Bill France, Sr., Bill France, Jr., Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson might just be names to most of us but at the star studded opening ceremony of NASCAR Hall of Fame taking place in Charlotte, North Carolina, these were just not names, these guys were the heroes.

The National Association of Stock Car Racing started in 1948 saw Richard Petty pull in his 1974 Dodge Charger into the ceremonial plaza.

The crowds cheered on as they saw Junior Johnson follow the Dodge in his 1940 Ford that read “Carolina Moonshine”. Many champions of the past followed them into the 150,000-square foot hall that is considered to be “the most technologically advanced Hall of Fame in all of professional sports.” To join the fans and participants with 60 years of NASCAR exhibits, simulators and video screens and interactive activities.

If you’re going to be a top-five sports league in this country, you need to have a world-class Hall of Fame,” NASCAR chairman Brian France said. “It’s going to be a place where our fans can come and celebrate and look back at the history of the sport. We haven’t really had that in a formal way all these years, and this is going to change that overnight.”