get more grip until tires start blowing. That's why nobody else wants to build tires for NASCAR.

[@johnhaas2523]

You're right And Goodyear gets the blame and they don't like that Because there's going to be a negative image in that might hurt their automotive tire sales

[@lathanpankey2173]

Jeff Burton was also the last guy to lead every lap in a race at New Hampshire I believe

[@JMwraps]

Perfect! I really hope this works, exciting 😃

[@gregdavenport5947]

I feel like you almost have to go with Harry Hyde for 1st ballot Hall of Fame, not only was he the crew chief of Rick Hendrick's first win and so much more but when he worked as a consultant on Days of thunder and after I watch that movie I don't think I've ever missed another NASCAR race since then, and that's just me, just think of all the other people he brought into the sport that didn't know much about it. So I would like to honor Harry Hyde and everything this man has done for the NASCAR Community to move it forward into the mainstream!

[@MCHATTENBROS78]

I think it may not change might but we haven’t seen it on track racing so we will have to wait for the heat races

[@speckscott]

I have to agree with everything you said about this including your picks.

[@jeremyharper3462]

I'm excited to see what these option tires bring to the show.

[@grahamcrackergaming1540]

I will say the one thing I’m hoping NASCAR does differently with the multiple tire compounds this time around is not doing like they did back in 2017 when they had the guys on the Options start in the back. Like obviously they ain’t gonna make much of a difference if ya got cars in the back trying to come up through the field on the tire that’s gonna guy away faster. Especially on a track like Charlotte where you’re running high speeds, everyone is bunched together and takes a min to get a pass done. Although the one problem I’m worried about is cause ya have a halfway break it’s not gonna make much difference if you’re on the Option tire, your tires r gonna go quick and you’ll potentially will have to save tires, while the guys on Primary tires can go whatever pace they want and can have tires later to the end. If it was like a 250-300 lap race, no stage breaks, or at least something to get green flag stops to happen and get some tire strategy into play it’d definitely would work and I’d be ok with it. I just hope after this race they do try to implement the multiple tire compounds for the remaining short track races and even road courses the rest of the year just to try it more and see how it goes.

[@justsomeguy6817]

I’m excited! I’m going to be there for the race!!

[@johnlafever3162]

Harry Hyde is Harry Hogge! How could he not be a first ballot Days of Thunder HOF entry? Besides his championship with Bobby Isaac, he was the Crew Chief that built Rick Hendrick's operation with Geoff Bodine long before Ray Everham got there. He was Tim Richman's spectacular crew chief, which is what Harry Hogge is patterned after. He has my vote. I'm split between Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards (disclaimer, I worked for teams that each drove for at one time or another, Carl when he started in trucks and Greg in the Cup Series) and regardless of neither winning a Cup championship, it falls back on Hall of "Fame" not Hall of Championships. I think I have to give it to Greg overall, he did have a slue of ROTY, and lower level championships. In 2005, Greg missed out on the Cup championship in a heartbreaker by 35 points to Tony Stewart with Carl Edwards finishing third in points. In the vintage, I like honoring the car builders, but I also like when they are willing to honor the grassroots of racing like Larry Phillips, so I think I'm going with the King of weekly racing Larry Phillips.

[@mjparts5322]

I was a big Rudd fan. I'm glad you picked him. He deserves to be in.

[@Tunda2]

Everybody remotely involved in nascar except for Goodyear SMI and Elton Sawyer: “We need a softer tire for short track races, it doesn’t fall off at all and it has made the racing kinda suck. Bristol was awesome!” Them: “What do you want? Formula 1? We can’t have young drivers experience tire wear! All the cars have to be the same speed the whole time! Bristol was a disaster!”

[@walletracer9882]

I wonder if they will throw in an F1-style rule where you have to use both compounds at least once during a race.

