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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The NASCAR Hall of Fame will welcome its 15th induction class on Friday evening, featuring prominent figures such as Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards, both recognized among the top 75 drivers in the sport’s history.
In addition to these two renowned racers, the event honors a diverse group, including a World War II veteran who transitioned to racing post-war, a pioneering hero in safety innovations, and a longtime motorsports journalist who reported for the Associated Press.
Rudd and Edwards will be celebrated alongside the late Ralph Moody, who has been chosen for induction via the pioneer ballot. Dr. Dean Sicking, known for his significant contributions to safety in racing after the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001, will receive the Landmark Award. Meanwhile, retired motorsports journalist Mike Harris is being acknowledged with the 2025 Squier-Hall Award for exceptional excellence in NASCAR media.
Ralph Moody had a storied career. After serving with distinction under General George S. Patton during World War II, he returned to Florida in 1949 to pursue his passion for racing. During his career as a driver, he secured five race victories and in 1957, he joined forces with John Holman to establish Holman-Moody Racing. This partnership led to remarkable success, with consecutive championships achieved in 1968 and 1969 with driver David Pearson, and resulted in Mario Andretti driving to victory in the 1967 Daytona 500. In total, Holman-Moody Racing claimed 96 race wins and 83 poles featuring talented drivers such as Hall of Famers Bobby Allison, Fireball Roberts, Joe Weatherly, and Fred Lorenzen.
Dr. Dean Sicking is notably recognized for his creation of the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier, a groundbreaking safety feature that was originally commissioned by Tony George, the former owner of IndyCar. The design was later widely adopted by NASCAR following the tragic events of the 2001 Daytona 500, where the barrier was first implemented. Sicking’s work to analyze incident patterns on race tracks allowed for a strategic installation of SAFER barriers where they were needed most. He received the Bill France Award of Excellence in 2003 and was honored with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President George W. Bush in 2005.
Mike Harris, an esteemed figure in motorsports journalism, will become the 13th recipient of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. He joined the Associated Press in 1969 and climbed the ranks to become the leading motorsports reporter by 1980, a position he held until his retirement in July 2009. Harris began his journalism career at the Rockford Morning Star in Illinois in 1967 before transitioning to the AP’s Chicago bureau, and eventually became the Indiana sports editor before focusing entirely on motorsports. He has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the American Motorsports Media Award of Excellence in 1985 and the Jim Hunter Writer of the Year Award from the Eastern Motorsport Press Association in both 1987 and 1994.
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