Simply put, Tim Richmond was the first "rock star" of NASCAR. 1958 - Glen Wood. Here, we've compiled a list of the 30 very best NASCAR drivers to ever compete in the sport's history. He was the first driver to earn $100,000 in a season and was part of a time in NASCAR that saw expansion to big speedways and also in the muscle car market. As will young NASCAR stars Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, and Ryan Blaney, who look to claim glory as they climb the NASCAR rankings. Much like his father, Davey was a great driver and knew his way around the race car. The problem was, he was the top driver in the company and would now be leaving a high-profile ride. Love him or hate him, Kyle Busch has earned his popularity the same way he goes for victoryby any means necessary. NASCAR's 15-time Most Popular Driver and winner of two Daytona 500s, Dale Earnhardt Jr., hosts his very own podcast, The Dale Jr Download on Dirty Mo Media. Each year his popularity among the fans grew by leaps and bounds. Withdrew his own name from future ballots following this year, The first non-American driver to win the award, This page was last edited on 2 December 2022, at 01:18. In stepped Logano, a year ahead of when he would want to race in Cup competition, and he would struggle. NASCAR also announced the promotions of several individuals to key positions within its competition team. ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images. It will come, but the question is when. In a way, Michael Waltrip's popularity skyrocketed because of tragedy. Stewart has proven to be a winning driver, car owner, track owner and a generous human being with his numerous donations to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. From 1995-98, he claimed three championships, finished second in the points once and won 40 of 127 races (31.5%). It seems likely that his five consecutive championships will join the mark of Richard Pettys 200 Cup wins as records that will never be broken. By statistics, not only is Richard Petty the most accomplished, he is the greatest NASCAR driver in history. Maybe next year that success and popularity will return, thanks to JTG Daugherty Racing. 9 Dodge Charger, the No. But, he will let you know when he is. Fans knew from 1996 through 2002 that if NASCAR came to Atlanta, Labonte was going to be hard to beat. 1. He finished first or second in the points 10 times in his career. Thought to go into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on the first class of inductees, Pearson was surprisingly left out. Landon Cassill wont be returning to the Kaulig Racing No. The car wasn't black anymore, and the No. After Sterling Marlin had to step out of the car in 2002 following an accident, McMurray was tabbed to run the car for the remainder of the season. Do you REALLY know @chaseelliott? Media requests: reply below and Ill answer publicly, the best I can. Dale Jr fans There hasn't be an overbearing amount of crowd support for Dale Earnhardt Jr in his final NASCAR season. But, who knew that popularity had two different sides. Whether it was at the wheel of the Home Depot car, the Office Depot Chevrolet or his own late model, Tony Stewart is one of the most talked about and popular drivers to come into NASCAR in the last decade. For Dave Marcis, his racing career spanned over 30 years and saw him win only five times. The list also includes Christopher Bell, reigning champion Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, and Ryan Blaney. Although in his death, NASCAR did mandate the window net, despite it taking seven years to do so. 1. NEXT: NASCAR Executive Explains New Manufacturers Arent Joining The Sport Due To Emphasis On Electric, Hybrid, And Hydrogen Vehicles, Cole Custer, Chase Elliott, and Erik Jones at The Busch Light Class at The Coliseum via NASCAR YouTube. Jeff Gordon 3. Stalwarts like defending NASCAR champion Kyle Larson, Denny Hamilin, and Martin Truex Jr. will all have something to say in the NASCAR Cup Series this year. Marcis found a unique way to protect his feet from the heat of the exhaust while in the carwing-tipped shoes. The official NASCAR Twitter account shared an image of the current top 10 most popular drivers as voting for the Most Popular Driver continues. 10/10 10. 2. What they got was a moment that has been classified as the No. His loyalty to Penske made it easy for fans to recognize his car, his number and his sponsor. A trusted voice in the garage, Scott used his decades of experience to lead our competition team to new heights during a time that saw a new race format, a new playoff format and a new race car. Now, if he only pulled off the big one, who knows where his popularity would soar to. The Hail Melon went on to generate millions of views while helping bring more attention to the sport. So where are they? Another member of the Alabama Gang, Bobby Allison's career is one that is among the finest in NASCAR. Elliott would ultimately finish fourth in the championship standings after a crash midway through the season finale ended his hopes of a second Cup title. But, Craven's most talked about moment came two years later at Darlington. 18 car and got his first win. But, he didn't celebrate as Earnhardt died on the last lap. There were even moments when drivers used Chastaind as a description during their post-race interviews. It's hard to say, but Hamlin made the most of the opportunity. It started as a poll of the drivers and then all NASCAR Cup Series competitors; today, it is voted for by fans across the United States . NASCAR's Kevin Harvick is making his 23rd season his last on the racetrack. Just a huge thank you, he concluded. Since then, Labonte has not seen that kind of success, as he's suddenly been part of the underfunded teams that start a race, yet don't finish. 9 Cup Series car was named the sport's most popular driver in 2022 at NASCAR's end-of-season awards show in Nashville on Thursday night. He wasn't always this giving, as his early years in the sport saw him have an attitude and eventually take anger management classes. 1953 - Lee Petty. Kevin Harvick 6. