Well expecting any current fan to throw him into the discussion is a stretch. He hasn't made a start in 46 years, most current fans never even seen him race, let alone were even alive at the time.
Maybe I'm a Parker Retzlaff homer because he's from WI, but with the finishes he continues to get in Viking cars I can't see him making a big jump in level of equipment for next year. JR and Denny have both mentioned how impressive he is.