Who were the first Hall of Famers in NASCAR's 76-year history? Exploring the honorary induction of the stock car racing greats

Getting inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is perhaps the ultimate dream of every NASCAR driver. When former racecar driver Carl Edwards got the news of his induction in 2025, he didn't believe it at first. Later, he called it a 'huge deal' and 'much bigger than (he) ever expected.' With that said, let's take a look at the very first NASCAR Hall of Famers.

The first class of inductees to the prestigious NASCAR Hall of Fame were legendary racer Junior Johnson, seven-time Cup Series champions Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, and the father-son duo responsible for the rise of the sport to where it is today; Bill France Sr. and Bill France Jr.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame building is located in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. The five-acre state-of-the-art facility, which opened in May 2010 and is licensed by NASCAR, is currently owned by the city of Charlotte.

Jimmie Johnson, who won 83 races and seven Cup Series championships, was inducted into the honorary Class of 2024. He was also named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023 and is the co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, a three-car team that operates in the Cup Series.

Jimmie Johnson addresses the audience at the 2024 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Source: Imagn

The nominees for the Class of 2025 are Greg Biffle, Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Randy Dorton, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Jack Sprague, Ray Hendrick, Banjo Matthews, Larry Philips, Bob Welborn, Carl Edwards, Ricky Rudd, and Ralph Moody.

Among these 15 NASCAR dignitaries, Edwards, Rudd, and Moody have already been elected. The induction ceremony will take place on February 7, 2025.

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Carl Edwards reacts after getting the news of his NASCAR Hall of Fame election

Carl Edwards during a press conference at Joe Gibbs Racing headquarters. (Source: Imagn)

Carl Edwards was on a plane with his wife, Katherine Downey when the news arrived. The day was May 21, 2024, and it was Katherine who got the news first. Right after landing, she asked her husband to check his phone.

Edwards did what he was told, and couldn't believe what he was seeing. Days later, he appeared in an interview, where he recalled his initial reaction to the news. By then, he had embraced the fact that he was indeed going to be conferred the most prestigious award in NASCAR; the title of Hall of Famer.

"I called Randy Fuller (former Roush Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing senior media relations manager), and I was just blown away. I knew Randy wouldn’t mess with me like that. I was shocked, and I still am at how much it means to me. I wasn’t expecting to feel this way. It’s very humbling," Edwards said (via NASCAR).

Edwards won 72 races throughout his career across all three tiers of racing in NASCAR. Although he never won a championship, he gave Tony Stewart a solid run for his money during the 2011 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. That year and earlier in 2008, he ended up second on points, the only times he came that close to winning the title.