Post your top 10 drivers of all time

KodiakRusty89 said:
Absolutely!! I can't believe I missed Richmond! And Fireball! Those two along with Allison, Kulwicki, Irvan and Weatherly are guys who showed unbelievable ability but suffered terrible fate/luck.

Richmond was out of the sport right before the time I was old enough to really follow it.
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Tim was amazing......... what he accomplished while fighting Nascar and his illness will never be replicated........
 
kymartin6 said:
I started watching Nascar about '64.... was always a FoMoCo fan. When Holman Moody pulled out in the mid 70's..... about all that was left were the Wood Brothers and Bud Moore.... now.... let me tell you... they done really good....... especially the Wood Brothers with David Pearson...... but... it was kinda' disheartening to see all the favoritism to the G.M. bunch..... kinda' pissed me off and I quit watching until Bill and his bunch turned things around...... got my interest again..... then Roush threw his hat in the ring...... (I was always a big Fan of Jack from his Gapp and Roush days in Pro Stock)..... things started to click again for FoMoCo thru most of the 90's..... Thank goodness Penske decided to go with them...... Now SHR....... and Stenhouse's win Sunday for Roush..... things might be looking up again...... I thank God every day that Penske decided to go with them...... without Penske.... FoMoCo would be a forgotten dinosaur......
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Robert Yates was also a huge Ford guy! His engines were on par, if not better, than the Elliott's by the late 80's.
 
KodiakRusty89 said:
Robert Yates was also a huge Ford guy! His engines were on par, if not better, than the Elliott's by the late 80's.
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Robert and Waddell Wilson started their career with Holman Moody as the top engine builders... that's where they honed their skills.... Robert was in the right position to buy Harry Ranier's outfit...... he put Davey in the car....

I miss Davey so much to this day....... he had Championships ahead of him...... but..... it wasn't to be.
 
1.David Pearson
2.Richard Petty
3. Dale Earnhardt
4.Cale Yarborough
5.Jimmy Johnson
6.Tim Richmond
7.Fred Lorenzen
8.Bobby Johns
9.Fireball Roberts
10.Junior Johnson
 
I'm surprised at how many of you don't have Gordon in the top 5. In a four year span he won 40 races and 3 championships (along with a runner up finish). That is extremely impressive, especially for the modern era (and back when they only ran 31-32 races a year). I doubt anyone ever comes close to a run like that ever again.

I get that he wasn't nearly as dominant after 2007, so maybe that has an impact on the younger crowd that hasn't followed the sport as long.
 
2 Sweet said:
I'm surprised at how many of you don't have Gordon in the top 5. In a four year span he won 40 races and 3 championships (along with a runner up finish). That is extremely impressive, especially for the modern era (and back when they only ran 31-32 races a year). I doubt anyone ever comes close to a run like that ever again.

I get that he wasn't nearly as dominant after 2007, so maybe that has an impact on the younger crowd that hasn't followed the sport as long.
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In the same breath, why don't you have Jimmie Johnson in your top 10. 82 wins just 16 seasons, 7 championships, 2x Daytona winner, 4x 600 winner, 9x Martinsville winner, etc.
 
1 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Fifth Third Bank (Jack Roush) Ford
2 Jamie McMurray McDonald's $1 Any Size Soft Drink (Chip Ganassi) Chevrolet
3 Kyle Busch Skittles Red White & Blue (Joe Gibbs) Toyota
4 Aric Almirola Fresh From Florida (Richard Petty Motorsports) Ford
5 Kasey Kahne UniFirst Uniforms (Rick Hendrick) Chevrolet
6 Kurt Busch Haas Automation / Monster Energy (Stewart Haas Racing) Ford
7 Brad Keselowski Fitzgerald Glider Kits (Roger Penske) Ford
8 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's (Rick Hendrick) Chevrolet
9 Paul Menard Valvoline / Menards (Richard Childress) Chevrolet
10 David Ragan Camping World / Good Sam (Bob Jenkins)
 
DSquad48 said:
In the same breath, why don't you have Jimmie Johnson in your top 10. 82 wins just 16 seasons, 7 championships, 2x Daytona winner, 4x 600 winner, 9x Martinsville winner, etc.
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Because my top 10 is irrelevant lol. It's just a list of my favorite retired drivers.

