The NASCAR Hall of Fame unveiled the ballot for its Class of 2023 on Monday, adding four new names to form the list of 15 nominees.
Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup Series champion and a 39-time winner in NASCAR‘s top division, joined the list in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility. He joins legendary crew chief Tim Brewer, a two-time Cup Series champion, as a newcomer to the Modern Era Ballot.
Two more legends were added to the Pioneer Ballot — Sam Ard, an early star and champion in what is now called the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and A.J. Foyt, the 1972 Daytona 500 winner and a transcendent figure in the world of motorsports.
The quartet of new nominees helps to fill the void left by the induction of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Red Farmer and Mike Stefanik earlier this year. Ard was previously on the ballot in 2020; he was briefly omitted when voting procedures changed from five to three annual inductees, and the list of nominees was trimmed before the Class of 2021 vote. Crew chief Jake Elder, a first-time nominee in 2021, dropped from the list this year.
The Hall of Fame also revealed the list of five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR, adding Lesa France Kennedy — NASCAR‘s Executive Vice Chair — to the ballot.
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A panel of 62 voting members will meet to cast ballots for the 2023 Hall of Fame class next month, with one ballot to be added through fan voting on NASCAR.com. The reigning Cup Series champion has participated as part of the Voting Day panel each year since 2014. Because 2022 voting and induction procedures were canceled, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott — the last two Cup Series champions — will both participate in this year‘s Hall of Fame balloting.
— NASCAR.com —
