For the sixth time, Neil Bonnett appeared among the 10 modern-era nominees on the NASCAR Hall of Fame ballot. And for the sixth time, the late Alabama driver was not chosen for induction into the stock-car racing shrine.

On Tuesday, the NASCAR Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026, with drivers Kurt Busch and Harry Gant chosen from the modern-era nominees and driver Ray Hendrick picked from the pioneer-era ballot.

Bonnett and Gant have the same number of career victories on NASCAR’s top circuit.

Voting for the Class of 2026 took place on Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers during the stock-car organization’s celebration of its 75th anniversary in 2023, Bonnett died in a crash at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 11, 1994, while turning practice laps for the Daytona 500.

Bonnett was a protégé of the Alabama Gang. He went from working on Bobby Allison’s cars in Bonnett’s hometown of Hueytown to driving in NASCAR.

Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison and Red Farmer were the original members of the Alabama Gang, as they came to be called when their exploits put Hueytown on the map in stock-car racing circles.

All three are members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, as is Davey Allison, Bobby Allison’s son.

Bonnett raced in 18 NASCAR Cup Series seasons, but he completed the full schedule only four times. He still won 18 Cup Series races, including back-to-back victories in the World 600 in 1982 and 1983, and posted 83 top-five finishes.

Bonnett won at Talladega Superspeedway driving the No. 21 Purolator Mercury for the Wood Brothers in 1980.

In addition to the Allisons and Farmer, NASCAR Hall of Fame members with Alabama roots are Anniston’s Red Byron and Fort Payne’s Tim Flock.

The other nominees on the Class of 2026 modern-era ballot included Greg Biffle, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Randy Dorton, Harry Hyde, Randy Lajoie and Jack Sprague.

The other nominees on the Class of 2026 pioneer ballot included Jake Elder, Banjo Matthews, Larry Phillips and Bob Welborn.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.