Jimmie is one of the top 5 greatest of all time without question.
 
2 Sweet said:
I'm surprised at how many of you don't have Gordon in the top 5. In a four year span he won 40 races and 3 championships (along with a runner up finish). That is extremely impressive, especially for the modern era (and back when they only ran 31-32 races a year). I doubt anyone ever comes close to a run like that ever again.

I get that he wasn't nearly as dominant after 2007, so maybe that has an impact on the younger crowd that hasn't followed the sport as long.
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More people showed up to boo Gordon than come to the races these days. There are still a few haters left. Gordon is second to none in my opinion. He was the the most consistent driver over the course of the season there ever was, and dominant on every type of track. Give me a contrived Chase system, debris cautions, segments, double-file restarts, lucky dogs, wave arounds, empty stands, and Chad Knaus and i'll take Jimmie Johnson.
 
dirtguru said:
1.David Pearson
2.Richard Petty
3. Dale Earnhardt
4.Cale Yarborough
5.Jimmy Johnson
6.Tim Richmond
7.Fred Lorenzen
8.Bobby Johns
9.Fireball Roberts
10.Junior Johnson
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Guess it's hard to choose all the top ten, but I feel like Bobby Allison should have been in there too.
 
I’d like to thank Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson — and their 21 combined Cup Championships for keeping riffraff from entering that esteemed group of Cup Champions.

One Hit Wonder active Cup drivers:

Logano
Truex
Harvick
*Kyle Busch
Keselowski
Kurt Busch

:lurk:
 
1 Richard Petty
2 Fireball Roberts
3 Tiny Lund
4.Fred Lorenzen
5 Dan Gurney (Road Course King)
6. David Pearson
7 Polish Victory Lap Guy
8 Jimmy Johnson
9 Mikey's Brother
10. Bill Elliot
 
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Since this thread popped up again, I'll add my two cents. We car argue about the exact order, but the top five are Pearson, Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon, Johnson. The second five, again in no particular order; Yarborough, Allison, Waltrip, Ky. Busch, Jr. Johnson. Honorable mention, Herb Thomas, Lee Petty, Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Ned Jarrett, Buck Baker, Fireball Roberts.
 
1. Dale Earnhardt (80,86,87,90,91,93,94)
2. Richard Petty (64,67,71,72,74,75,79)
3. David Pearson (66,68,69)
4. Jimmie Johnson (06,07,08,09,10,13,16)
5. Cale Yarborough (76,77,78)
6. Darrell Waltrip (81,82,85)
7. Lee Petty (54,58,59)
8. Jeff Gordon (95,97,98,01)
9. Bobby Allison (83)
10. Tony Stewart (02,05,11)

*I would've ranked Jeff Gordon lower because of the sins of Evernham (but it has been "suggested" by many that RP got away with a lot of stuff too...) :D
 
1 David Pearson
2 Bobby Allison
3 Dale Earnhardt
4 Jimmy Johnson
5 Darrell Waltrip
6 Cale Yarborough
7 Jeff Gordon
8 Junior Johnson
9 Richard Petty
10 Tony Stewart/ Joe Weatherly
 
Ventisca said:
1. Dale Earnhardt (80,86,87,90,91,93,94)
2. Richard Petty (64,67,71,72,74,75,79)
3. David Pearson (66,68,69)
4. Jimmie Johnson (06,07,08,09,10,13,16)
5. Cale Yarborough (76,77,78)
6. Darrell Waltrip (81,82,85)
7. Lee Petty (54,58,59)
8. Jeff Gordon (95,97,98,01)
9. Bobby Allison (83)
10. Tony Stewart (02,05,11)

*I would've ranked Jeff Gordon lower because of the sins of Evernham (but it has been "suggested" by many that RP got away with a lot of stuff too...) :D
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Are the "sins of Evernham" any worse than than the "sins" of Jr. Johnson, Maurice Petty, Dale Inman, Bobby Allison, Mario Rossi, Gary Nelson, Buddy Parrot, Smokey Yunick, Herb Nab, Tim Brewer, Jeff Hammond, Harry Hyde, Jake Elder, Chad Knaus, Rodney Childers, Paul Wolf, ETC, ETC, ETC?

