54 iconic cars that have shined on NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Glory Road

If you haven’t visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, it’s certainly a must for every NASCAR fan.

One of the most remarkable scenes at the Hall of Fame is Glory Road, which features 18 of the sport’s most iconic race cars of all-time. Eighteen legendary cars were recently unveiled as part of the new “Glory Road: Icons” exhibition.

On Wednesday evening, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel will pick five new inductees for the Class of 2018.

In celebration of the special ceremony, take a look at the 54 cars that have graced the Hall of Fame’s Glory Road.

The original Glory Road featured the following 18 cars from May 2010 to December 2013.

NASCAR’s first champion in its inaugural 1949 Strictly Stock season earned two wins at Daytona Beach and Martinsville Speedway en route to the title.

Byron's racing career was interrupted when he served in the United States Air Force in World War II. He suffered a serious left-leg injury after his B-24 was shot at. Doctors were able to partially mend Byron's leg, but he needed a special set up to continue driving. 

In the heat of a fierce championship battle with Tim Flock, Thomas earned eight wins, 19 top-fives and 22 top-10 finishes in this Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Flock went on to win the championship after also winning eight races that season.

Thomas earned 48 career wins, which puts him 14th on the Cup Series all-time wins list.

Following a photo finish with Johnny Beauchamp in the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959, it took nearly three days to declare Petty the victor in this No. 42 Oldsmobile.

Petty poses with his No. 42 Oldsmobile at Daytona International Speedway in 1959. 

In 206 races over the course of 15 years, Roberts earned 33 wins, 93 top five and 122 top-10 finishes. In 1964 in the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Roberts crashed hard trying to avoid a collision between Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson on Lap 7. After Roberts' car caught fire, he receieved second- and third-degree burns.

After surviving several weeks, Roberts succombed to injuries suffered in the wreck and passed away on July 2, 1964.

Roberts poses next to his No. 22 car. 

Petty set the NASCAR circuit on fire in this ride in 1967. En route to his second career Grand National championship, Petty won 27 of the 48 races entered, including a record 10 wins in a row. 

He also recorded his only Southern 500 victory that same season. 

Petty (43) races outside of David Pearson in the Western North Carolina 500 at Asheville-Weaverille Speedway during the 1967 season.

Working with legendary crew chief Harry Hyde, Isaac drove this No. 71 Dodge Daytona a 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship. In 308 races over 14 years, he earned 37 career victories.

In September 1971, Isaac took this same No. 71 car to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and set 28 different world speed records, some of which still stand today.

During the 1972 Cup Series season, Pearson drove this No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Mercury Montego to a pair of victories at Talladega and the Firecracker 400 at Daytona.

Yarborough drove this No. 11 Busch Beer-sponsored Oldsmobile to four race wins during the 1979 season, finishing fourth in the final points standings.

On the final lap of the 1979 Daytona 500, which was the first live flag-to-flag broadcast of a 500-mile NASCAR race, Yarborbough and Donnie Allison wrecked while battling for the lead on the backstretch. Both drivers emerged from their cars spitting mad and began to fight, with Donnie's brother, Bobby Allison, stepping into the fight, as well.

Waltrip started his era with car owner Junior Johnson in this No. 11 Mountain Dew-sponsored Buick Regal. He would go on to win 12 races and beat out Bobby Allison for his first Cup Series championship.

Waltrip races to victory at Bristol Motor Speedway in 1981 driving his Junior Johnson-owned Buick, beating out Dale Earnhardt for the win.

Jack Ingram won the championship in what is now known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 1982 driving this No. 11 Pontiac.

Evans earned the 1985 National Modified title a week before a fatal crash during a practice session at Martinsville Speedway in October. In 28 starts during his one year on the Winston Modified Tour in 1985, he earned 17 wins and four poles en route to winning the title.

Evans competes in his No. 61 1984 Cavalier.

Elliott drove this car to 11 wins and 11 poles during the 1985 Cup Series season and also became the first to win the Winston Million in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, earning the nickname "Million Dollar Bill."

Elliott races the No. 9 Coors-sponsored Ford Thunderbird in the 1985 Daytona 500, a race he would go on to win.

On May 4, 1986, Allison drove this car to victory in the Winston 500 at Talladega, beating Dale Earnhardt to snap a two-year winless streak.

Hornaday won four races and the 1996 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship in this Dale Earnhardt-owned No. 16 NAPA-sponsored Chevrolet Silverado.

After 20 years of trying, "The Intimidator" was victorious in the 1998 Daytona 500. Earnhardt failed to win the rest of the season, finishing eight in the final points standings.

Earnhardt celebrates in the infield grass after finally winning the Daytona 500 in 1998.

Gordon drove this No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy to his first Daytona 500 victory in 1997. He would later go on to win an incredible 10 races en route to his second Cup title.

Gordon crosses the finish line to win the 1997 Daytona 500 under caution, as Hendrick Motorsports teammates Terry Labonte (5) and Ricky Craven complete the 1-2-3 sweep.

