Among several major changes to the selection process for the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be the inclusion of the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion on the voting panel.
“At Champion’s Week in Las Vegas, NASCAR will announce a number of different, significant changes to the Hall of Fame selection process and eligibility,” NASCAR Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Brett Jewkes said Thursday. “There is one that we want to announce today, because it’s relevant to the proceedings we’ll have on Sunday afternoon.
“As we meet to select the 2015 Hall of Fame class this May, NASCAR will become the first major sport to include a current competitor on the voting panel.”
All three championship contenders liked the idea.
“I think any time anybody asks your opinion and actually listens to it, that’s always neat,” Matt Kenseth, the 2003 champion, said.
“Quickly thinking about it,” added five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, “I think it will help ingrain the current champion into the past and understand more about the history of the sport, the people that came before us.
“I think it’s a cool opportunity for whoever the champion is.”
