Which driver do you think......

97forever

97forever

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Most embodies the "Anti-Nascar"image?Who is,or has been,a popular or winning driver that nascar just does not seem to 'favor'?

My top 3 would be:

1.Bobby Allison...came from outside the Carolina's,once accused D.W.of driving the 'company-car[the original conspiracy-theorist!I loved that!!]
2.Tony Stewart..also came from 'outside of nascar,a wild-card that nascar just can't quite deal with.
3.Bill Elliott...Fans that remember the mid-80's will remember the infamous remark by France that Bill was"Stinkin up the show"!


I love these outside-the-circle guys,and many more come to mind.What is everyone's opinion?
 
Wow, I had no idea that Bill Elliott is considerer a NASCAR outsider. I figured him for an elder statesman of the sport, loved by the fans and, therefore, loved by NASCAR. Guess not? How did he earn that disfavor, pray tell?
 
I don't think you can leave Tim Richmond off the list.

abooja, the Elliott Bros were outsiders in the 80's. Not only because these boys came from outside the Carolina racing community and in 1985 proceeded to dominate the speedways. They also had the audacity to keep very much to themselves, so much so that Ford was frustrated to no end that not only had Ernie figured out how to make much more HP than the "factory" teams, he would not even hint to them how he did it.
 
Richmond and Rusty Wallace,both,IMO,werw something of out-siders...at least at some points in their career's.Another one was Ernie Irvan.And certainly the pre-Childress Robby Gordon should be included.
 
Tim Richmond absolutely belongs on the list. I would submit Alan Kulwicki as well. I don't think he was NASCAR's choice to win the Cup, and they had to kinda grin and bear it when he did. The small, owner/driver upstaging the big $$$ teams didn't sit all that well with the Frances et al IMO. Had he lived, Robbie Moroso woulda been one too. Could make an argument for Mark Martin after 1990. If Kyle's last name was Dombrowski or something he might be there. And I have no idea whose "ideal image" Jimmy Spencer fits, unless it's as a Before model for Jenny Craig.
 
Oh yeah, how could we possibly forget Wendell Scott!
 
For those unaware of the atmoshpere Wendell endured to pursue his dream he had one NASCAR victory in his career.

Wendell's only big- time win, a NASCAR race at Jacksonvlle, Fla., on Dec. 1, 1963. It's a simple wooden monument only a couple of feet high. It's also the reminder of a race Wendell won but was not given the honor of winning until a month after the race had ended.

Instead, Buck Baker, of Charlotte, N. C., was given the victory even though he finished in second place. Why was Wendell not given the win? He wasn't immediately recorded as the winner because of all the racial tensions of the times between black and white people. Wendell won the race. The flagman just didn't drop the checkered flag until Buck Baker raced by. Wendell knew he won the race and NASCAR officials finally admitted a month later that he indeed was the winner.

Buck Baker had already received the trophy, the glory and all the fanfare. Wendell demanded his prize money and was awarded the pathetic trophy that has no brass nameplate, and nothing to reveal its history or origin. With this incident and other frustrations resulting from racial prejudice, Wendell had every reason to quit racing and return to his humble auto mechanics shop in Danville. Instead, he decided to continue doing what he enjoyed most -- driving race cars.

In May of 1964, Scott was down on his luck and almost out of racing when Ned Jarrett set up a deal for Scott. He was able to obtain a Holman-Moody Ford that had been raced the year before in USAC for a dollar. Driving that car, Scott finished 12 in points despite missing several races. Over the next five years, Scott consistently finished in the Top Ten in the point standings.
 
When Jeff Gordon first came in and started dominating the sport he had the Anti-Nascar image. Especially when people billed it out to be the kid from the North Gordon vs. Earnhardt and the rest of the southern boys. People looked at race car drivers as "good ol boys" from the south. And that was the image that was percieved as NASCAR racing. But over the last ten year the roles have been flopped somewhat. There are more and more drivers like Jeff Gordon coming in and doing extremely well in the sport of NASCAR and less drivers that are considered "good ol boys". So I guess you could say that Jeff Gordon helped change the face of NASCAR.
 
Tim Richmond should be #1, one of the true bad boys of NASCAR.
 
HS: Your knowledge of the sport is encyclopedic! Thanks for the explanation about Bill Elliott. I now like him more than ever! :bald:
 
Ward is the Nascar immage his accent is just pure southern just like nascar was
 
Originally posted by abooja
Wow, I had no idea that Bill Elliott is considerer a NASCAR outsider. I figured him for an elder statesman of the sport, loved by the fans and, therefore, loved by NASCAR. Guess not? How did he earn that disfavor, pray tell?
Click to expand...

I dont know how he did...I agree with what you said. cuz its true.
 
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