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Chase Elliott has been named NASCAR's Most Popular Driver for the 2022 season, earning the honor during the NASCAR Awards ceremony at the Music City Center in Nashville on Thursday night. This video game move sparked criticism from Chastains fellow drivers. Petty is the first driver to achieve the seven NASCAR Cup championships, making him an undisputed champion in the NASCAR world. Not only do the medals honor the rich tradition of this stadium, but they also provide a special element unique to NASCARs 75th anniversary.. In simple terms, NASCAR is all about popularity. Probably one of the nicest and humblest figures in NASCAR had to be Benny Parsons. Fred Lorenzen Fearless Freddy, smart, fast and handsome, was a runaway star in Cup racing in the 1960s. As soon as Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired. But, Rudd would not be denied and a few weeks later, would go on to win. 10.1 Full-time drivers. Millers focus will center on a several big picture special projects such as the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Chicago Street Course race, as well as long-lead planning around NASCAR competition strategy. Fireball Roberts 1 of 49 As one of the originators of the speedway era in NASCAR in the early 1960s, Fireball Roberts. But, who would have thought that one wreck would set off the popularity, and amount of help, for someone just trying to earn a living. NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Xfinity Series NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES NASCAR Roots. Danica Patrick 10. These are the drivers who are NASCAR history. 10 car full-time for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. But, his career and life took a dramatic turn after his son, Adam, was killed at New Hampshire. Darrell Waltrip won the award two years in a row in 1989 and 1990, while Dale Earnhardt earned the award posthumously in 2001. Most recently, he held the role of NASCAR vice president, technical inspection and officiating, a role he assumed in 2016. His seven championships, 200 wins and numerous poles will never be equaled. But, Gordon has changed the last few years in his career. Joey Logano is the best NASCAR driver right now. That will never happen again, guaranteed. Waltrip is still popular today with the fans even though he is no longer a driver. In 1997, Craven took over the third car for Hendrick and saw his chances at victory sky rocket. That is determination. Smith will run the full Xfinity schedule for Kaulig. The race winners medal weighs 4.7 ounces and is covered in 24-karat plated gold. To be known as a Winston Cup champion became a much-coveted honor. Voting for Most Popular Driver does not close until November 30, one day before the NASCAR Champions Banquet, so there is plenty of time for Blaney to take one more shot at his fellow driver. These names all make sense for a variety of reasons, including their. In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select the "50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time." It was inspired in part by the NBA's decision to select the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History on its 50th anniversary in 1996. Prior to joining NASCAR, Sawyer served as director of team operations for IMSAs Action Express Racing. Media requests: reply below and Ill answer publicly, the best I can. He's not just racing for him and his wife, he's racing for his family. Jacuzzi, who manages aerodynamic engineering for NASCAR, joined the sanctioning body after working as a computational aerodynamicist for Corvid Technologies. Joey Lagano, 1939 GMC Pickup. There really is no telling how far "Fireball" could have gone in the sport. He won the Daytona 500 and had an opportunity to win the championship in 1992, only to have a wreck take him out of the running. 10 car to five top-five finishes, including a second place at Martinsville Speedway, last year. 10 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - EuroNASCAR PRO Division drivers. Another driver that was popular among his peers and fans alike was Davey Allison. That popularity among his peers and fans earned him a spot in the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. View . John is the Editor-in-Chief here at Bounding Into Sports and also of its geek culture sister site, Bounding Into Comics. 3 wasn't on the door panel. His crazy antics in the garage are well known just as much as his ability to drive the race car. Let's count down the 50 most popular drivers in NASCAR to find out. Will this wild move lead to Chastain dethroning Elliott? It has been a great experience over the years seeing him grow and become a very talented driver.. Forty Cup victories and a reputation as a racers racer gave him clear entry into the Hall of Fame. Kurt Busch became popular probably in the most unorthodox of ways. I cant say thanks enough. For most of its 75-year history, and particularly since the early 1970s, the focal point of the NASCAR Cup Series has been the season championship. He wasn't popular because of his racing, nor his success. Chandler Smith will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in a third Chevrolet entered by Kaulig Racing. pic.twitter.com/PhEbgZZs6O, Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) November 18, 2022, That being said, one driver is taking a new approach. It was one of the greatest races NASCAR had ever run, but it was one that Bobby never remembers. Darrell Waltrip Claimed three titles, winning them in a five-year period in the 1980s. Less than a month later, Parsons succumbed to the complications. Some drivers have their peers come for advice, sometimes for issues in the race and sometimes it's advice outside the race. He debuted on the NASCAR national series scene in 1983, racing in what is now the Xfinity Series. There were weeks when fans and drivers celebrated Chastains wins and his production on the track, especially considering how he had previously driven for underfunded teams across the national series. His popularity is not defined by merchandise, it's defined by generosity. The patriarch of the greatest name in NASCAR and one of the five newest inductees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Talked about moment came two years later at Darlington 1983, nascar most popular driver list what! By statistics, not only is Richard Petty the most accomplished, he did n't as... 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