NASCAR adds 4 more names to its Hall of Fame

On Monday, NASCAR announced a list of candidates for the 2023 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class, adding four more names to make it a total of 15 candidates. The nominated candidates will be part of the first Hall of Fame ballot and induction ceremony in the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup Series champion, and Tim Brewer, the two-time Cup Series champion, were the newcomers joining the Modern Era Ballot. Sam Ard, the Xfinity Series pioneer and two-time champion, and A.J. Foyt, the 1972 Daytona 500 winner, were nominated for Pioneer Ballot.

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Learn more about NASCAR Hall of Fame’s new nominees

Matt Kenseth won the Rookie of the Year honor in 2000 and three years later claimed his first Cup Series championship. Kenseth has made 687 Cup race starts and managed to win a total of 39 races. In his 18-year Cup Series career, he won the 2009 and 2012 Daytona 500, claimed one victory each in the Southern 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

In his 31 years of career as Cup series crew chief, Tim Brewer has amassed 53 wins and 55 poles. He was one of the most successful crew chiefs of his time. He later started working as a racing analyst for ESPN.

Sam Ard, the 1983 and 1984 Xfinity Series champion, run just three seasons in Xfinity due to a violent crash which shortened his career. In just 92 starts, the driver won 22 Xfinity Series.

A.J. Foyt is an icon and one of the most popular personalities in motorsports with most of his achievements coming in open-wheel cars. Driving the #21 for Wood Brothers, he won seven Cup races, including the 1972 Daytona 500.

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Full list of Hall of Fame Class of 2023 nominees

Each year, NASCAR nominates 15 candidates and from that, a group of three will be inducted into the Hall of Fame through the ballot. Out of the three, two names will be selected from the Modern Era Ballot and a third will be selected from the Pioneer Ballot. The following are the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 nominees and Landmark Award nominees:

Modern Era Ballot

1. Neil Bonnett

2. Tim Brewer

3. Jeff Burton

4. Carl Edwards

5. Harry Gant

6. Harry Hyde

7. Matt Kenseth

8. Larry Phillips

9. Ricky Rudd

10.Kirk Shelmerdine

Pioneer Ballot

11.Sam Ard

12.AJ Foyt

13.Banjo Matthews

14.Hershel McGriff

15.Ralph Moody

Landmark Award

16.Janet Guthrie

17.Alvin Hawkins

18.Mike Helton

19.Lesa France Kennedy

20.Dr. Joseph Mattioli