CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Friday, NASCAR’s icons and legends came together at the NASCAR Hall of Fame to officially welcome the impressive class of 2025, which includes racing luminaries Ricky Rudd, Carl Edwards, and the late Ralph Moody.

Alongside them, the event honored Dr. Dean Sicking, a key player in safety innovations for the sport, and Mike Harris, a celebrated reporter for the Associated Press known for his impactful storytelling within NASCAR.

Hundreds of fans filled the lobby of the NASCAR Hall of Fame by midday, excitedly awaiting the arrival of their heroes, their cameras trained on the red carpet where applause erupted for each honoree. They included racing greats such as seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty, fan-favorite driver Donnie Allison, and renowned crew chiefs Ray Evernham and Chad Knaus.

The crowd’s excitement peaked with the arrival of Rudd and Edwards, who were warmly welcomed with cheers and flashing cell phone cameras.

Throughout his 13-year NASCAR Cup Series career, Edwards secured 28 victories, including famous races like the Southern 500 at Darlington and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. He finished as a runner-up for the NASCAR Cup Series championship twice, coming in second in the closest title race ever in 2011 against fellow Hall of Famer Tony Stewart.

In total, Edwards accumulated 72 wins across NASCAR’s three national series, clinching the 2007 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship. In 2005, he raced full-time in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series.

Close to 200 supporters—including Edwards’ family and fans—joined the 45-year-old from Missouri in North Carolina for this pivotal moment. One of his past car owners, NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, even hired a plane to bring the large group over from Missouri.

Edwards reflected on how fans enjoyed his signature celebration backflips after wins, but he acknowledged he hadn’t taken the time to appreciate those triumphs fully until now.

WATCH BELOW: Best of Carl Edwards’ backflips

“I wanted to ensure this moment was celebrated properly,” he stated. “I’m grateful to come back and express my thanks to everyone. It doesn’t feel like reality to me yet. I’m at a loss for words. It feels really good.”

During his induction speech, Edwards emphasized a message of “gratitude,” thanking his parents, wife, children, longtime fans, Hall of Fame team owners Jack Roush and Gibbs, his competitors, and everyone who supported his teams.

“Thank you for including me in your family. Thank you, NASCAR,” he expressed.

Rudd had a similarly touching experience during his induction. Recognized as one of the toughest competitors in NASCAR history, Rudd made his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series and finished in 11th place at Rockingham when he was just 18 years old. He achieved his first of 374 career top-10 finishes the following week at Bristol, Tenn. Moreover, in 1983, he became the youngest person to win a pole position in the Daytona 500.

At 68 years old and from Chesapeake, Va., Rudd enjoyed 23 career victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, highlighted by winning the 1997 Brickyard 400 as an owner-driver and taking the 1992 International Race of Champions (IROC) title during his first season in the series.

His reputation is largely due to his extraordinary toughness, holding a record of 16 consecutive years (1983-1998) with at least one victory at the sport’s highest level and a streak of 788 consecutive starts, which stood until 2015. Rudd’s total of 905 career starts ranks second only to Richard Petty’s 1,185.

“Thanks to many incredible people, I was able to achieve numerous dreams, and with this induction, that dream is now fulfilled,” Rudd reflected. He expressed gratitude to his family, fans, wife Linda, and son Landon, highlighting Linda’s unwavering support: “She has not just been my wife and best friend for 45 years; she mentally attended every lap with me.”

“NASCAR allowed me to have experiences that most will never encounter. I flew with the Blue Angels, shook hands with two presidents, refueled with the Air Force Thunderbirds over the Nevada desert, and even had a role in a movie.  This is truly an incredible honor.”

Ralph Moody, who passed away in 2004, initially served under Gen. George Patton during World War II before transitioning to a full-time driver, achieving five wins in NASCAR’s top division between 1956 and 1957. He co-founded the renowned Holman-Moody Racing company with John Holman in 1957, where they crafted cars that contributed to 96 Cup wins from 1957 to 1972 and clinched the Cup Series championships in 1968 and 1969 with driver David Pearson.

“If it weren’t for Ralph Moody, we might not know Bobby or Donnie Allison; he was truly an incredible individual,” said Donnie Allison, as he brought Moody’s children to the stage for the Hall of Fame ring presentation.

“It’s with immense pride and gratitude that I stand here tonight to honor my father,” said the younger Ralph Moody, sharing his father’s remarkable journey from a Massachusetts farm to the pinnacle of NASCAR.

“For my dad, it was never solely about winning; he prioritized creating safety over mere speed,” Moody concluded his emotional acceptance speech with heartfelt thanks to his father.

Dr. Dean Sicking received the Landmark Award for his Significant Contributions to NASCAR, recognizing his collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in developing SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barriers that currently line the walls of all tracks hosting NASCAR’s top-tier divisions.

Mike Harris was honored with the Squier-Hall Award for Excellence in NASCAR Media for his four decades as the lead motorsports writer for the AP prior to his retirement in 2009.