Post your top 10 drivers of all time

Ill do top 10 of the last 15 years because they are all relevant to one another:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kyle Busch
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Matt Kenseth
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Kurt Busch
9. Denny Hamlin
10. Carl Edwards

Logano will earn a spot on this list at some point.
 
NJJammer said:
I'm convinced Kyle Busch will ultimately be a top 10 driver, maybe even top 5. He has the talent, if not the temperament...yet.
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It is hard to know where Kyle will end up when all is said and done because so much is unknown. Nascar could end up splitting races in 2 and having different winners or it could drop to 25 races and therefore deny a driver a chance to win more. He is probably going to need 80+ victories to be considered in the top 5 and he will either have to win 4 races a year for 10 years or 3 races a year for 15 years to get close and that is a very, very tall order.

There is no question that Kyle loves to race but as he gets older and perhaps has 2-3 kids his priorities may shift and that could be exacerbated by the lack of money flowing into Nascar. Maybe when he is 38 years old top drivers will be making a million bucks a year and that might not be enough for him and others to continue on.
 
Simple Fan said:
Losing is easier when you can go home to 7championships on the shelf.
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What you say makes sense for the average Joe but for a person that is driven things are different as they don't care about what they have achieved as it is all about getting the next goal and then the one after that.
 
NJJammer said:
I respect JJ immensely. I happen to enjoy the racing personalities of drivers like Kyle, Brad, etc. It doesn't mean they are my "heroes," role models, etc. I root for the Empire sometimes in Star Wars even though I know how it ends. I love a good villain. NASCAR needs a few more IMO. :)
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For sure as there are all sorts of different personalities in racing and the real world. I used to marvel at how my business partner handled some of the clients that I had no stomach for. It was the same for me as I could take a person he didn't want to be in the same room with and spend the day with them. It does takes all kinds.
 
I didn't start watching NASCAR until the late 80's, so I feel a little out of place commenting on how good a driver somebody like Buck Baker or Ned Jarrett was. So my list is just gonna be the top-10 drivers I've seen race. I'm also gonna omit Richard Petty, as he was pretty much a backmarker by the time I started following the sport.

1. Dale Earnhardt
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Tony Stewart
5. Rusty Wallace
6. Kyle Busch
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Mark Martin
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Brad Keselowski
 
ToyYoda said:
I didn't start watching NASCAR until the late 80's, so I feel a little out of place commenting on how good a driver somebody like Buck Baker or Ned Jarrett was. So my list is just gonna be the top-10 drivers I've seen race. I'm also gonna omit Richard Petty, as he was pretty much a backmarker by the time I started following the sport.

1. Dale Earnhardt
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Tony Stewart
5. Rusty Wallace
6. Kyle Busch
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Mark Martin
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Brad Keselowski
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I like that list from late 80s-current. Positions 7-9, I may quibble with the order but those three are there, for sure.
 
NJJammer said:
I like that list from late 80s-current. Positions 7-9, I may quibble with the order but those three are there, for sure.
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I almost went with Davey Allison instead of Brad K at 10, but Brad has been in the sport just a tad longer than Davey was before we lost him, and Brad's numbers are just a little better in essentially the same time period. Plus, Brad has the championship that Davey unfortunately wasn't able to get.
 
ToyYoda said:
I almost went with Davey Allison instead of Brad K at 10, but Brad has been in the sport just a tad longer than Davey was before we lost him, and Brad's numbers are just a little better in essentially the same time period. Plus, Brad has the championship that Davey unfortunately wasn't able to get.
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Agreed. It will be interesting to see how this late 80s-current list gets altered in the next 15 years or so.
 
In no particular order

Richard Petty
Dale Earnhardt
Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
Bill Elliott
David Pearson
Cale Yarbough
Bobby Allison
Darrell Waltrip
Tony Stewart
 
Awesome thread. My opinion of best drivers ever:
1. Dale Earnhardt
2. Richard Petty
3. Jeff Gordon
4. David Pearson
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Cale Yarborough
7. Darrell Waltrip
8. Bobby Allison
9. Junior Johnson
10. Bill Elliott
 
1. Dale Earnhardt Sr.
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Richard Petty
5. David Pearson
6. Darrell Waltrip
7. Bobby Allison
8. Cale Yarborough
9. Rusty Wallace
10. Herb Thomas
 
nickmiles said:
1)Richard Petty
2)David Pearson
3)Dale Earnhardt
4)Jeff Gordon
5)Jimmie Johnson
6)Cale Yarbrough
6)Bobby Allison
7)Darrell Waltrip
8)Junior Johnson
9)Lee Petty
10)Rusty Wallace

Next 5 that just missed
Tony Stewart, Ned Jarrett, Bill Elliot, Herb Thomas, Buck Baker
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NASCAR:
  1. Mark Martin
  2. Kevin Harvick
  3. John Andretti
  4. Rusty Wallace
  5. Darrell Waltrip
  6. Tony Stewart
  7. Robby Gordon
  8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
  9. Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
  10. Kyle Petty
 
ToyYoda said:
I didn't start watching NASCAR until the late 80's, so I feel a little out of place commenting on how good a driver somebody like Buck Baker or Ned Jarrett was. So my list is just gonna be the top-10 drivers I've seen race. I'm also gonna omit Richard Petty, as he was pretty much a backmarker by the time I started following the sport.

