Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, and Donnie Allison have been announced as the trio of inductees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame's 2024 class, according to an official statement on Wednesday.
A panel of voters from the NASCAR Hall of Fame gathered at the Charlotte Convention Center for a closed-door, in-person session to deliberate and cast their votes on the 15 eligible nominees, including five under consideration for the Landmark Award.
The Modern Era Ballot, comprising 10 individuals, featured Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Larry Phillips, Ricky Rudd, Jimmie Johnson, and Chad Knaus. This ballot was determined by the traditional Nominating Committee.
Jimmie Johnson tweeted after the announcement:
"It is an incredible honor to be voted into the @NASCARHall with the Class of 2024. What makes this moment even more special is being inducted with @chadknaus, "We re-wrote the record books together, so it’s only fitting we are inducted together. Congratulations also to Donnie Allison for joining the Hall of Fame and Janet Guthrie on the Landmark Award. Joining the elite company of so many who have contributed to our sport is truly overwhelming and I am forever grateful"
Johnson, the seven-time Cup Series champion and co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, garnered an impressive 93% of the votes, with only four individuals omitting him from their ballots.
Chad Knaus, a crucial figure in all seven of Jimmie Johnson's championship victories and a current member of Hendrick Motorsports, secured 81% of the Modern Era ballot votes. Harry Gant, Ricky Rudd, and Carl Edwards followed in the subsequent positions.
Donnie Allison, an original member of the renowned 'Alabama Gang,' earned 53% of the Pioneer Ballot votes, with Banjo Matthews taking the runner-up spot.
All the other candidates on the list of NASCAR Hall of Fame 2024
Additional candidates included Sam Ard, AJ Foyt, and Ralph Moody. Janet Guthrie was named the recipient of the Landmark Award for her significant contributions to the sport.
Guthrie had a successful aerospace engineering career in the 1960s and became a full-time racer in 1972. A trailblazer in motorsports, she made history by becoming the first woman to compete in a premier series superspeedway event, finishing 15th in the 1976 World 600.
Guthrie further cemented her legacy by becoming the first woman to participate in both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. She achieved five top-10 finishes in premier series, with her best performance being sixth place at Bristol in 1977.
The induction ceremony for the NASCAR Hall of Fame's Class of 2024 is scheduled to take place at the Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, January 19, 2024.