In his third full-time Cup Series season, the elder Busch brother drove this No. 97 Roush Racing Ford to a Cup Series championship in the first year for the Chase points format.

Busch came extremely close to disaster in the 2004 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, as his right-front wheel complete fell off. Busch narrowly avoided hitting the wall coming onto pit road.

Busch was able to rebound and beat out Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon for the title.

In 2008, Johnson drove this No. 48 Chevy Impala on his way to becoming the second driver in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships, with the first being Cale Yarborough. He earned seven wins, 15 top fives and 22 top-10 finishes that season.

Johnson celebrates his third consecutive championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2008.

The next 18 cars were a part of Glory Road 2.0, which were on display from January 2014 until January 2017.

Competing in 23 NASCAR Grand National events from 1949 through 1952, Teague won seven races. He drove this Hudson Hornet in 1951 and 1952.

Teague poses inside the cockpit of his Hudson Hornet on the sands of Daytona Beach.

Buck Baker won the 1957 Premier Series championship driving a No. 87 Black Widow, collecting 10 wins, 30 top fives and 38 top-10 finishes over 40 races in the process.

Glen Wood drove this iconic Wood Brothers No. 21 in six races during the 1961 Grand National season. It was also raced by Curtis Turner (five races), Banjo Matthews (one race) and Speedy Thompson (one race) that season, as well.

Yarborough earned his first Cup Series championship driving the No. 11 Holly Farms Laguna in 1976, earning a remarkable nine victories in the process.

Yarborough races his No. 11 at Talladega Superspeedway in 1976.

Controversy was created when Lorenzen drove this No. 26 Ford Galaxie for one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1966. Ford boycotted NASCAR for much of the '66 season, but the sanctioning body allowed Junior Johnson to enter this car.

The front end was sloped downward, the roof was lowered, the windows were more narrow and the rear end was kicked up, which is why it was nicknamed "The Yellow Banana."

Lorenzen wrecked the illegal car while leading the 500-mile race.

It wasn't what Jarrett did in this No. 11 1966 Ford Fairlane that made history. The 1965 champion only competed in 21 of 49 events during the 1966 season, earning eight top-10 finishes.

After Ford announced they were withdrawing from NASCAR that season, Jarrett announced his retirement at age 34. He is the only driver to retire as the defending series champion.

Jarrett poses with his No. 11 1966 Ford Fairlane in the infield grass at Daytona International Speedway.

Pearson earned his third championship in 1969, his final year of full-time racing. At the time, the title tied Pearson with Lee Petty for the most championships in NASCAR history. In 51 starts, Pearson had 11 wins, 42 top fives and 44 top-10 finishes.

Pearson poses in his No. 17 Holman Moody Ford Torino at Daytona International Speedway. In time trials for the Daytona 500, Pearson became the first driver to qualify with a speed of over 190 miles per hour with a speed of 190.029 mph.

Allison fieled his own Coca-Cola-sponsored entries for the 1973 Cup Series season, earning a pair of victories and seven-place in the points standings.

Allison drives the No. 12 Coca-Cola-sponsored Chevy Chevelle during the 1973 Daytona 500.

In a stunning move in 1978, Petty switched from the Dodge Magnum to a Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the remainder of the season, ending his long relationship with Chrysler.

Petty won the 1979 Daytona 500 in an Oldsmobile and would go on to collect four additional races and win his seventh and final NASCAR Cup Series championship in this car.

Richard Petty poses next to his iconic No. 43 blue-and-red STP Oldsmobile car at Daytona International Speedway in 1979.

Waltrip earned three championships and 43 victories driving for Junior Johnson in the Cup Series from 1981 through 1986. The current FOX NASCAR analyst drove his final race for Johnson in the No. 11 Budweiser-sponsored Chevrolet Monte Carlo Aerocoupe in November 1986 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California.

Earnhardt earned his fourth Cup Series championship driving this No. 3 Lumina during the 1990 season.

Earnhardt turns practice laps for a race at Martinsville Speedway in April 1990.

In his second full-time NASCAR Cup Series season, Gordon drove this No. 24 Chevrolet Lumina to his first career win in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, earning a second win in the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway later that year.

Four-time champion and current FOX NASCAR analyst Gordon pilots his No. 24 Chevy Lumina during the 1994 Daytona 500.

Wallace poses with the trophy and his iconic blue-and-white Ford Taurus in Victory Lane after winning his 50th career Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2000.

Wallace poses with the trophy and his iconic blue-and-white Ford Taurus in Victory Lane after winning his 50th career Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2000.

During the 1999 season, Ray Evernham climbed down from Jeff Gordon's pit box and left Hendrick Motorsports to start his own Cup Series team.

In 2001, Evernham Motorsports brought Dodge back to NASCAR and Elliott welcomed the manufacturer back with a bang, putting his red No. 9 Dodge on pole for the Daytona 500.

Elliott earned one victory in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the inaugural season for the No. 9 Dodge.