1. Dale Earnhardt
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Tony Stewart
5. Rusty Wallace
6. Kyle Busch
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Mark Martin
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Brad Keselowski
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I like your idea about drivers from the 80's on up so here goes mine:

1. Dale Earnhardt
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Darrell Waltrip
5. Tony Stewart
6. Rusty Wallace
7. Bill Elliott
8. Bobby Allison
9. Mark Martin
10. Dale Jarrett
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
NASCAR:
  1. Mark Martin
  2. Kevin Harvick
  3. John Andretti
  4. Rusty Wallace
  5. Darrell Waltrip
  6. Tony Stewart
  7. Robby Gordon
  8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
  9. Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
  10. Kyle Petty
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I hate to assume but I am assuming you have your firmly planted in your cheek.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
Your list with Kyle, Wally and John and Robby on it. I can understand that they could be personal faves and none of them were bad drivers but best of all time? Surely you can't be serious?
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I'm waiting for this response:

b83eef2b053d5379d8dc1681fc9584d9d202b970883d2dfd259deac15f56d225.jpg
 
1. JD McDuffie
2. Jimmy "Smut" Means
3. Dick Trickle
4. Trevor Boys
5. Phil Barkdoll
6. Buddy Arrington
7. HB Bailey
8. Ron Bouchard
9. Dave Marcis
10. Joe Ruttman

Best of the "Run what you brung" and "Do well or don't eat" crowd.
 
ToyYoda said:
I didn't start watching NASCAR until the late 80's, so I feel a little out of place commenting on how good a driver somebody like Buck Baker or Ned Jarrett was. So my list is just gonna be the top-10 drivers I've seen race. I'm also gonna omit Richard Petty, as he was pretty much a backmarker by the time I started following the sport.

1. Dale Earnhardt
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Tony Stewart
5. Rusty Wallace
6. Kyle Busch
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Mark Martin
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Brad Keselowski
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Looks like I forgot Bill Elliott when putting this list together. Let's put him at 6 and move everybody else down one. Sorry Brad.
 
I will say this about Keselowski.

His stock has grown exponentially and he will go down as an all-time great before he's done. He just needs some "crown jewel" wins to pretty up his resume. It's looking damn good considering how much he has accomplished in six full-time seasons in NASCAR.

That's incredible to say the least.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
Your list with Kyle, Wally and John and Robby on it. I can understand that they could be personal faves and none of them were bad drivers but best of all time? Surely you can't be serious?
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I thought this was post your 10 top drivers, as in your favorite drivers. So, I misunderstood.
 
First, it needs to be acknowledged that this thread is about NASCAR drivers only, not all racers. There are many greats from other forms of racing, but to compare and rank across disciplines is a fool's errand.

Second, all one can do with any validity is to name the best one or two or three of each generation. To rank these against the best of other eras is impossible IMO, filled with biases and flimsy assumptions.

The names on my list are the same names mentioned on many other lists, but I don't rank them, as it inherently lacks validity. In chronological order:

Herb Thomas
Lee Petty
Ned Jarrett
David Pearson
Richard Petty
Cale Yarborough
Bobby Allison
Darrell Waltrip
Dale Earnhardt
Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
 
The top 3 I cannot seperate or put one above the other.

1. Richard Petty
1. David Pearson
1. Dale Earnhardt

4. Jimmie Johnson

another tie

5. Darrell Waltrip
5. Bobby Allison

7. Jeff Gordon
8. Cale Yarbrough
9. Rusty Wallace
10. Jack Ingram

Local Heroes

1. Butch Lindley
2. Donnie Bishop
 
Kiante said:
I will say this about Keselowski.

His stock has grown exponentially and he will go down as an all-time great before he's done. He just needs some "crown jewel" wins to pretty up his resume. It's looking damn good considering how much he has accomplished in six full-time seasons in NASCAR.

That's incredible to say the least.
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76 wins gets you into the best of the best territory so BKez will need to average 3.33 race wins per year for the next 15 years to get there when he will be 48 years old. Of course he could win 5 races per year for 10 years and get it over sooner as unless he gets in that territory he can't be a GOAT but still can be very good.
 
Bill Elliot has 44 cup wins ......... hardly a 10 best driver IMO



Oh ......... and one Xfinity win
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
What you say makes sense for the average Joe but for a person that is driven things are different as they don't care about what they have achieved as it is all about getting the next goal and then the one after that.
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No doubt and thats exactly what Jimmie does. Jimmie and Kyle are both trophy hunters but they go at it with different mindsets. Kyle wants to win every race he runs and a championship while Jimmie at this point is worried only about another championship.

