Busch, 47, who won the first Cup Chase in 2004, was selected in his first year of eligibility by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel last May.
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Busch spoke about his early days driving midget cars in his home state of Nevada and his rapid acceleration to the Cup Series after bypassing what was then known as the Busch Series due to his talent.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Busch said. “It’s a trip that this blue-collar kid from (Las) Vegas never expected. All these trips back in time talking to everyone and the different teams I was on, all the great racers I competed against. It’s been an incredible journey.”
Nicknamed “The Outlaw,” Busch was known for his fiery temper and often found himself at the center of controversy.
He won his only Cup championship at age 26 in his fourth year on the circuit. It was the first championship held under the 10-race Chase format, and it came in spectacular fashion.
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Busch’s right front tire came loose from his No. 97 Roush Racing Ford and rolled to the right of the pit wall while turning left of the barrier. He managed to finish fifth and won the title.
“There was a strange vibration in the right front,” Busch said in a video he posted on social media before his induction. “It was going down the driveway and it started to vibrate badly, like it was falling apart. Something is coming down.
“It broke right there. I know I’m gutted and I’m thinking, ‘My day is over.’ Something took my left foot off the brake pedal to allow the left front tire to gain a little spin and stay away from the barrels and the embarrassment of hitting the end of the pit wall.”
Busch won 43 races in NASCAR’s three national series, including 34 at the Cup level. He won the 2017 Daytona 500 and retired in 2023 after suffering a concussion following a crash at Pocono.
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Busch was also one of the few drivers who attempted to run “twice as much.” He finished sixth in the 2014 Indianapolis 500 before flying to Charlotte Motor Speedway to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 the same day.
His younger brother, Kyle Busch, introduced him to the Hall and said he was immensely proud.
“This award is about resilience and heart and Kurt earned it all,” Kyle Busch said.
During his acceptance speech, Kurt Busch paid tribute to Greg Biffle, who died in a plane crash along with his wife and two children in December. Busch said the two were like “peanut butter and jelly” on the track.
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“You’ll always be the Biff,” Busch said. “Everyone should be like Biff.”
Gant, 86, known as “The Bandit,” joined Busch as an All-Modern Era selection in his seventh year of eligibility.
“I was hoping to get here sooner or later,” Gant joked.
Gant reached the end of his career. The Taylorsville, North Carolina native had 18 wins, five of them including four consecutive wins at Darlington, Richmond, Dover and Martinsville after turning 51.
“I’ve been able to take a car and make it win,” Gant said. “I’ve had several cars. To make a car that becomes a winner, it’s like a person: then it becomes your best friend. Not your wife, but your best friend.”
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Gant also won 21 races in the O’Reilly Series, captured the IROC Series title in 1985 and finished second to NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip in the inaugural All-Star Race.
Hendrick, known as “Mr. Modified,” racked up more than 700 victories in late model and modified sportsman races from 1950 to 1988. He was chosen from a group of five Pioneer Ballot nominees.
Although he never won a modified championship, Hendrick finished in the top 10 nine times between 1960 and 1969.
“He was almost unbeatable on short tracks,” said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, who is no relation to Ray Hendrick but worked on Ray’s cars as a teenager.
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Hendrick’s son, Ronnie, accepted the award in honor of his father, who died in 1990.
“If my dad was here tonight, it would be a great honor to be recognized along with so many other great drivers,” Ronnie Hendrick said.
Track promoter HA Wheeler was honored with the Landmark Award for his contributions to the sport.
Wheeler, the longtime president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, became known for his over-the-top promotional events, including a staged battle on the field with the giant “Robosaurus” breathing fire and devouring cars during pre-race ceremonies.
Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith called him “the PT Barnum of motorsports.”
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Wheeler died last August at age 86.
Roush honored again
NASCAR presented team owner and motorsports innovator Jack Roush with the Bill France Award of Excellence this week, making him the first two-time winner of what is considered the sport’s most prestigious award. He was recognized for his decades-long impact on the sport and his commitment to competition, innovation and leadership.
He also won the award in 2001.
“For decades, Jack Roush has helped advance NASCAR while staying true to what makes the sport special,” said NASCAR President and CEO Jim France. “He has built championship-caliber teams and developed generations of drivers and leaders.”
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