Kurt Busch, Harry Gant And Ray Hendrick Voted Into NASCAR Hall Of Fame

Kurt Busch got into the hall of fame as quickly has his NASCAR Cup Series career took off.

The 2004 champion was voted in on his first appearance on the Modern Era ballot along with Harry Gant, while Ray Hendrick made it on the Pioneer ballot.

“For me, just a blue-collar kid out of Vegas, I never would have imagined this. We were a family where it was just a hobby to race. It was just fun to go to the track as father/son. Dad had his car, and I had mine,” Busch said after the results were announced.

“I’m running a Legend Car in 1999 at the [Las Vegas] Bull Ring, September of 1999. In September of 2000, I’m in Jack Roush’s Cup car, qualifying at Dover. Jeff Gordon’s next to me. Dale Sr.’s behind me. That’s how fast things happened for me. I don’t know how. I don’t know why.”

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Busch retired in 2023 due to a concussion. He had 34 wins in 776 Cup Series starts and won the 2017 Daytona 500. He is also one of five drivers to have attempted the Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 double in 2014. He finished sixth at Indy in what was his only start in the series, but wasn’t able to finish the Coca-Cola 600 due to an engine failure.

Harry Gant won 18 times in the Cup Series across 474 starts, with his final race coming in 1994. He and Busch were both voted for on 61% of the ballots.

Hendrick won 700 Modified and Late Model Sportsman races over a 38-year career and was named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers. He led the Pioneer ballot voting with 31%.

Racing promoter H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler will also be inducted in the class of 2026 as the recipient of teh Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for January 23, 2026.