[@johnhaas2523]

Rules are on NASCAR's website and Facebook

[@jimmywilliams1822]

I agree with your take on the modern era nominees. The NASCAR Hall may need to consider moving to the baseball HOF model where only those who reach a certain threshold of ballots get in. In some years no one makes it. In others we get 4 or 5. A rule that 2 must go in means at some point we may get a borderline HOF inductee who then establishes a precedent that cannot be ignored in future balloting. Remember this is the Hall of FAME we are talking about, not the hall of very good.

[@MasonM-sr1kw]

Five words: Get stiff for the Biff

[@billschaeffer6933]

Love the logo on the Hat, Eric!! Who/What is it?

[@barrettcarpenter1745]

Yeesh, idk if the repave is going to actually affect the tires. Hopefully its not just infinite amounts of grip. Cooler Temps would be good for sliding around

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

I never saw Ricky Ruud during his more competitive years, but I did see him featured in an episode of the Dallas reboot series.

[@aarontalksculture4946]

I'm going Edwards and Sprague. Edwards has 28 wins in only 12 full seasons. Sprague, as far as trucks, has a more prolific profile than any of the guys.

[@seanmccrea1709]

I think Goodyear should have like 10 different compounds of tires at the track and teams have the option to run any of those tires. Let’s get this down to the team to figure it all out and what works best.

[@johnbrohl1709]

I actually agree with you not saying any of those drivers are bad the problem with Nascar Hall of Fame there's no clear criteria to get in

[@tomchristen4815]

Harry Gant and Niel Bonnett are my pics with Harry Hyde in 3rd...😉

[@graycon-il2vs]

Rudd should be in for sure. With the exception of the 21 and 88 at the end of his career, he was successful in every ride he took. Got several teams and crew chiefs thier first win. The icing on the cake that should put him in is 6 wins as owners driver, and the last truly independent owner driver to win. Keep in mind, 5 of these owner/driver years were the same years Bill Elliott with tons of money had no wins. Just the thoughts, as you can tell, of a big Rudd fan.🙂

[@kylegoodin5798]

Nice Rough Riders hat!

[@letto18]

When it comes to tires for the all star race, I forgot where I heard it but I thought the option tires would be the same compound as what they would run normally but just with a different tread (so not sure if a grooved tire or just not as much thickness so would be wore out sooner), i wonder how it would be though if both slicks but one having the wet compound instead of the normal compound?

[@letto18]

As for the HoF vote, as a Hendrick fan I would go for Harry Hyde and Jack Sprague for the modern era. Harry Hyde was the 1st crew chief Hendrick had from the beginning in 1984 and stayed with the team until the end of 1988, most notably during time there was him working with Tim Richmond for 1986 with that season being the source of most of the story line for Days of Thunder (Robert Duvall as Harry Hogge patterned after him with Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle patterned after Tim Richmond). Then as for Jack Sprague, he raced for Hendrick, mainly in the Truck series driving the #24 between 1996 and 2001 with him getting 3 championships during that time (1997, 1999 & 2001, so for 1997 & 2001 Hendrick got 2 championships with the #24, Jeff Gordon in Cup & Jack Sprague in Trucks. So you could kinda say that he was the Truck series equivalent of Jeff Gordon at the time I guess). As for the Pioneer era, Ray Hendrick is no relation to Rick Hendrick but looking him up he was a big name in the modified world with him being known as "Mr. Modified" during his 36 year career mainly in the modified class and passed away in 1990 at age 61 due to cancer. According to his Wikipedia page his only achievement listed is being the all time win leader at Martinsville with 20 wins, googleing all time wins at Martinsville though the results I got was mainly for the Cup series with Richard Petty being the leader with 15 wins followed by Darrell Waltrip who got 11 being the only 2 to get double digit wins at Martinsville in Cup.

[@Vapor_Diecast_Racing]

Yes, Ricky Rudd and Harry Gant

[@paulday5722]

Harry Hyde, Harry Gant, Banjo Matthews are my picks.

