Gordon awaits Hall vote

Was NASCAR champion four seasons

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When Jeff Gordon’s name is presented to panel of voters for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the debate should be short and simple. Yes, Gordon gets a slot. Gordon is on today’s ballot for the first time and there should be zero discussion regarding his worthiness. The four-time NASCAR champion played a massive role in moving stock car racing beyond its Southern roots and into the national landscape. Business models changed because of Gordon, who appealed to Madison Avenue advertisers and stick-andball sports fans.

He was the star the sport needed and it certainly didn’t hurt that he won, almost all the time.

Gordon’s debut was the 1992 season finale, also Richard Petty’s final race. He was a winner in his second full season, a NASCAR champion in year three. Gordon’s 93 victories and 81 poles both rank third on NASCAR’s all-time lists, and he’s a three-time Daytona 500 winner and fivetime winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Gordon also won at every active Cup Series track except for Kentucky, made 805 career starts and briefly came out of retirement to help Hendrick Motorsports when Dale Earnhardt Jr. was sidelined with a concussion. Gordon is only three years removed from full-time competition and just 46.

“On one hand I’m excited,” Gordon said of today’s vote. “On the other hand, I’m like too young to go into the Hall of Fame.”

Just five of 20 nominees will be selected by the panel of 57 voters and one fan vote. The 2019 class is one of the toughest yet to predict:

Two drivers, Davey Allison and Alan Kulwicki, could potentially split voters.

Kulwicki was NASCAR’s 1992 champion and is on the ballot for the fourth year. He was rookie of the year in 1985, won five races in seven full seasons but was killed in an aviation accident five races into his championship reign at the age of 38.

Allison is on the ballot for the second year. He won 19 times in 191 races, was the 1992 Daytona 500 winner and the 1987 rookie of the year. He was killed in a helicopter accident in 1993. He was 32.

Another debate could center on three current team owners, Joe Gibbs, Jack Roush and Roger Penske.

Roush is on the ballot for a third time, while Gibbs and Penske are up for consideration for just the second year.

JOHN RAOUX/AP Jeff Gordon’s 93 victories and 81 poles both rank third on NASCAR’s all-time lists.