The NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2027 has been revealed: Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Larry Phillips. Harvick and Burton were voted in on the Modern Era Ballot, while Phillips prevailed on the Pioneer Ballot.
Alongside the three inductees, Lesa France Kennedy was announced as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Kennedy is the Executive Vice Chair of NASCAR, and granddaughter of founder Bill France Sr.
Eight candidates were passed up on the Modern Era Ballot: Greg Biffle, Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Randy Dorton, Ray Elder, Ernie Elliott, Randy LaJoie, and Jack Sprague. On the Pioneer Ballot, those not chosen included Ray Fox, Harry Hyde, Banjo Matthews, and Herb Nab.
Kevin Harvick
First-year nominee Kevin Harvick was perhaps the easiest choice on the Class of 2027 NASCAR Hall of Fame Ballot. Racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2001 to 2023, Harvick became one of the most successful drivers of the 21st century. His 60 career wins is 11th most in series history, and in 2014 he became the first NASCAR Cup Series champion under the playoff format.
Additionally, Harvick proved his diverse skill set with 47 wins in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and 14 in the Craftsman Truck Series. He earned two O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championships, three Brickyard 400s, two Coca-Cola 600s, two Southern 500s, and the 2007 Daytona 500 in his storied NASCAR career.
Jeff Burton
In his sixth year on the ballot, Jeff Burton was added to the most elite club in NASCAR racing. With 21 career NASCAR Cup Series victories including two Coca-Cola 600s and a Southern 500, it’s not hard to see why Burton was a favorite among voters.
Apart from his racing numbers, Burton has become known as one of the most respected voices in the garage during his time in NASCAR. Nicknamed ‘The Mayor’, Burton has frequently served as a liaison of driver sentiment to NASCAR’s sanctioning body. For years he served as the executive director of the Drivers’ Advisory Council, the foremost channel of communication between NASCAR and their stars.
Larry Phillips
In his third year on the ballot, Larry Phillips was chosen over four other nominees for the Hall of Fame. The exact accomplishments in Phillips’ career aren’t reliably recorded – he primarily competed in the NASCAR Weekly Series in the 1980s and 1990s. His staggering five series championships are certain, but estimates of his win total range as high as 1,000.
Elsewhere, Phillips won 13 track championships in three different states. He has 289 recorded starts in NASCAR-sanctioned series, in which he won 220 times. Like Harvick and Burton, Phillips was named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list in 2023.