[@billdncn]

With the "optional' tire adding more strategical calls in the pits (like F1 and Indy cars), things could (will) get more interesting. Only time will tell. Perhaps on Short tracks and Road courses. Don't like NASCAR getting away from it's roots but times.... "They are a changing". This will be fun to watch.

[@georgemccormick1247]

Loved Harry Gant, first saw him in the early 1960s racing in the modified series in the north east at Trenton speedway he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

[@bobbrown536]

I just remember how many years he was still in souvenir trailer signing autographs after he was retired. What a great guy

[@yuoknj]

The next gen car is very sensitive to tires so maybe the new tries will make a difference

[@tomt9543]

RAY HENDRICK!!! What a heck of a wheelman! Also a big Harry Gant fan!

[@2LabsGarage]

Carl Edwards tied Tony Stewart for the championship and was a bogus restart away from another, should be a 2 time champion and had he not been fed up and retired, might have more. Nascar is mad they say because he ghosted but they had it out for him . Edwards clearly deserves it. Gant accomplished more past his prime than most drivers their entire career. Rudd Brewer and Hyde deserve to get in. Lastly they need to let Tim Richmond in.

[@johnhaas2523]

Hahahaha cry baby cry

[@DaveMac53]

Neil Bonnett! Don't forget his broadcast career!

[@hhollyd66]

Rudd, Bonnett, and Banjo.

[@johnmiller1806]

Hopefully it pans out. North Wilkesboro arguably was not a good race last year, hopefully we don’t have a tire fiasco this year that might condemn it back to an early grave. Jr can only pine for a track successfully for so long

[@billdncn]

Love and miss Harry Gant. He's got my vote. 4 wins in a row in '91. I miss all of the "Blue Collar" racers from that era but NASCAR has done a 180. Also.. Love me some Ricky Rudd

[@dsanford12]

KB Will be the first to have championship in all 3 series.

[@bostons2826]

I completely agree with Rudd and Gant

[@zero_one4056]

I’d love to see harry gant and neil bonnett for the modern ballot. Both of them had legendary careers, Harry Gant, Mr September, and the oldest winner in nascar to this day. Neil had a huge influence. Friends with dale and was an incredible announcer, especially after he went into the booth after flipping at talladega. As far as pioneer ballot, it’s roughly equal, but i feel like ralph moody had the most influence

[@Twinspinner]

My argument for Greg Biffle is that he was ahead of Kurt Busch in truck and Busch, and only a half step behind him in Cup, and people might probably argue Kurt is worthy of being first ballot. Like you said, he got 2nd in 2005, the year directly after Kurt won his championship. Biffle's only downfall was sticking with Roush while the ship was sinking while Busch and Edwards and Martin all left for better teams and got more success in the latter half of their careers because of it. Greg Biffle carried Roush and outperformed his equipment for years before retiring. If he had left around say 2010-2012, I think we may have seen him compete for championships in a Hendrick or JGR car like his former teammates did.

[@earnhardtjd]

I would say Gant and Brewer but THE BIFF just because of the name should have a shot too

[@joshbob4868]

Carl Edwards if not for his driving than do it for the meme. 😅 You can’t escape Carl!!!

[@michellenastasis8718]

Randy Dorton and Harry Hyde

[@freddiehagood7097]

Hell yeah, NASCAR is finally going to tyres😂

[@KashmirRIPEddie]

Hey Eric! Love your stuff! Quick question: if for some freak reason Corey Heim were to win at Dover in the Erik Jones car, does that win count towards the playoffs for Erik since his waiver was accepted? Or is that just if he is in the car? Thanks!

[@EricEstepp]

That would get the 43 into the Owners Playoffs, but Jones would still have to qualify for the Drivers Playoffs

[@user-cn6cb7hj2u]

Carl Edwards could’ve been a four time champion he’s definitely most worthy of a hall of fame