Kurt Busch and Randy LaJoie headline NASCAR’s 2026 Hall of Fame ballot, but the continued absence of outlaw genius Smokey Yunick remains the biggest snub.

The Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 featured racers Carl Edwards and Ricky Rudd from its Modern Era Ballot and team owner Ralph Moody from the Pioneer Ballot. The format demands that the panel select two from the Modern Ballot and one from the list of Pioneers. It's going to be a difficult decision, as you can see by the the 15 names below:

Wheeler is up against Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman and a key figure in establishing NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium, executive vice chair Lesa France Kennedy, Pocono Raceway founder Dr. Joseph Mattioli and former West Coast executive Les Richter for the Landmark Award.