Greatest What If Drivers...

Jorge De Guzman

2017, 2021 Pick Em Champion 2018 Bold Predictor
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The noon NFL Games arnt doing it for me today.....and it’s about that time I start missing racing so it got me thinking...who if they had long careers not cut short due to health, tragedy or injury would have been successful and how much success? So many to choose from...Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Kenny Irwin Jr, Ernie Irvan, Rob Moroso ? I’m sure I’m forgetting some. Hope to hear from the older posters on this board to get an education, history of the sport is so interesting to me. I’d have to choose Davey, I think had he lived he would have impacted Earnhardt and his last two championships as well as Jeff Gordon and his four because Davey would have been in his prime through the early to late 90’s. Discuss away.....
 
Tim Richmond, Alan Kulwicki and Davey Allison are three interesting candidates. That could have drastically altered the NASCAR landscape, especially the resumes of Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon.

Interesting points.

‘Twas Jimmie Johnson that stunted Jeff Gordon’s legacy...
 
I had a brain cramp on Richmond, totally forgot about him. I’m sure He would have raced into the 90’s and 00’s as well with Gordon and Allison. Gosh that would have been awesome.
 
It is easy to believe that Tim Richmond and Davey Allison would have accomplished more.
I think Ernie Irvan would have as well.
Allison and Irvan were clearly better drivers than Dale Jarrett imo, who eventually won a championship for Yates.
 
It is easy to believe that Tim Richmond and Davey Allison would have accomplished more.
I think Ernie Irvan would have as well.
Allison and Irvan were clearly better drivers than Dale Jarrett imo, who eventually won a championship for Yates.
Yea I kinda believe Allison might have had Jarrett’s 99 Winston Cup. Maybe even the 2000 Cup. His Cup career stared in 85 I would think he would have raced until 2005-07 range.
 
Steve Park
Jerry Nadeau
Brian Vickers
Adam Petty
Kenny Irwin Jr
Hut Stricklin if he had better equipment
Ernie Irvan
Jeff Gordon without the Chase
Dale Jr if Sr doesn’t get killed



Non-NASCAR:
Jules Bianchi
Gilles Villenuve
Didier Pironi
Ronnie Peterson
Francois Cevert
Greg Moore
Gonzalo Rodriguez
Jacques Villenuve if he didn’t join BAR in 1999
Alexander Rossi in good F1 equipment
Oliver Panis
Montoya staying in F1
 
Steve Park
Jerry Nadeau
Brian Vickers
Adam Petty
Kenny Irwin Jr
Hut Stricklin if he had better equipment
Ernie Irvan
Jeff Gordon without the Chase
Dale Jr if Sr doesn’t get killed



Non-NASCAR:
Jules Bianchi
Gilles Villenuve
Didier Pironi
Ronnie Peterson
Francois Cevert
Greg Moore
Gonzalo Rodriguez
Jacques Villenuve if he didn’t join BAR in 1999
Alexander Rossi in good F1 equipment
Oliver Panis
Montoya staying in F1
I believe that Dale would have been a handful in 01 if he survived by just now Harvick ran in the car as a rookie with no off season prep with that 3/29 crew
 
Morgan Shepherd. What if he had a better car?

LOL good one.

But he was born in 1941 and his best years were in the Late Sportsman years or his pre Winston Cup years.
And he still performed well in the later 80s and early 90s. He is definitely too old now and gained greater attention for the context.

But age was also against him before he got a quality ride back in the 80s, as well.
Lots of drivers hurt their legacy by hanging on too long and feeding younger eyes with a limited washed up view, doing into his 70s tainted his legacy the most.
 
LOL good one.

But he was born in 1941 and his best years were in the Late Sportsman years or his pre Winston Cup years.
And he still performed well in the later 80s and early 90s. He is definitely too old now and gained greater attention for the context.

But age was also against him before he got a quality ride back in the 80s, as well.
Lots of drivers hurt their legacy by hanging on too long and feeding younger eyes with a limited washed up view, doing into his 70s tainted his legacy the most.
I remember when Morgan Shepherd was a pretty decent Cup driver. He won a Cup race at age 51, which is no small feat.
 
(Your First Name here) Earnhardt, illegitimate son of Dale Earnhardt, born in 1999 in Las Vegas to a showgirl with athletic genes.

WHAT IF —

You would probably have a silver spoon in your mouth, and an Xfinity steering wheel in your hands... :)
 
Morgan Shepard was called "Super Sub" near the end of his Winston Cup career - he filled in for several hurt drivers and performed well, including the win that ToyYoda mentioned. But as Greg said, Morgan had gotten too old to interest Winston Cup team owners.
 
If Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, or Tim Richmond hadn't died young then Dale Earnhardt would not have seven championships. Jeff Gordon might or might not have his four championships - he had an age advantage over those others. Rob Moroso had enough potential (and backing money) to win some races, but I'm not sure if he had a championship in him. Hard to tell about Kenny Irwin Jr, since he never got a shot with a really good team. Although Ernie Irvan's injuries did cut his career short, he'd already shown what he had in very good equipment and I don't think he would have done a lot more - he'd have some more wins, but I doubt a championship.
 
