NASCAR Cup Series

Best NASCAR drivers of all-time: 75 greatest drivers

Updated Jul. 31, 2024 3:40 p.m. ET

During NASCAR’s 50th anniversary in 1998, the sanctioning body enlisted a panel to vote on the 50 greatest drivers in NASCAR history.

Now in its 75th year in 2023, NASCAR enlisted another panel to vote on 25 drivers to add to that list for its 75 greatest drivers over its 75-year history.

NASCAR celebrates 75th year

The Race Hub crew looked back at the most memorable moments in NASCAR history.

Many are in the Hall of Fame, but this vote is more about pure talent and results rather than overall contributions to the sport. The toughest part? Likely trying to compare stars of local tracks, the modifieds, trucks and Xfinity divisions to those in the NASCAR Cup Series, the most prominent division on the NASCAR circuit.

A couple of interesting facts:

--There is one grandfather-father-son on the list: Ralph Earnhardt-Dale Earnhardt-Dale Earnhardt Jr.

--There are five father-son on the list: Bobby-Davey Allison, Buck-Buddy Baker, Bill Elliott-Chase Elliott, Ned Jarrett-Dale Jarrett and Lee Petty-Richard Petty

--There are two sets of brothers on the list: Terry Labonte-Bobby Labonte and Kurt Busch-Kyle Busch

Here are the original 50 drivers:

Bobby Allison

Davey Allison

Buck Baker

Buddy Baker

Geoff Bodine

Neil Bonnett

Red Byron

Jerry Cook

Dale Earnhardt

Ralph Earnhardt

Bill Elliott

Richie Evans

Red Farmer

Tim Flock

A.J. Foyt

Harry Gant

Jeff Gordon

Ray Hendrick

Jack Ingram

Ernie Irvan

Bobby Isaac

Dale Jarrett

Ned Jarrett

Junior Johnson

Alan Kulwicki

Terry Labonte

Fred Lorenzen

Tiny Lund

Mark Martin

Hershel McGriff

Cotton Owens

Marvin Panch

Benny Parsons

David Pearson

Richard Petty

Lee Petty

Tim Richmond

Fireball Roberts

Ricky Rudd

Marshall Teague

Herb Thomas

Curtis Turner

Rusty Wallace

Darrell Waltrip

Joe Weatherly

Bob Welborn

Rex White

Glen Wood

Cale Yarborough

LeeRoy Yarbrough

Here are the new drivers being added to make 75:

Sam Ard

Greg Biffle

Jeff Burton

Carl Edwards

Ron Hornaday

Kasey Kahne

Matt Kenseth

Brad Keselowski

Bobby Labonte

Randy LaJoie

Kyle Larson

Joey Logano

Sterling Marlin

Ryan Newman

Larry Phillips

Mike Stefanik

Tony Stewart

Martin Truex Jr.

For transparency purposes: Bob Pockrass was on the voting panel (NASCAR did not release the number of voters nor the names on the panel). Here are the 25 drivers Pockrass voted for to be added to the greatest driver list:

Biffle, Burton, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Earnhardt Jr., Edwards, Elliott, Fonty Flock, Hamlin, Harvick, Johnson, Kahne, Kenseth, Keselowski, Labonte, Larson, Logano, Marlin, Newman, Jim Paschal, Phillips, Ken Schrader, Stefanik, Stewart, and Truex Jr.

'To make this list is really special'

The Race Hub crew broke the news to Brad Keselowski that he was named to the 75 greatest drivers list.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass, and sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass.

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