One of the toughest drivers in NASCAR history joined one the most enigmatic drivers of the modern era as the newest inductees into the Hall of Fame in a star-studded Friday night ceremony.

When Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards both left NASCAR after their driving careers ended, they disappeared from the sport, going years before returning to the track. Friday night, it was as if they hadn’t left.

NASCAR royalty made its way to uptown Charlotte Friday night to welcome and honor the newest class of NASCAR royalty. The sport’s heroes and legends gathered at the NASCAR Hall of Fame to formally