If you haven't watched (Tim Richmond to the limit) yet I highly recommend. It's a 30 for 30 on ESPN
It’s so good...I wish Tim hadn’t gotten sick his talent was amazing. The 80’s and 90’s could have been championship battles of Earnhardt vs Gordon vs Richmond vs Allison. Golly the thought of that...
 
Agreed, Dale finished 2nd in points in 2000 and looked like he was back to his old form after a few down years.
RCR had rebuilt the 3 team it seemed for one last go of it and Earnhardt looked rejuvenated, I think he would have had 01 and 02 to get that 8th title
 
Lake Speed was honestly underrated as a driver. He did a great job with Melling after Bill left IMHO, but the team was a shell of itself by then. I think with a better team, Lake could have definitely been a great driver in better equipment.

He was a wheelman a la John Andretti that could wheel the hell out of anything. He had interest from teams in CART, F1, and NASCAR.
 
(Your First Name here) Earnhardt, illegitimate son of Dale Earnhardt, born in 1999 in Las Vegas to a showgirl with athletic genes.

WHAT IF —

You would probably have a silver spoon in your mouth, and an Xfinity steering wheel in your hands... :)

Totally agree with this statement........tell me Chase didn’t have a silver spoon, we know the grandkids did,
who else?

Today if you don’t have that silver spoon, you’re not racing NASCAR.
 
Lake Speed was honestly underrated as a driver. He did a great job with Melling after Bill left IMHO, but the team was a shell of itself by then. I think with a better team, Lake could have definitely been a great driver in better equipment.
.
Lake is very underrated. Dude won the World Karting champion beating drivers such as Senna. Considering the best equipment he ever drove was his own, he could have accomplished much more with a better team
 
I believe that Dale would have been a handful in 01 if he survived by just now Harvick ran in the car as a rookie with no off season prep with that 3/29 crew
No doubt. I believe as well Jr would have had a championship or two if Sr wasn’t killed and DEI would still be going strong today.
 
Of all the "what ifs", the most tragic to me is Davey Allison. The guy was taught by his dad one of the absolute best chassis men to ever live, Davey won two races as a rookie, compared to Dale Srs one. On top of that he only ran 22 of the 29 events in his rookie seaon. He was a steady performer from 87 until his death in 93. He had Winston Cup Champion wrote all over him. Tim Richmond was an unusually talented driver also. Did he have a title or two in him? I believe he did. Kulwicki, I believe had peaked. I think as with most independents his days were numbered as an owner. So, I'm saying he had peaked for where he was at. Had he landed a top tier ride, which I believe he would have, he would have been in the thick of things for a few more years. Ernie may have well won a title at Yates had he stayed healthy. But, as with the others, we will never know. Great topic for discussion.
 
Yep, I remember that. Of course, it was just a stunt - Gordon wasn't changing occupations...

just having off-season fun, but you missed the reference

NASCAR Cup cars have been described as "Taxis" in the past...
 
I definitely think Richmond and Davey would have won championships. Irvan too, if not for the Michigan wreck in '94. But he only had the 28 ride because of Davey's death so there's that.

I wonder how Alan Kulwicki would have fared if he continued as a driver/owner. If you look at DW and Bill and Rudd and those guys, their success was somewhat disappointing and their teams were short lived.
 
Of all the "what ifs", the most tragic to me is Davey Allison. The guy was taught by his dad one of the absolute best chassis men to ever live, Davey won two races as a rookie, compared to Dale Srs one. On top of that he only ran 22 of the 29 events in his rookie seaon. He was a steady performer from 87 until his death in 93. He had Winston Cup Champion wrote all over him. Tim Richmond was an unusually talented driver also. Did he have a title or two in him? I believe he did. Kulwicki, I believe had peaked. I think as with most independents his days were numbered as an owner. So, I'm saying he had peaked for where he was at. Had he landed a top tier ride, which I believe he would have, he would have been in the thick of things for a few more years. Ernie may have well won a title at Yates had he stayed healthy. But, as with the others, we will never know. Great topic for discussion.

Yes, this is pretty much exactly what I was trying to say. :cheers:
 
Morgan Shepherd. What if he had a better car?

If you were to ask Morgan, I'm sure he'd say his best days are still ahead of him.

Seriously though, the guy I wonder about is Adam Petty. It would have been interesting to see what he could do as a fourth generation wheel man.

Glenn "Fireball" Roberts was already an extremely successful driver when he was killed, at age 35, in the mid 60's but if he had lived, maybe Richard Petty would have one or two less championship titles.
 
If you were to ask Morgan, I'm sure he'd say his best days are still ahead of him.

Seriously though, the guy I wonder about is Adam Petty. It would have been interesting to see what he could do as a fourth generation wheel man.

Glenn "Fireball" Roberts was already an extremely successful driver when he was killed, at age 35, in the mid 60's but if he had lived, maybe Richard Petty would have one or two less championship titles.
Forgot to mention him in my initial post....Petty Enterprises and to a lesser extent, Dodge bet it all on him. He’d still be racing today I bet, one of the greatest what if’s
 
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