Johnson drove this No. 48 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to his first of now a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series championships in 2006. He also began the season with his first victory in the Daytona 500.

Johnson burns it down after winning the fall race at Martinsville Speedway in November 2006.

Dale Earnhardt drove this No. 88 Chevrolet Impala during his first season with Hendrick Motorsports.

Earnhardt started the 2008 season in his new ride by winning what was then known as the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona.

Earnhardt snapped a 76-race winless streak with a victory at Michigan International Speedway later that year.

Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet Impala hit Glory Road exactly how it was left after "Smoke" won his third and final Cup Series title in 2011.

Stewart beat Carl Edwards (99) for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2011 after the duo finished 1-2 in the season finale. A tiebreaker on wins paved the way for Stewart's third and final title.

After making the switch from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing, Kenseth began a new chapter in his Cup Series racing career in the No. 20 Toyota Camry for the 2013 season.

Kenseth celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway in 2013.

Glory Road: Icons is the NASCAR Hall of Fame's newest exhibit, featuring another stunning addtion of iconic race cars.

Nicknamed the “King of the Beach” for his success on the Daytona Beach Road Course, Teague joined the Hudson Motors team and drove the “Fabulous Hudson Hornet” stocks cars in 1951 and 1952. 

Another fun fact: Teague’s Hudson Hornet was also the inspiration for the Doc Hudson character in Disney’s Cars film.

In 206 NASCAR Grand National races, Roberts won 33 times. He also earned the NASCAR Grand National Series Most Popular Driver honor driving this car in 1957.

Petty drove this Plymouth Belvedere to nine NASCAR Grand National Series wins in 1964, including the Daytona 500.

Scott became the first African-American to win a race at NASCAR’s highest level, winning the Jacksonville 200 at Jacksonville Speedway in 1963.

Scott was part of the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class.

In 574 races in NASCAR’s top series, Pearson earned 105 wins, leaving him second on the all-time wins list behind Richard Petty’s 200 victories. The “Silver Fox” also drove this race car to a championship in 1966.

Pearson poses inside the cockpit of his No. 6 Dodge Charger.

Evans earned his first NASCAR Modified Division championship in 1973. He won another one in 1978, which began a remarkable stretch of seven more titles through 1984.

Evans poses next to his No 61 prior to a race.

The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and current FOX NASCAR analyst earned 84 wins in 809 races. In 1976, Gatorade became the primary sponsor of Waltrip’s No. 88 DiGard Chevrolet, which he drove to one victory in the Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Over the course of his 25-year NASCAR Cup Series career, Allison earned one championship and 84 wins. In 1978, he scored four victories in this car owned by Bud Moore, including the Daytona 500.

Ard earned two championships and 22 victories in what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series while driving the No. 00.

In his first season driving the iconic No. 28 Ranier-Lundy Ford Thunderbird in 1987, Allison earned two wins at Rockingham Speedway and Dover International Speedway. During his nine-year NASCAR Cup Series career, which was cut short after a fatal helicopter crash at Talladega Superspeedway on July 12, 1993, he earned 19 career victories.

Allison's crew hitches a ride to Victory Lane after winning the Winston 500 at Talladega in 1987.

Although Bonnett never earned a victory in the famous Wood Brothers No. 21 in 1989, he did accumulate 18 wins in 362 races in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Also known as “Handsome Harry,” Gant earned five wins, 15 top fives and 17 top-10 finishes in 1991, including an impressive stretch of four straight victories at Darlington, Richmond, Dover and Martinsville during the month of September.

Gant in the No. 33 tries to hold off Mark Martin (6) coming out of Turn 2 during a race at Martinsville in 1991.

Elliott came very close to winning a second championship in this No. 11 Ford Thunderbird, losing the title to Alan Kulwicki by 10 points despite winning the final race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR’s most historic races to this day.

Elliot races his No. 11 Ford Thunderbird during the 1992 Daytona 500.

Skinner drove this No. 3 truck for Richard Childress Racing during the inaugural NASCAR SuperTruck Series, which is now known as the Camping World Truck Series. He won the first race at Phoenix International Raceway and collected seven more victories en route to capturing the first championship.

In The Winston exhibition race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1999, Earnhardt and Richard Childress Racing brought back the classic Wrangler Jeans blue-and-yellow paint scheme he drove from 1982 through 1987.

The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and FOX NASCAR analyst piloted this No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy to his third career Daytona 500 victory in 2005.

Gordon performs a few celebratory burnouts after winning his third and final Daytona 500 in 2005.

Johnson started the 2013 season by winning his second Daytona 500 in this Generation 6 ride. He later went on to earn his sixth NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Johnson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning his second Daytona 500 in 2013.

After missing the first eight races of the 2015 NASCAR Cup Series season due to a serious leg and foot injuries suffered in the NASCAR XFINITY Series season opener at Daytona, Busch made a remarkable comeback to win his first championship.

Busch celebrates winning his first championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2015.