Pearson heads NASCAR Hall of Fame class

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - It was popularity vs. performance in voting for NASCAR's second Hall of Fame class, a five-member group that likely will be remembered for the exclusion of three-time champions Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough.

David Pearson, the only true "lock" of the group, was the leading vote-getter in Wednesday's lengthy selection process. A year after the "Silver Fox" surprisingly was left out of the inaugural class, he was on all but three of the 53 ballots cast.

The 105-race winner received a standing ovation when NASCAR chairman Brian France called his name.

"I am just proud that that many people thought enough to vote for me," Pearson said, insisting he'd never been upset at losing by a single vote last year to former NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr.

"I really didn't know if I was going to make it (Wednesday) or not because like I said, I was told last year I was going to get in and I didn't. Nobody never knows 'til they call it right then."

Not so for Waltrip, who knew by the time the third name was called that he had not made the cut this year.

Three-time Daytona 500 winner Bobby Allison, whose 84 wins are tied for third on the victory list, was the second inductee announced and was followed by Lee Petty, a 54-race winner and patriarch of a Petty Enterprises organization.

Waltrip, watching the announcement from a stage where he was waiting to analyze the selections for Speed, looked crestfallen when Petty's was announced.

"I knew right there that I was probably not going to make it," said Waltrip, who had campaigned for a spot.

The remaining two slots went to two-time champion Ned Jarrett, who believed he was selected as much for his racing resume as he was for his post-driving career as a popular broadcaster, and pioneer Bud Moore, who fielded cars for Pearson, Allison, Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Buddy Baker and Benny Parsons for more than 37 seasons.