Jimmie knows one bad day wont kill his chance at the championship. Kyle should know that being he won his championship racing half a season but he kind of lives in the now more times than not.
 
David Pearson
Dale Earnhardt
Jimmie Johnson
Richard Petty
Jeff Gordon
Darrell Waltrip
Cale Yarborough
Tony Stewart
Rusty Wallace
Kyle Busch

Honorable Mention:
Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Allison, Terry Labonte, Tim Richmond, Bill Elliott
 
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Dale Earnhardt
3. Jeff Gordon
4. David Pearson
5. Richard Petty
6. Darrell Waltrip
7. Bobby Allison
8. Cale Yarborough
9. Tony Stewart
10. Bill Elliot


Honorable mention
Kyle Busch
Rusty Wallace
Matt Kenseth
Terry Labonte
 
jaqua19 said:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Dale Earnhardt
3. Jeff Gordon
4. David Pearson
5. Richard Petty
6. Darrell Waltrip
7. Bobby Allison
8. Cale Yarborough
9. Tony Stewart
10. Bill Elliot


Honorable mention
Kyle Busch
Rusty Wallace
Matt Kenseth
Terry Labonte
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Having Kyle in the top 10 is just plain wrong to me as I am not saying he won't make the list at some point but just not yet.
 
Best since I've been watching in 2001:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Tony Stewart
3. Kyle Busch
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Matt Kenseth
6. Mark Martin
7. Harvick
8. Brad Keselowski
9. Kurt Busch
10. Denny Hamlin

Honorable mentions: Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Dale Jr.
 
kyle18fan said:
Bill Elliot has 44 cup wins ......... hardly a 10 best driver IMO



Oh ......... and one Xfinity win
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Elliott also has a championship, 2 Daytona 500's (both unrestricted), won the 2002 Brickyard 400, won the Winston Million in '85, won 4 straight races in '92 and is arguably the greatest superspeedway racer of all-time imo. Elliott from about '83-'92 was a dominating force in NASCAR. I know it's somewhat misleading but 212.809 is one of the most sacred numbers in NASCAR. Awesome Bill was legit.

He is fringe Top 10 when you go back to the 1960's imo. I had him 9th, No matter what he's absolutely worthy of discussion.
 
KodiakRusty89 said:
Elliott also has a championship, 2 Daytona 500's (both unrestricted), won the 2002 Brickyard 400, won the Winston Million in '85, won 4 straight races in '92 and is arguably the greatest superspeedway racer of all-time imo. Elliott from about '83-'92 was a dominating force in NASCAR. I know it's somewhat misleading but 212.809 is one of the most sacred numbers in NASCAR. Awesome Bill was legit.

He is fringe Top 10 when you go back to the 1960's imo. I had him 9th, No matter what he's absolutely worthy of discussion.
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Bill and his brothers singlehandedly brought FoMoCo back to the forefront of Nascar racing...... that in itself was a major accomplishment.....
 
kymartin6 said:
Bill and his brothers singlehandedly brought FoMoCo back to the forefront of Nascar racing...... that in itself was a major accomplishment.....
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Elliott was one of the first most heavily marketed NASCAR drivers. He was in a bunch of those "Have You Driven a Ford Lately" commercials from the mid to late 80's until the early 90's. He was the face of Ford racing for basically a decade.
 
What's interesting to me is the fact that arguably the 3 greatest incompletes (Allison, Kulwicki and Irvan) were all from a short window of time. I think Joe Weatherly is also in that discussion. He basically ran 8 years in the Grand National Division.
 
KodiakRusty89 said:
Elliott also has a championship, 2 Daytona 500's (both unrestricted), won the 2002 Brickyard 400, won the Winston Million in '85, won 4 straight races in '92 and is arguably the greatest superspeedway racer of all-time imo. Elliott from about '83-'92 was a dominating force in NASCAR. I know it's somewhat misleading but 212.809 is one of the most sacred numbers in NASCAR. Awesome Bill was legit.

He is fringe Top 10 when you go back to the 1960's imo. I had him 9th, No matter what he's absolutely worthy of discussion.
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He also holds the Daytona qualifying record at 210.314 mph. He won 4 straight at MIS in 85 and 86, and gave a stellar performance at Talledega when he made up a 3 lap deficit under the green. Yeah he's a top 10 driver.
 
KodiakRusty89 said:
What's interesting to me is the fact that arguably the 3 greatest incompletes (Allison, Kulwicki and Irvan) were all from a short window of time. I think Joe Weatherly is also in that discussion. He basically ran 8 years in the Grand National Division.
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Throw Tim Richmond in there and make it the 4 greatest incompletes.
 
Larsonfan1995 said:
Throw Tim Richmond in there and make it the 4 greatest incompletes.
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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.
 
KodiakRusty89 said:
Elliott was one of the first most heavily marketed NASCAR drivers. He was in a bunch of those "Have You Driven a Ford Lately" commercials from the mid to late 80's until the early 90's. He was the face of Ford racing for basically a decade.
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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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