Ricky Rudd, Carl Edwards and Ralph Moody were named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame

Two of the best drivers who have never won a NASCAR Cup Series championship have been named to the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Carl Edwards and Ricky Rudd were voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday along with Ralph Moody (pioneer ballot) and Dr. Dean Sicking, who will receive the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

Edwards competed for what was known as Roush Fenway Racing (now RFK Racing) and Joe Gibbs Racing from 2005 to 2016, when he unexpectedly retired. He won 28 races in the Cup Series, along with 38 victories in the Xfinity Series. The 2007 Xfinity Series champion was known for doing ceremonial backflips from his race car after each win.

Edwards has never won a Cup Series title. However, he has come very close on multiple occasions. He fought legendary battles with Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Tony Stewart in 2011, finishing second in the championship standings in both seasons. The battle with Stewart was the most intense in NASCAR history as the two tied after the end of the season, with Stewart winning the tiebreaker due to having more wins than Edwards.

Rudd was known as an Iron Man and one of the toughest drivers in NASCAR. He literally raced with his eyes open once, days after flipping his car.

Rudd competed for companies such as Hendrick Motorsports and Robert Yates Racing, along with being owner/driver for Rudd Performance Motorsports from 1994 to 1999. He also drove for Richard Childress, Bud Moore, Kenny Bernstein and the Wood Brothers. Known as Mr. Consistency, he was good for a win annually in 16 straight seasons. With 906 Cup starts, he finished second to Richard Petty’s 1,185.

NASCAR announced that Rudd received 87% of the modern era ballots, while Edwards received 52%. Harry Gantt, Geoff Burton and Harry Hyde were behind the recruits.

Moody was an essential part of the legendary Holman-Moody operation. A World War II veteran became a mechanic after the war. He teamed up with John Holman to create an epic team, winning two championships with David Pearson and the 1967 Daytona 500 with Mario Andretti. They won 96 races and 83 poles.

Dr. Seeking is the creator of the life-saving SAFER Barrier, which is now a requirement at all NASCAR tracks. The Safer Barrier was one of many innovations after Dale Earnhardt’s death in 2001. But it is certain that this barrier had the greatest impact in terms of saving lives.

“The Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to better understand conditions and help prevent future tragedies – a partnership that still exists today,” NASCAR said in a Hall of Fame press release about Dr. Seeking’s accomplishments. “In addition to designing the SAFER barrier, Sicking studied each route’s accident history and helped implement a plan to immediately cover the most dangerous areas. For his efforts, Sicking received the Bill France Award for Excellence in 2003 and was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President George W. Bush in 2005.

The 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Friday, February 7, 2025.