Just for the record, does anybody know how many times Evernham was actually found to be cheating? I can only think of ONE incident.
 
Is this thread NASCAR drivers still or is it across all Motorsports ?
 
Kyle Busch and nine other guys not quite as good.
 
Formerjackman said:
Are the "sins of Evernham" any worse than than the "sins" of Jr. Johnson, Maurice Petty, Dale Inman, Bobby Allison, Mario Rossi, Gary Nelson, Buddy Parrot, Smokey Yunick, Herb Nab, Tim Brewer, Jeff Hammond, Harry Hyde, Jake Elder, Chad Knaus, Rodney Childers, Paul Wolf, ETC, ETC, ETC?

Just for the record, does anybody know how many times Evernham was actually found to be cheating? I can only think of ONE incident.
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Why are you picking on Childers? Absolutely nothing he has ever done had any impact on performance. He said so.
 
Revman said:
Why are you picking on Childers? Absolutely nothing he has ever done had any impact on performance. He said so.
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I know your comment was in just, but I'm just making the point that the next 100% legal NASCAR car to hit the track will be the first one, and that some of the greatest drivers in the sport also had some of the greatest cheaters behind them. I think certain crew chiefs, Evernham among them get unfairly singled out for their indiscretions. Over on the Randy Ayres NASCAR modelers website, someone recently posted a seven page letter Harry Hyde wrote to his boss Nord Krauskopf in March 1971 detailing a laundry list of complaints and accusations that Hyde had made to NASCAR concerning alleged rules violations and special treatment afforded the Petty team. Historical evidence from photographs and first hand accounts from people who have examined the Petty cars would seem to indicate that Hyde, no angel himself, probably was fairly correct in his complaints. I've yet to hear anyone in recent times label Dale Inman a cheater, while Evernham and Knaus are portrayed as dirty low down scoundrels.
 
Formerjackman said:
I know your comment was in just, but I'm just making the point that the next 100% legal NASCAR car to hit the track will be the first one, and that some of the greatest drivers in the sport also had some of the greatest cheaters behind them. I think certain crew chiefs, Evernham among them get unfairly singled out for their indiscretions. Over on the Randy Ayres NASCAR modelers website, someone recently posted a seven page letter Harry Hyde wrote to his boss Nord Krauskopf in March 1971 detailing a laundry list of complaints and accusations that Hyde had made to NASCAR concerning alleged rules violations and special treatment afforded the Petty team. Historical evidence from photographs and first hand accounts from people who have examined the Petty cars would seem to indicate that Hyde, no angel himself, probably was fairly correct in his complaints. I've yet to hear anyone in recent times label Dale Inman a cheater, while Evernham and Knaus are portrayed as dirty low down scoundrels.
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Gary Nelson was a world class cheater also. NASCAR hired him. Couldn't catch him all the time, so they put the best cheater to work trying to catch the other cheaters.
 
Mine is an attempt to objectively pick the top 10 drivers based on results and talent. It’s not easy.

