While the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland was announcing the newest class of inductees on May 4, the NASCAR Hall of Fame was presenting the newest members in its 2023 class (13th class) of Hall of Famers from the Great Hall in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Matt Kenseth, Kirk Shelmerdine and Hershel McGriff will be joining the over 70 members in The Hall; along with one of the most recognizable faces in the sport, former NASCAR President – the first outside of the France family – and current Vice Chairman of NASCAR Mike Helton as the Landmark Award winner for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.  The Bristol native is also a member of the NASCAR Board of Directors for the NASCAR Foundation.  Helton beat out Alvin Hawkins, Janet Guthrie, Dr. Joseph Mattiori, and Lssa France Kennedy for the award.

A former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Matt Kenseth has been elected to the Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility and was one of two Modern Era selections to The Hall.  Kenseth received 69 percent of the vote.  Kenseth and Harry Gant were the top two fan vote getters.

The other Modern Era choice was crew chief Kirk Shelmerdine who helped Dale Earnhardt Sr to four of his seven championships.  He earned 52 percent of the vote.

Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Larry Phillips, and Ricky Rudd were also on the Modern Era ballot.

The lone pioneer selection went to 94 year old Hershel McGriff with 31 percent of the vote.  McGriff spent nearly 70 years driving in various NASCAR sanctioned races; including being a staple at Winston West Series races.  Other nominees on the Pioneer ballot were Sam Ard, AJ Foyt, Banjo Matthews, and Ralph Moody.

Matt Kenseth, Kirk Shelmerdine, Hershel McGriff, and Mike Helston will join already inducted members:
Bobby Allison
Davey Allison
Buck Baker
Buddy Baker
Red Byron
Richard Childress
Jerry Cook
Dale Earnhardt Sr
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Bill Elliott
Richie Evans
Ray Evernham
Red Farmer
Tim Flock
Bill France Sr
Bill France Jr
Coach Joe Gibbs
Jeff Gordon
Rick Hendric
Ron Hornaday Jr
Jack Ingram
Dale Inman
Bobby Isaac
Dale Jarrett
Ned Jarrett
Junior Johnson
Alan Kulwicki
Bobby Labonte
Terry Labonte
Fred Lorenzen
Mark Marton
Bud Moore
Cotton Owens
Raymond Parks
Benny Parsons
David Pearson
Roger Penske
Lee Petty
Maurice Petty
Richard Petty
Fireball Roberts
Jack Roush
Wendell Scott
O. Burton Smith
Ken Squier
Mike Stefanik
Tony Stewart
Herb Thomas
Curtis Turner
Rusty Wallace
Darrell Waltrip
Joe Weatherly
Rex White
Waddell Wilson
Glen Wood
Leonard Wood
Robert Yates
Cale Yarborough