What do Lee Petty, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, Bobby Allison and David Pearson have in common? Well, not only are they legends in the stock-car racing world, but they have now also been forever united as the second group of luminaries to be enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which, of course, is in Charlotte, N.C. Some have had the temerity to label them the Hall of Fame’s “second class,” but no one could possibility describe this collection of talent and sheer guts that way if they thought about it.
Plenty of folks, including Richard Petty, believe Lee Petty should have been enshrined last year as part of the inaugural group of inductees. After all, Lee Petty was a two-time NASCAR champion and the progenitor of one of stock-car racing’s royal families. Son Richard, as deserving as anyone to be in NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, seemed genuinely embarrassed that he entered the hall before his dad.
Ned Jarrett has always been one of the sport’s jack of all trades. His driving skill was good enough to capture the checkered flag in 50 races, but he then went on to a multifaceted career that included work as a radio and TV commentator, race promoter and even track owner, and those pursuits were as important as his racing successes in qualifying him for the Hall.
Bud Moore’s primary fame also came off the racetrack. He was among the first super-mechanics, known for his uncanny ability to sense vehicle issues and make them right. The crew he led helped Buck Baker win the 1957 NASCAR championship, and, after a drought, he guided Joe Weatherly to consecutive championship seasons in 1962 and 1963.
Bobby Allison is generally regarded as a natural racing talent who could win a race in any kind of car, at any time and on any surface. Before his career was over, he captured the checkered flag in 84 NASCAR premier series races -- third on the list all-time. But it was his unique ability to win -- no matter the circumstances -- that really set him apart. Consider the fact that he won races for 13 different owners and in seven brands of automobiles, and you’ll grasp what we mean.
David Pearson’s reputation was, in many ways, similar to Allison’s. Namely he was a born driver who could win with just about anything. Pearson was NASCAR champion three times -- 1966, 1968 and 1969 -- yet even in those championship years he never ran the full NASCAR schedule. Such was his talent that he won more than 18 percent of the 574 NASCAR races he competed in, and his 105 victories place him second on the all-time list.
Since Memorial Day is a time of looking back, we feel it is the perfect time to reflect upon the careers of these Hall of Famers. What they accomplished for the sport will never be duplicated.
