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NASCAR’s First Hall of Fame Class Gets all A’s

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Charlie likes to call me an "idiot". I'm not an "idiot"; I just prefer not to let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

October 15, 2009 1:20 am CDT No Comments

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NASCAR’s first Hall of Fame class has been announced.

There were no surprises. It would be impossible to find fault with any of the picks. The Bill France’s, Senior and Junior were included along with Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Dale Earnhardt. All are deserving to be in The Hall. But were they the best choices as the inaugural class?

Big Bill France was a shoo-in; after all with out his vision and tenacity the rest would be irrelevant. Big Bill organized a bunch of rouge drivers and track owners and made a respectable show with them. No longer would drivers have to worry whether the track owner would be heading out the pit gate with the receipts two laps before the end of the feature.

Richard Petty was and is the most recognizable name and face in NASCAR. No one will ever come close to his two-hundred career wins. Yes, it was a different era; racing two or three nights a week. But that makes the feat even more impressive. The track variety in Petty’s early years proves his versatility.

Junior Johnson was the face of NASCAR in its earliest days. He was the true NASCAR pioneer; moving from the back roads with moonshine in his trunk to a true race car driver. Johnson’s wins as a driver and then as a car owner and crew chief makes his entry into the Hall of Fame a no-brainer.

Bill France, Jr. was instrumental in bringing the sport into the modern era. The pull out of manufacturer support in the early seventies could have put the sport into a tail spin that it may have never recovered from, but Junior was instrumental in bringing in a title sponsor and moving the sport into the television era.

The inductee with the most fan support is Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt’s championships and his fan polarization made him a natural to be inducted into the first class of the Hall.

Cases could be made for others to have been in the first class, but it is impossible to find fault with this group. The next five classes of five each will be pretty easy to fill as well. Just look at the drivers who were in the sweet sixteen of ON PIT ROW’s 64 Greatest Driver Tournament to see the best of the best. Add in the off track contributors and there is no dearth of candidates to fill the classes to come.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media Inc.

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, NASCAR Hall of Fame, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, The King

Tagged with: Bill France Jr, Bill France Sr, Dale Earnhardt, Junior Jounson, Richard Petty

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Dale Earnhardt Edges David Pearson: NASCAR’s 64 Greatest Drivers Tourney

by Charlie Turner

I'm Charlie Turner co-host of the syndicated, mostly NASCAR radio show On Pit Row. Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Oh yeah, Steve is an idiot. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

June 24, 2009 1:02 pm CDT 4 Comments

It’s Earnhardt at the flag!

After over 60 head-to-head match ups between 64 of NASCAR’s Greatest All-time drivers, the votes are in. In hundreds of blog comments, Twitter tweets and radio interviews, On Pit Row’s listeners and readers narrowly chose Dale Earnhardt as the winner of our 64 Greatest Drivers of NASCAR Tournament at Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie.

Earnhardt’s supporters gave him victories over Bobby Isaac, Rex White, Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson leading up to the Four Wide Final.

There, The Intimidator’s fans voted him over Darrell Waltrip and finally, David Pearson to win the tourney.

Here is a sample of some of the comments we got from voters in the final face-off between Earnhardt and Pearson.

…Pearson was untouchable at Charlotte and Darlington, Earnhardt the best at Talladega. Had Pearson run full schedules his entire career, who knows how many titles he would have won? Bottom line, though, in a head-to-head race in comparable equipment at almost any track, I’d pick Pearson–unless Earnhardt wrecked him. - Reid Spencer

my vote is for the 7 time champ - Steve1381

For me it has to be a split decision. Dale Earnhardt Sr. gets my vote for charisma, showmanship and heart. While David Pearson for mechanical driving skill, determination and heart.Dream season would have been to have the two on the track at the same time! Now that would have put the butts in the seat. - Zoey

It’s always difficult to compare great drivers who raced in different eras under different circumstances. Are we guaging talent…or impact on the sport? I don’t think there is really a balanced way to compare talent between these two since they didn’t compete. But, in my opinion, Earnhardt’s personal accomplishments and impact on the sport were greater than Pearson’s. - Jeff Gilder

DALE EARNHARDT ALL THE WAY. - donnie lee redd jr.

Dale Earnhardt all the way. Dale is arguably the most talented driver in Nascar history. Seven championships in first sixteen seasons is remarkable. He also started at a much later age than drivers today. Second is point standings at age 49 remarkable achievement. - Dave Watson

Here’s the complete bracket for the tournament. Thanks to everyone.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media Inc

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt, Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, Nascar Legends

Tagged with: Bobby Isaac, Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson, Junior Johnson, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, Ned Jarrett, Rex White

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We Get By with a Little Help from our Friends

by Charlie Turner

June 7, 2009 11:43 am CDT 1 Comment

Everybody likes free stuff right?

We couldn’t do what we do with the On Pit Row radio show or OnPitRow.com without a whole bunch free contributions from our friends. So it’s shout out time for me.

