Best NASCAR drivers of all-time: 75 greatest drivers
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
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
Bobby Labonte
Randy LaJoie
Sterling Marlin
Ryan Newman
Larry Phillips
Mike Stefanik
Tony Stewart
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'
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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