Kurt Busch, Harry Gant and Ray Hendrick selected to 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame class

CHARLOTTE — Former Cup champion Kurt Busch headlines the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame class that was selected Tuesday.

Busch and Harry Gant were selected on the Modern Era ballot. Modified racer Ray Hendrick was selected on the Pioneer Era ballot. Track promoter Humpy Wheeler was selected as the Landmark Award winner.

Busch and Gant each received 61% of the votes on the Moderan Era ballot. Jeff Burton finished third, followed by Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton.

Hendrick received 31% of the votes on the Pioneer Era Ballot. Bob Welborn finished second.

There were 49 ballots. Forty-eight voters and the NASCAR.com fan vote.

The NASCAR.com fan vote had Ray Hendrick from the Pioneer Era and Kurt Busch and Harry Gant from the Modern Era.

Busch, Gant and Hendrick — who will be inducted Jan. 23, 2026 — will join 67 others in the NASCAR Hall of Fame and represent the Hall’s 16th class.

The mercurial Busch was known as much for his success as his temper. He competed in Cup from 2000-22. Busch won at least one race 10 consecutive years. He had a streak of nine consecutive seasons with at least a victory when he was forced out of the car due to a concussion he suffered in a crash at Pocono in July 2022.

Busch scored 34 career victories, including the 2010 Coca-Cola 600 and 2017 Daytona 500.

He had memorable run-ins with Jimmy Spencer, NASCAR officials and media during his career, adding to his reputation as a fiery competitor.

This was the first year on the ballot for the 46-year-old Busch.

This was the sixth year on the ballot for the 85-year old Gant. He won 18 races, including two Southern 500s and was known as “Mr. September” for winning four consecutive Cup races in 1991.

Gant finished third in balloting for the Class of 2025, a class that had Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards.