Filed under: Jeff Gordon, Darlington Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR Crashes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- You won't find the Rebel flag on display in the brand-new NASCAR Hall of Fame.

But you will find everything else.

Although NASCAR has shied away from delving into its Stars and Bars history to avoid offending people, this is about the only scent of political correctness that one will sniff in a three-level museum that is jam-packed with interesting exhibits and hands-on stuff to do.

The Hall opened its doors to the public Tuesday amid great fanfare and the growling engine noise of two vintage race cars driven onto its plaza by Junior Johnson and Richard Petty, the two living members of its inaugural class of five inductees.

Johnson and Petty, along with Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and longtime president Bill France Jr., will be formally inducted as the Hall's first members on May 23.

"I'm part of it," Petty said Tuesday, sort of shaking his head. "I don't know if I want to be part of history yet, but I'm part of it."

"The history needs to be preserved," said two-time champion Ned Jarrett. "That's one thing that has been lacking over the years -- the preservation of the history of the sport."

 

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