The night for NASCAR’s Hall of Fame brings tears and laughter
It was a time for celebration, but also a time for reflection at this year’s NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The Friday evening event punctuated a week that began on a somber note, following the news that NBA player Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, died in a helicopter crash Sunday.
For many in the racing world, the heaviness that permeated an entire sport, city and country after the accident triggered memories of the death of driver Dale Earnhardt, who died racing at Daytona in 2001.
On Thursday, driver John Andretti, of the storied Andretti racing family, passed away after a three-year battle with colon cancer at the age of 56. A moment of silence was held during the ceremony to honor Andretti.
And then there was J.D., son of inductee and team owner Joe Gibbs, who died one year ago from a degenerative neurological disease while serving as president of Joe Gibbs Racing. His absence at the ceremony was felt by Gibbs and two other members of this year’s Hall of Fame class with ties to JGR, drivers Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart.
“Obviously J.D. grew up to be the leader of Joe Gibbs Racing, with big shoes to fill, and he did,” said Labonte during his acceptance speech.
His voice cracked and his eyes teared up as he continued: “J.D., I miss you. I love you.”
The mood throughout the night alternated between reflective and lighthearted, with many attendees and inductees sharing stories and joking about the moments that contributed to their success in NASCAR.
“The biggest mistake I made was helping Joe Gibbs get started,” joked Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick from the audience.
Stewart’s highly competitive, unfiltered attitude on the track also remained a thread of the evening.
“I have 50 stories on Tony and I couldn’t tell half of them because I don’t want him mad at me,” said Gibbs after the ceremony. “I used to hustle to get to the hauler when he had a bad race.”
Crew chief Waddell Wilson and driver Buddy Baker rounded out this year’s class. Baker was the only non-living inductee.
“You knew when you took [Baker] to Daytona and Talladega you had the best there was,” said Wilson, who served as Baker’s crew chief for his win at the 1980 Daytona 500.
The connections between the 2020 class were clear from their comfort level. Labonte won the NASCAR Cup series championship for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2000. Stewart delivered championships in 2002 and 2005 for JGR during his career. He said he didn’t know how the moment could be sweeter.
“I know my career in the sport is not over, but to get to this point and to get to the Hall of Fame with these two guys is more than anybody could ever ask for,” said Stewart, sitting next to Gibbs and Labonte after the ceremony.
Current NASCAR drivers Corey LaJoie, Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Chris Buescher and Kevin Harvik were also present for the event and gave speeches to introduce the individual inductees. Other Hall of Fame members, such as Roger Penske, Jack Rousch, Richard Petty and Terry Labonte, were also in the crowd.
Actor Patrick Dempsey appeared on Labonte’s introduction video, and former president George W. Bush congratulated Gibbs in his video. (Bush met Gibbs during his presidential term while Gibbs was working as an NFL coach in Washington, D.C.)
Ford Motors board member Edsel Ford was honored with the 2020 Landmark Award for his contributions to NASCAR. Pit reporter Dick Berggren received the 2020 Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.
For those onstage Friday, the night was celebratory, perhaps a touch somber, and definitely unforgettable.
“You go through some tough times,” said Gibbs. “But it’s those fun times and the relationships you remember.”
