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.

As the engines cool from the 2025 Hall of Fame celebrations, NASCAR has now turned to a new ballot filled with fresh faces, but familiar heroes, and a few long-overdue nods. The post NASCAR Hall of Fame 2026: Who Are the Nominees for the HoF Induction?

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: