Last month NASCAR issued in a new class of Hall-of-Famers, among them were 5 members who well deserve their place among racing’s greats. Bill Elliott, Wendell Scott, Fred Lorenzen, Joe Weatherly and Rex White all were honored in late January for their contributions to the sport where competition passion reigns.logo

Headlining the event was Elliott, who raced with a family team and little funding during his beginning years. he went on to race for 37 years, winning the Cup in 1988 while winning 44 races total. Bill was known as ‘Awesome Bill From Dawsonville’, a nickname that contributed to him winning 16 Most Popular Driver Awards.

Wendell Scott was a pioneer, being the first and only African-American to win a Cup race. He collected the checkered flag in 1963 at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida. His career lasted 13 years while battling the prejudice, and low funding. On the Virginia short track he tallied more than 100 wins.

Weatherly won the ‘62 and ‘63 titles in NASCAR’s top stock division while compiling 101 wins along with a modified championship. Weatherly finished top five in almost half of his 233 races, a feat that can be credited to his absolute knowledge of the car he was in.

All racers inducted speak of their hardwork and determination, how that is the key factor to the success they saw and their subsequent induction into the Hall of Fame. Without the appreciation of elbow grease and the joy of competition, they would most likely not have seen the inside of this storied Hall.

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