Modified Madmen Evans, Cook Among HOF Nominees
On Thursday, the 2010 nominees for the NASACAR Hall of Fame will be announced. As with last year’s inaugural list, there again will be 25 names. Twenty will be repeat nominees.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your debates.
And today, do we ever have a debate for you, in the process giving you a “sneak peek” at the nominees.
One guy is a repeat nominee – Richie Evans. The other guy is a first-time nominee – Jerry Cook. These two are, arguably, the greatest NASCAR modified drivers of all-time. Many would say there’s no argument, in making that assessment.
Perhaps the best way to frame this debate is by reminding you that when these gentlemen competed, they hated each other like poison. Evans died in 1985, or else the bad feelings would probably still linger. Remember, they were from the same town , Rome, N.Y. And they always were chasing the same thing: championships.
Evans won a record nine NASCAR modified championships, by the way, including eight consecutively from 1978-85. Cook won six.
Evans was a hard-partying, hard-charger. Cook was more conservative, on and off the track. Perhaps that led to Evans’ fans labeling Cook as a “stroker,” race-speak for a points racer – one of the ultimate insults to hurl at a driver.
Insults be damned, now Evans and Cook are together again, as NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees.
Which one deserves to be in the hall?
Which one is more deserving of a nomination?
If Evans was alive, you know what he would say.
Cook? You get one guess on his opinion.
Now … we’d like to hear yours.