But first a couple of opportunities for free swag for you, kind reader.

One of my favorite blogs is NASCAR-ista. It’s a terrific blog and she’s got a contest going. Here’s the deal. Just send NASCAR-ista a picture of the dream car YOU would buy if you were Tony Stewart, with a brief note about why this is THE car for you and you’ll be entered to win one of two Armor All Prize Packs. Free stuff!

If you’d like a shot to be On Pit Row’s Shell Nitrogen Enriched Call of the Day, just call us On Pit Row any Tuesday from 5 to 7 PM ET and talk NASCAR with us. It’s that simple. And you win more free stuff! Here’s the number - 800-645-2946. It’s really easy to remember. Here’s how;

800 - it’s an “old-school” free call, hence the 800 prefix
6 - David Ragan. Duh.
45 - Kyle Petty - “old -school” no. 45
29 - Kevin Harvick - hell this thing is sponsored by Shell Gasolines!
46 - This one’s a little tougher, maybe. It’s Matt Carter from ARCA in 2008. Hey Matt’s cool!

OK, now for the thanks part. I’m gonna miss some, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t notice.

Everyone who voted in the 64 Greatest NASCAR Drivers tourney. The response has blown us away.
Specifically those folks we put on the spot on the radio show. I know some were uncomfortable - right Patrick Donahue? - but a few really got into it. Like Geoffrey Bodine and James Hylton.
And I can’t forget Dustin Long. Dustin was on his honeymoon and still sent us a message on Twitter that he’d vote when he got back. Too much.
Our writers and contributors - new and veteran - here at OnPitRow. It’s a great site and show and it’s because them.
Bruce’s NASCAR Bits
Tall Glass of Milk
DieCast Dude
Full Throttle Marc
Darren Fauth of OneBadWheel
Everybody who has help us promote our One and Done free NASCAR fantasy game. See - more free stuff.

I have to stop. It’s almost race-time. Enjoy the day.

Photo credit: Round Girl Jen by BethAnne Heisler

Filed under: NASCAR, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing, Pocono Raceway, Tony Stewart

Tagged with: Geoffrey Bodine, James Hylton, NASCAR contests, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing, Shell Gasolines, Tony Stewart

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Dale Earnhardt vs David Pearson: Who Wins NASCAR’s 64 Greatest Final Lap?

by Charlie Turner

May 31, 2009 10:40 am CDT 49 Comments

We’ve come a long way from the first brackets in the NASCAR 64 Greatest Drivers Tournament at Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie. The whole thing probably stretched out a bit too long. But we got here. And “here” in this case is a last lap, green-white-checker finish between The Silver Fox and the Intimidator.

Dale Earnhardt won 76 times in 676 Cup Series starts and was one of only two seven time series champions. His win total is seventh best all-time. He won consecutive titles three different times and was a series runner-up three times. Earnhardt only won the Daytona 500 once - in ‘98 - but is the all-time leader in wins at Daytona International Speedway with 34. It was said that Earnhardt could “see the air” when he raced at the restrictor plate tracks at Daytona and Talladega. I don’t know about all that. But he sure saw the checkered flag plain enough at those two tracks.

Read a couple comments from Senior fans below.

Dale Earnhardt all the way. Dale is the only driver who went from rookie of the year to champion in consecutive seasons. In his second season Dale led the point standings all year long, except the first race when he finished second. His percentage of 1.02 average finish in one season (1980) is the best ever. - Gary Redd

Dale Senior by far. Regarding wrecks, Dale has the lowest DNF percentage by a driver with over 500 starts. Junior (Johnson) had over two and a half times more DNF’s than Dale and many more wrecks than Dale. Well over half of Dale’s DNF’s were engine failures not wrecks. You have to be running at the finish to win championship’s and Dale it seven times, Junior Zero. - Ben Shirley

David Pearson is second on the all-time Cup Series victory list with 105 and is a three time Winston Cup champ. He won the ‘76 Daytona 500, set a record for super speedway qualifying by winning 11 straight poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In ‘73, Pearson won 11 of the 18 Cup races that he entered. He did all this while rarely entering as many races as his contemporaries. Pearson missed alot of races. According to The Blount Report, NASCAR’s Most Overated & Underrated, The Fox raced is 75 percent of the races in only four seasons in his career. Pearson won the championship three of those years and finished third in the other.

Here are a couple of typical comments from Pearson fans.

I’m picking David Pearson for the upset, because from the old racing I’ve watched and old stories I’ve read and heard, he had more talent than Petty. Half the wins of Petty + running half the time = as good if not better than The King. I’m sending Pearson to the finals. - Matt Mercer

Had Pearson run a full schedule his entire career, he’d have won more championships than The King. Jeff Gordon, while probably one of the best of the current breed of drivers, doesn’t hold a candle to the Silver Fox. Under the current rules and schedule, Jeff won’t match his record. - themadman

To get to the Final Lap of the Tourney, Pearson’s fans voted him over the likes of Jeff Gordon and the King himself, Richard Petty. Earnhardt fans rallied after a close, first round match up with Bobby Isaac to sweep past Junior Johnson and then Darrell Waltrip in the Four Wide Final.

