David Pearson is the frontrunner for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame next May as the class of 2011 was decided through a combination of committee votes and public ballot.
The class of 2011inductees will include drivers David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Lee Petty and Bud Moore, who is a longtime car owner. There were also some surprises as some great drivers were left out the coveted spot. Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough, who, as a pair, won three Sprint Cup championships, were left out in what was a close competition.
The vote was made by 52 individuals and the fans also had an opportunity to use an online voting portal available for casting the 53rd ballot. The Nascar Hall of Fame has just five spots to fill each year and critics say that this will take years to induct all those drivers who have brought the brand name to its current position after 60 years of hard work and achievements.
The first class of inductees included Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson.
Pearson has great NASCAR records under his belt including the distinction of being the second most winning driver with a total of 105 victories. He received 94 percent of the vote, which was the highest among the 25 candidates who were nominated for this honor.
Allison and Petty received the second-largest percentage of votes at around 62 percent. Both have won 84 titles but Allison has just one Sprint Cup championship to Waltrip's three.
