In the days of NASCAR pre-Petty, there already were some superstars on the scene.

We’re talking big-time personalities who help lay the foundation for NASCAR’s current fan base.

We’re talking about Fireball Roberts – some call him NASCAR’s first superstar – and Fred Lorenzen, who was so popular he had several nicknames.

Both are among this year’s list of nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, with Roberts being a repeat nominee, as he was one of last year’s inaugural nominees.

Lorenzen is one of five first-timers, who will be part of the overall 25-nominee announcement on Thursday night.

Questions for the day: Which one deserves a nomination more? And, which should be first to get into the hall?

It’s a tough call. Both guys put down some numbers during respective careers that were relatively short. But again, their historical relevance has almost as much to do with their popularity, as what they did on the race track.

Roberts – Greatest driver to never win a NASCAR championship? – raced from 1950-64. He died 39 days after an accident in the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He was only 35. Roberts won the Daytona 500 once and the Southern 500 twice – part of a 33-win career total.

Lorenzen – alternately called “Fast Freddie,” “Fearless Freddie,” “Golden Boy” and the “Elmhurst (Ill.) Express” – retired at the age of 33 after racing from 1956-67, although he did have a marginally successful comeback from 1970-72. Lorenzen swept the Daytona 500 and World 600 in 1965 and ended his career with 26 victories. After leaving the sport, he moved back to his native Illinois and went into real estate.

Both were named to NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers” list in 1998.

Which one was greater?