Dale Earnhardt against David Pearson - slamming doors and grinning all the while. That’s how I see this head-to-head battle in the final. Two of the Greatest NASCAR Drivers ever. We’ve had celebrities like Bobby Labonte, Geoffrey Bodine, Dave Despain and Dustin Long all vote in this thing. But we want to know who YOU think should win. Who will you choose? Please leave your comments.

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, Nascar Legends, The King, The Pettys, The Waltrips

Tagged with: Charlotte Motor Speedway, David Pearson, Junior Johnson, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, NASCAR's Most Overated & Underrated, Richard Petty, The Blount Report, Winston Cup

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Richard Petty vs David Pearson: 4 Wide in the 64 Greatest of NASCAR

by Charlie Turner

May 8, 2009 11:52 am CDT 13 Comments

The two drivers with the most wins in NASCAR Cup series competition go head to head in the NASCAR 64 Greatest Drivers Tournament at Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie. One had 105 wins. The other won 95 more than that! From ‘63 to ‘77, they finished in the top two spots 63 times with the Silver Fox winning 33 to 30 victories by the King. This isn’t that easy you know?

Richard Petty. Maybe I’ll just stop there. I mean, he IS called the King. But I can’t, I have a contract. 200 Cup wins, seven Winston Cup championships and 123 poles. All records. So are the seven Daytona 500 victories, 10 consecutive wins and 27 wins in a single season. And he looks fabulous in a cowboy hat. Petty’s 200 wins have been down-graded by some recently. He did have more opportunities per year early on, than the modern era allows. But he still won ‘em and you didn’t.

David Pearson is second on the all-time Cup Series victory list with 105 and is a three timeWinston Cup champ. He won the ‘76 Daytona 500, set a record for super speedway qualifying by winning 11 straight poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In ‘73, Pearson won 11 of the 18 Cup races that he entered. He did all this while rarely entering as many races as his contemporaries. Pearson missed alot of races. According to The Blount Report, NASCAR’s Most Overated & Underrated, The Fox raced is 75 percent of the races in only four seasons in his career. Pearson won the championship three of those years and finished third in the other.

Pearson survived an On Pit Radio region match up with perhaps today’s best - Jeff Gordon in the last round. Richard Petty had to go up against an old nemesis - Bobby Allison - to get out of the Fast Lap bracket. Make no mistake though. This is the toughest test yet for these two. Tell us what you think in the comment section.

Filed under: Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Jeff Gordon, NASCAR, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, Nascar Legends, The King, The Pettys

Tagged with: Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Final 4, Final Four, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, Richard Petty

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Darrell Waltrip vs Dale Earnhardt: 4 Wide in the 64 Greatest of NASCAR

by Charlie Turner

May 7, 2009 8:47 am CDT 17 Comments

One of two seven-time Winston Cup Series champions against a driver with three titles and even more wins. Both of these guys were known for doing whatever it took to win. They wrecked each other a few notable times and have been on a collision course to this confrontation from the very beginning of the NASCAR 64 Greatest Drivers Tournament at Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie.

Darrell Waltrip is a three-time Winston Cup Series champion - ‘81, ‘82 and ‘85. In the 61 races run during ‘81 and ‘82, he won 24 times. Waltrip finished with 84 Cup victories ( tied for 3rd all-time) in 809 starts and qualified on the pole 59 times. With 390 top ten finishes, DW was top ten in nearly half of the races he started. And he made boogity, boogity, boogity - and lately a race rat named Digger - famous. Or infamous.

Dale Earnhardt won 76 times in 676 Cup Series starts and was one of only two seven time series champions. His win total is seventh best all-time. He won consecutive titles three different times and was a series runner-up three times. Earnhardt only won the Daytona 500 once - in ‘98 - but is the all-time leader in wins at Daytona International Speedway with 34. It was said that Earnhardt could “see the air” when he raced at the restrictor plate tracks at Daytona and Talladega. I don’t know about all that. But he sure saw the checkered flag plain enough at those two tracks.

Waltrip edged Tim Flock in the One and Done bracket to get to the Four Wide Final. Earnhardt easily beat Junior Johnson to come out of the Bench Racing region. We’ve asked a bunch of our radio guests On Pit Row to give us their picks throughout this little tournament. Inevitably, they ask what criteria they’re supposed to use. We always tell them to use whatever basis they wish, for deciding who should win. We’d like you to do the same in the comment section.

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Darrell Waltrip, Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Jeff Gordon, NASCAR, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, Nascar Legends, The Waltrips

Tagged with: boogity boogity boogity, Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson, NASCAR 64 Greatest Driver Tourney, NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, Tim Flock, Winston Cup

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