NASCAR Cup Series

Bryson Byrnes delivers Hall of Fame ballot his father left behind

Published May. 21, 2015 3:09 p.m. ET

foxsports

When the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel gathered on Wednesday afternoon to debate and discuss the five-member 2016 class, there was one ballot that carried more emotional value than the rest.

That ballot belonged to late FOX Sports broadcaster Steve Byrnes.

Prior to passing away on April 21 after a long battle with cancer, Byrnes was asked to be part of the voting panel for the first time. While he passed away before Voting Day, Byrnes completed his ballot and his son Bryson delivered the votes Wednesday afternoon.

According to FOX NASCAR broadcaster and voting panel member Mike Joy, Bryson delivering Steve's Hall of Fame ballot was the highlight of the entire day.

For Bryson, it was an honor to be among some of the greatest names in the history of the sport, all while completing one of his dad's final tasks.

"It was awesome," Bryson told FOXSports.com on Thursday. "It was very honoring that I could do it for him. It's just really nice to know they're thinking of our family."

NASCAR senior vice president and chief communications officer Brett Jewkes delivered the ballot and research material to Byrnes' home at the beginning of the year, shortly after Steve's health once again took a turn for the worse.

According to Steve's wife, Karen, he immediately took to the research material, making notes, sharing stats with the family and debating choices as the family spent the night together.

With the cancer taking its toll on Steve physically, he had taken a leave of absence from NASCAR Race Hub and working in the office at the beginning of the year. However, once he had the ballot and research information in hand things started looking up.

"When they asked him, it was such a blessing because it gave him purpose," Karen said. "It gave him something to say, 'I have a role in the sport, even now. I'm sick, but I have something I'm responsible for.' It really gave him something to look forward to. It gave him purpose. It gave him still an active role in the industry that he loved even though he couldn't go to the track or in the studio."

Jewkes told FOXSports.com via phone Thursday afternoon he knew right away how proud Steve was to have a vote for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. From the beginning of the process, Jewkes said Bryson was just as excited about it because he saw how much his father was excited about the process.

After Steve passed away in April, Jewkes contacted Karen to find out if there was any chance the Hall of Fame ballot had been completed. Jewkes admitted he "held his breath for a few days" while Karen searched.

Karen said she did not know her late husband had completed his ballot. Looking through Steve's things, Karen eventually found it, complete with his choices for the 2016 class, in his briefcase.

"I was surprised myself," she said. "I knew he had been working on it, but I didn't know that it had been completed."

"Really, it was his last piece of work," Jewkes said. "He was so proud."

With Steve's completed ballot, Jewkes said Bryson was really the only choice to deliver his father's votes.

"There was only one possibility to this," Jewkes said. "Bryson was there when we told Steve he would be a voter and he was there when we delivered the ballot. He was kind of connected the whole way."

When the voting panel met on Wednesday at the NASCAR Hall, Bryson physically handed his dad's ballot to the accountants from Ernst & Young, responsible for tallying the votes.

During a break in the voting panel deliberations, the group posed for a picture that was eventually shared on social media. Front and center, Bryson stood with a beaming smile next to NASCAR chairman Brian France and in front on NASCAR president Mike Helton and "The King" Richard Petty.

Here is the #NASCARHOF Voting Panel. These men and women are currently casting their ballots for the Class of 2016. pic.twitter.com/F7ZwkRE12b
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 20, 2015

After the historic picture, Jewkes took Bryson aside, gave him a hug and let him know how special the moment was.

"I told Bryson, 'In 35 years you're going to be looking at this picture and people will still be talking about Junior Johnson and Richard Petty and Kevin Harvick. It was a great thing for you and a special thing to be part of,' " Jewkes said.

Each year, Jewkes takes time to introduce the newest members of the voting panel, and this year he waited to introduce Bryson and Steve last. After Jewkes gave the introduction, he said the room erupted in applause.

"It was a special moment not only for Bryson and Karen, but everyone else," Jewkes said. "That was the first time I've heard applause in the voting room. It was really neat."

VIDEO: NASCAR Race Hub dedicates studio to Steve Byrnes