J.J., Stewart and Gordon all deserve spots in the Hall of Fame

NASCAR Power Rankings

Those knotty rules and a major backlog of legends figures to keep Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson out of the newly opened NASCAR Hall of Fame for quite some time. And then there's their longevity. Gordon, 38, has expressed a desire to race into his 40s so his children can enjoy his fabled career, and Johnson talks of another decade, at least, while hoping he can bring along crew chief Chad Knaus for most of it. They each will be required to stay retired for three years to be considered for the Hall of Fame, which inducted its first class on Sunday. The four-time series champions figure to go directly to the front of whatever line when they are eligible. But exactly which active NASCAR participants have already cobbled together enshrinement-worthy careers? Glad you asked. Have a comment? Send to siwriters@simail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/brantjames