NASCAR Hall of Fame facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
NASCAR Hall of Fame

Logo before the 2017 rebrand
NASCAR Hall of Fame entrance
Location	400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Charlotte, North Carolina
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 museum and Hall of Fame located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It celebrates the history of NASCAR and honors the amazing people who have made the sport what it is today. This includes skilled drivers, top crew chiefs, team owners, broadcasters, and other important contributors to NASCAR racing.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame: A Look Inside

The NASCAR Hall of Fame is a fantastic place to learn about the sport. It has many cool exhibits and interactive displays.

What You Can See and Do

The building has several floors, each with exciting things to explore:

• First Floor:
  • High Octane Theater – This is a movie theater 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 super cool ramp that looks like a race track! It's angled at 33 degrees, just like the Talladega Superspeedway. You can see 18 different race cars here, and it celebrates 46 past and current race tracks.
  • The Great Hall – This area is like the main gathering spot. It has a huge video screen and features different exhibits that change over time.
  • "Studio 43" – Named after Richard Petty's famous car number, this studio is used for TV shows and other productions.
• Third Floor:
  • Hall of Honor – This is the heart of the Hall of Fame. It has a 360-degree wall where all the honored members are celebrated. Each person has their own special exhibit.
  • Transporter and Racecar Simulators – Ever wanted to drive a race car or a big transporter? Here, you can try out simulators that make you feel like you're really on the track!
  • 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 inspections, practice, qualifying, and the big race itself.
• Fourth Floor:
  • Heritage Speedway – This section explores the entire history of NASCAR, going back seven decades. It has glass cases filled with historic items from stock car racing.

You can also find a gift shop to buy souvenirs, the Hall of Fame Café for a snack, and a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant right there.

Building the Hall of Fame

NASCAR decided to build a Hall of Fame to celebrate its rich history. On March 6, 2006, the city of Charlotte, North Carolina was chosen as the perfect spot.

How It Was Built

Construction for the Hall of Fame began on January 26, 2007. It cost about $160 million to build. The doors officially opened to the public on May 11, 2010. The very first group of people was inducted into the Hall of Fame the day after the 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

The City of Charlotte owns the NASCAR Hall of Fame building. However, it is managed by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. Famous architects, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, helped design the building.

An interesting fact is that Richard Petty and Dale Inman helped reveal the very first item displayed at the Hall of Fame. It was the Plymouth Belvedere car that Petty drove to win 27 races in 1967!

Why Charlotte Was Chosen

Charlotte was a top choice for the Hall of Fame because stock car racing has deep roots in North Carolina. Many famous drivers come from this area. Also, a large number of NASCAR offices and racing teams are located nearby. This area is sometimes called "NASCAR Valley" because over 73% of motorsports employees in the United States work here. The Hall of Fame is in Uptown Charlotte, not far from Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The slogans used for the Hall of Fame show how important racing is to Charlotte. One slogan was "Racing Was Built Here. Racing Belongs Here." The current slogan is, "This is our sport. This is our house."

Who Gets Into the Hall of Fame?

Being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a huge honor. It means you've made a big impact on the sport.

Rules for Being Chosen

• Drivers: To be considered, drivers 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, this three-year rule can be waived for drivers who raced for 30 or more years or are 55 years old or older.
• Non-Drivers: People who weren't drivers, like owners or crew chiefs, must have been involved in the sport for at least 10 years. Sometimes, people with shorter careers can be considered if they had a very special impact.

How People Are Selected

A special committee chooses who gets nominated for the Hall of Fame. As of 2025, 15 nominees are chosen for the "Modern Era" and five for the "Pioneer Era."

After the nominations, a group of 65 people vote. This group includes NASCAR representatives, media members, track owners, and all living members of the Hall of Fame. Fans also get to cast a vote! From these votes, two people are chosen for the Modern Era and one for the Pioneer Era to be inducted.

Hall of Honor, where the inductees are enshrined

Hall of Fame Members

As of the class of 2025, 67 people have been inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Many were inducted for their driving skills, while others were honored for their roles as team owners, crew chiefs, or promoters of the sport.

Recent Nominees

Here are some of the people who have been nominated multiple times for the Hall of Fame:

Images for kids

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  Photo taken from the CATS Stonewall Station (May 2009)

See also

In Spanish: Salón de la Fama de NASCAR para niños