Dale Jr heads list of 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees

Five first-time nominees, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., highlight the list of those eligible for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

NASCAR announced the 15 nominees Tuesday. In addition to Earnhardt, the other new names are drivers Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards, crew chief Jake Elder, and car builder Banjo Matthews.

A reminder that beginning this year, the Hall of Fame Class will be chosen from a Modern Era Ballot (two selections) and Pioneer Ballot (one selection). In previous years, one overall ballot sent five individuals into the Hall of Fame.

Modern Era Ballot:

Neil Bonnett: 18-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series

Jeff Burton: 21-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 26-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, two-time Xfinity Series champion, 15-time most popular driver

Carl Edwards: 28-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series and 2007 Xfinity Series champion

Harry Gant: 18-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, including two Southern 500s

Harry Hyde: NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief (1970)

Larry Phillips: five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion

Ricky Rudd: 23-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the Brickyard 400

Kirk Shelmerdine: four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

Mike Stefanik: nine-time NASCAR champion

Pioneer Ballot

Jake Elder: three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

Red Farmer: three-time NASCAR late model sportsman champion and 1956 modified champion

Banjo Matthews: car builder involved in more than 250 race wins in the NASCAR Cup Series and three championships

Hershel McGriff: 1986 NASCAR West Series champion

Ralph Moody: two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion owner with Holman-Moody

Among the five nominees for the Landmark Award (acknowledging contributions to NASCAR), is Janet Guthrie. Guthrie had been dropped from the ballot last year.

Landmark Award

Janet Guthrie: first female to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway race

Alvin Hawkins: NASCAR’s first flagman. He also established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.

Mike Helton: former NASCAR president and former track operator at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway

Dr. Joseph Mattioli: founder of Pocono Raceway

Ralph Seagraves: an executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company who formed the Winston-NASCAR partnership