They had to start somewhere. What are they going to do, put in 30 guys in the first year? I agree Ernie, there should be more categories and take 5 from each. I would like to see categories like Drivers, Builders or Pioneers, Crew Chiefs, Team Owners, Track Owners(ones who shaped modern racing) and Announcers/TV. Or they could be like the Hockey HOF where everyone gets in.
I'm quite certain that the hall of fame consists of more than the actual hall of fame inductee displays. This thing is supposed to be state of the art and highly interactive...so I don't think there's any lack of stuff to see when you go there.
And I'd have elected 10 for the first year. So many other guys also deserved to be in the first class.
Agreed however, there should probably be categories, although it should be simple. I'd have one for competitors: car owners/drivers/mechanics/crew chiefs etc, and one for everyone else: track owners/promoters/broadcasters/journalists etc.
Not sure what I'd call the second category.
I don't get how they can say somebody has 33 "Sprint" cup wins when sprint probably wasn't around when they won races.. an example is "fireball" Roberts he hasn't raced in what at least 20 years(might be wrong).. why don't they put cup wins or nascar wins..
KCBC. I ask that same question and I don't know why it strikes a nerve when they say that. Winston is how I remember it and I could care less what they say.
Fireball and others that raced back then were Winston Cup race winners or champions. I don't think it is against the law to say Winston on TV because they are a cigarette's company. it's not like the announcers are smoking and saying Jeff Gordon was a Winston Cup Champion and by the way smoke Winstons.
If it wasn't for Winstons I don't think Nascar would be as big as it is today.
If it wasn't for Winstons I don't think Nascar would be as big as it is today.
It for sure would not be. If you read anything by anyone that was around in the era, they'll tell you the same thing: Bill France bagging Winston as a major sponsor was instrumental in bringing NASCAR to the masses. King Richard was Petty's autobiography written when he was still behind the wheel - he wrote quite extensively of it.
But business is business too. I think the logic would be that Winston is no longer paying for naming rights. (I don't agree necessarily, but that would be why they don't use it.)
As for how they should refer to championships won back then, I have no real opinion one way or the other. Admittedly saying that Richard Petty won the Sprint Cup Championship in 1967 sounds wrong for sure. Back then it was called Grand National, which refers now to the Nationwide series. NASCAR Cup sounds OK, but there are a lot of NASCAR divisions too. Just "Cup" sounds stupid. I don't really have an answer.