NASCAR Hall of Fame facts for kids
Logo before the 2017 rebrand
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NASCAR Hall of Fame entrance
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| Location | 400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Charlotte, North Carolina |
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| Public transit |  3rd Street/CC |
| Owner | City of Charlotte |
| Operator | Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 2007 |
| Opened | May 11, 2010 |
| Construction cost | US $160 million |
| Architect | Pei Cobb Freed & Partners |
The NASCAR Hall of Fame is a special place in Charlotte, North Carolina. It celebrates the best drivers, crew chiefs, owners, and others who have made a big difference in NASCAR racing. It's like a museum that honors the heroes of the sport.
Contents
History of the Hall of Fame
NASCAR decided to build a Hall of Fame to honor its legends. On March 6, 2006, the city of Charlotte was chosen as the perfect spot. Building the Hall of Fame cost about $160 million.
Work on the building started on January 26, 2007. It officially opened its doors on May 11, 2010. The first group of racing heroes was welcomed into the Hall of Fame the very next day.
Next to the Hall of Fame, a 20-story office building called NASCAR Plaza also opened. This building holds offices for the Hall of Fame and other NASCAR-related businesses. One cool artifact on display is the Plymouth Belvedere car. Racing legend Richard Petty drove this car to win 27 races in 1967!
The City of Charlotte owns the NASCAR Hall of Fame building. However, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority runs it every day. Famous architects like Pei Cobb Freed & Partners helped design this amazing building.
Choosing the Location
Many people thought Charlotte was the best place for the Hall of Fame. This is because stock car racing has deep roots in North Carolina. Also, many famous drivers come from this area. A lot of NASCAR offices and racing teams are located here. This area is sometimes called "NASCAR Valley."
The Hall of Fame is in Uptown Charlotte. It's only about 25 minutes south of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Important people like NASCAR car owner Rick Hendrick and then-Mayor Pat McCrory helped bring the Hall of Fame to Charlotte.
Inside the Hall of Fame Building
The NASCAR Hall of Fame has many exciting areas for visitors to explore:
- First Floor:
- High Octane Theater – This is a movie room where you can watch videos about NASCAR. It's a great way to start your visit!
- Second Floor:
- Ceremonial Plaza – An outdoor area with a big video screen.
- Glory Road – This is a cool ramp that looks like a real racetrack. It's tilted at 33 degrees, just like Talladega Superspeedway! You can see 18 different race cars here. It also celebrates 46 different racetracks.
- The Great Hall – This area is like the main square of the Hall. It has a huge video screen and shows different exhibits that change over time.
- "Studio 43" – This studio is named after Richard Petty's famous car number, 43. It's used for making TV shows about NASCAR.
- Third Floor:
- Hall of Honor – This is the heart of the building. It has a 360-degree wall that honors all the people who have been inducted. Each person has their own special display.
- Transporter and Racecar Simulators – Here, you can try out racing simulators. It feels like you're driving a real race car!
- Inside NASCAR – This exhibit shows you what a week is like for a NASCAR team. You can see everything from getting ready for a race to the actual competition.
- Fourth Floor:
- Heritage Speedway – This floor tells the story of NASCAR's seven-decade history. It has a glass area filled with old and important items from stock car racing.
The Hall of Fame also has a gift shop and a cafe. There's even a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant right there!
Other Cities Considered
Before Charlotte was chosen, other cities wanted to host the Hall of Fame. The main other cities that were considered were Atlanta and Daytona Beach. Some other places, like Alabama and Michigan, also thought about bidding. However, Charlotte was ultimately picked as the best home for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
How People Get Into the Hall of Fame
Getting into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a big honor. There are special rules for who can be chosen.
Who Can Be Nominated?
- Drivers: They must have raced in NASCAR for at least 10 years. They also need to have been retired from racing for at least three years. However, if a driver raced for 30 or more years, or is 55 years old, they don't have to wait three years after retiring. This rule applies to all NASCAR races, not just the top series.
- Non-drivers: People like crew chiefs or owners must have been involved in NASCAR for at least 10 years. Sometimes, people with shorter careers can be considered if they did something very special.
How Are People Chosen?
First, a special group called the nominating committee picks a list of people who could be inducted. This committee includes NASCAR leaders, the Hall of Fame director, and historians. It also includes owners of different racetracks.
After the nominees are chosen, a larger group votes. This voting committee includes the nominating committee members. It also has many media reporters, representatives from car companies like Chevrolet and Ford, and retired drivers, owners, and crew chiefs. The current NASCAR Cup Series champion also gets to vote. Finally, fans can vote online, and their votes count as one ballot!
Inductees
So far, 61 people have been welcomed into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Many of them were famous drivers. Others were honored for their work as owners, promoters, or crew chiefs.
See also
In Spanish: Salón de la Fama de NASCAR para niños
