The new Hall of Fame class will be formally inducted during a ceremony on Jan. 23, 2026. It will take place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte. Along with winning NASCAR’s first championship playoffs, Busch also won the first-ever playoff race — the postseason opener at New Hampshire in 2004.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will induct Kurt Busch, Harry Gant and Ray Hendrick in the Class of 2026, the hall announced Tuesday. Busch and Gant were selected from the Modern Era Ballot, each garnering 61% of the vote. Jeff Burton, Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton were the next-highest finishers who didn't make the cut.

The University of Arizona's pedigree for producing great athletes isn't limited to the school's 18 scholarship varsity sports. NASCAR driver Kurt Busch may have never suited up in red and blue, but his time as a student at Arizona fueled his racing career.