1. Richard Petty
2. Dale Earnhardt
3. David Pearson
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Darrell Waltrip
7. Cale Yarborough
8. Bobby Allison
9. Tony Stewart
10. Kyle Busch

In my ranking, championships and wins matter a lot. Yes Petty had a lot of wins and some championships in the old era but he also did quite well in the next phase era when there was a lot of competition. Pearson could easily be second but Earnhardt has 7 championships to go with an impressive number of wins. Johnson’s 7 championships give him an edge on Gordon’s four. The next picks are really tough as all three drivers are right at 84 wins. I believe Waltrip deserves 6th place in this great trifecta. Allison is 8th. Bobby was a great driver, and arguably can edge either Darrell or Yarborough, but Cale’s three championships and big wins give him the edge at 7th. The last two slots are really s is where I think more modern era drivers earn their position versus great early era drivers due to heavier competition. Tony Stewart won three championships. He has 49 wins in very competitive eras, and was as intimidating as anyone, so he gets 9th. KDB, a driver I do not like but I admire his skill, belongs on this list in 10th. Hard decision, but Busch does have two championships and nearly as many wins as Rusty Wallace (1 championship). Lee Petty has three 50’s era championships and 54 wins, so he and Rusty are my runners up.
 
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. David Pearson
3. Dale Earnhardt
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Bobby Allison
6. Cale Yarborough
7. Kyle Busch
8. Richard Petty
9. Darrell Waltrip
10. Ned Jarrett

Honorable Mentions: Herb Thomas, Tony Stewart, Fireball Roberts, Junior Johnson, Bill Elliott
 
Conover said:
Mine is an attempt to objectively pick the top 10 drivers based on results and talent. It’s not easy.

1. Richard Petty
2. Dale Earnhardt
3. David Pearson
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Darrell Waltrip
7. Cale Yarborough
8. Bobby Allison
9. Tony Stewart
10. Kyle Busch

In my ranking, championships and wins matter a lot. Yes Petty had a lot of wins and some championships in the old era but he also did quite well in the next phase era when there was a lot of competition. Pearson could easily be second but Earnhardt has 7 championships to go with an impressive number of wins. Johnson’s 7 championships give him an edge on Gordon’s four. The next picks are really tough as all three drivers are right at 84 wins. I believe Waltrip deserves 6th place in this great trifecta. Allison is 8th. Bobby was a great driver, and arguably can edge either Darrell or Yarborough, but Cale’s three championships and big wins give him the edge at 7th. The last two slots are really s is where I think more modern era drivers earn their position versus great early era drivers due to heavier competition. Tony Stewart won three championships. He has 49 wins in very competitive eras, and was as intimidating as anyone, so he gets 9th. KDB, a driver I do not like but I admire his skill, belongs on this list in 10th. Hard decision, but Busch does have two championships and nearly as many wins as Rusty Wallace (1 championship). Lee Petty has three 50’s era championships and 54 wins, so he and Rusty are my runners up.
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Agree with all of it, except I switch Johnson and Petty. Kyle Busch has 1 championship, not 2.

Also, just to point out in general, Kyle Busch up to this point has not surpassed Tony Stewart yet.

Tony Stewart accomplished a bit more, and has shown more clutch driving (2011, 2005) in the same amount of time.

Going year to year, the first 13 years of each of their careers (after which Tony soon retired), Stewart and Busch won at a similar rate, but Stewart won more titles. Ultimately, Kyle's longevity will allow him to eclipse Stewart...but he hasnt yet.

Its like Duncan vs Kobe. Kobe at his best was a bit better..but Duncan was in his prime longer and ultimately was just as accomplished..and a lot of NBA fans place Duncan over Kobe in ATR.

Tony is Kobe here, KB is Duncan

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Alan Kulwicki deserves to be there for what he accomplished in a short time, including a Championship. I liked the Cooper tires shake up, glad they are out too, but really charged things up.
 
I grew up a Gordon fan, so this should be taken lightly, but...the Gordon disrespect in this thread is mind boggling lol.
 
At WORST, JG is the fifth best driver all time. As far as I'm concerned he has the most dominant four year stretch 95-98 of any driver in history. He was one DNF away from being the first driver to win four titles in a row and a couple heartbeats away from winning titles with four different crew chiefs. All time restrictor plate winner, all time road course winner, his number of victories in the 'big races", the superlatives go on and on.
 
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