In a room filled with the some of the biggest names in NASCAR, four powerhouses of the sport were inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.

As greats, and fellow NMPA Hall of Fame Members, including Bobby Allison, Leonard Wood, Harry Gant, Rex White, “Humpy” Wheeler, and Ned Jarrett looked on, Robert Yates, Roger Penske, Jack Roush and Rusty Wallace became members of an elite group of people who have been recognized by the sport’s journalists since the 1960’s.

Members of the press vote each year on the nominees for this great honor and this year’s class was no short of extraordinary.

Roger Penske has 22 national championships to his name in various types of racing including IndyCar.

Jack Roush has two NASCAR Sprint Cup championships and 116 victories in the premier division of the sport.

Robert Yates is a world-renowned engine builder and he has won the Daytona 500 three times as a car owner.

Rusty Wallace has 55 wins and one Cup championship to his name as a driver and, since his retirement from behind the wheel, has become an accomplished broadcaster and car owner.

These short descriptions just begin to touch on the accomplishments and greatness of these men.

Last night, as each of them took the stage, the humble pride each amazing man showed at being awarded such an honor was evident in every word, every wonderful story and every smile during their speeches.

‘I’m just so glad to be here tonight. This is amazing,” Wallace said. “I want to thank everybody for recognizing me and getting in this special hall. This is very very important to me. This is, I think since I retired in 2005, this is one of the big awards that I’ve received and it just feels really, really cool.”

“Thank you press for voting for me. I was actually a little shocked about that, I didn’t think I was making myself available. I pretty much worked on the car all the time,” Yates said. “But, I’ll tell ya, if you ever wrote a story about me I read that thing so many timed.”

“I was amazed just like you (Yates) were when they called me and said I had this great opportunity,” Penske said. “For me to be here tonight is certainly special.”

“I’m really honored to share the stage with so many great folks that have contributed so much to this sport and made the industry what it is,” Roush said. “I look forward to being in your Hall of Fame and to do what I can to tell the story to the next generation about stock car racing so that we can get the next generation of fans in to keep this thing moving. Thank you for your invitation to your Hall of Fame and your induction to that and I am humbled to be with the guys being inducted today and I look forward to joining everyone that’s already there.”

The NMPA Hall of Fame has welcomed four amazing, truly deserving men into its membership. 

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