Top Ten Classic NASCAR Drivers

The Top Ten

  1. Dale Earnhardt

    Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr., known professionally as Dale Earnhardt, was an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner, best known for his success in NASCAR. He won seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, tying him with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson for the most in history. Earnhardt... read more

    A driver who pushed the limits who would do what it took to win a race whether pass bill Elliot in the grass or flip terry labonte. To me he is the Michael Schumacher of NASCAR winning races anyway he can no matter how much destruction he left in his wake. Unfortunally killed at Daytona blocking for Michael waltrip when he should have gotten out of the way.the same age his father died. However that being said he was still fun to watch

    He showed why bumpers were made. He improved the sport by making left turns

  2. Richard Petty

    One of NASCAR's all time greats, however I would rate his main rival David Pearson higher. David has 105 wins vs. Petty's 200 but at a time when a season was 75-80 races long. David Pearson did not compete in the full season like Petty however has 3 championships and 105 wins, not bad for a part time driver driving usually fords in smaller tracks and mercury for superspeedways (better than the nose- heavy Hemi). One of the best Daytona 500 finishes 1976 Pearson drives wrecked Merc across finish line ahead of Petty to win.

    His Voice Was Even In The 2006 Movie Cars

  3. Alan Kulwicki

    Last genuine honest to god independent driver to win the Winston cup using a budget the size of hendrick racing's tyre budget. Since David Pearson is not on this list despite a higher winning percentage than Richard petty. The only reason king Richard has 200 wins is because the silver fox did not usually run the full 70-80 races in NASCAR's schedule during the time period he drove. Alan Kulwicki was the last(owner-driver) champion before the the mega teams took over and made the sport the mess it is today.

  4. Bobby Allison

    One of the most consistent drivers I have ever seen. Very competitive into his fifties. In I remembered him best for the 1987 Talladega crash that led to restrictor plates being fitted the following season ( race is is sold on dvd) first driver to win with the new smaller gm-10 cars and oldest winner of the Daytona 500 at 52. Would have probably had 90 wins if wreck at Pocono not ended his career.

    He became the oldest NASCAR champion in 1983

  5. Tim Richmond

    An slightly overrated driver driving for a new team (hendrick) won a few races probably would have been a champion if he wasn't so much a playboy. Ultimately being a playboy is what killed him. One of the early casualties of AIDS

  6. Fireball Roberts

    Baseball player turned NASCAR driver. Part of the first generation of greats.

  7. Cale Yarborough

    Football player becomes NASCAR driver, nfl's loss NASCAR's gain. Cale is tough as they come. Three consecutive championships. He's the reason I'm a NASCAR fan to this day. Snowed in my house in 1979 watched the Daytona 500 on a very wet track once the race got under way the race became an allday slug fest between Cale and the Allison bros. With a very young dale Earnhardt and terry labonte in the mix.The race ended with Petty who had been mid pack all day winning when Cale and Donnie crashed on the last lap. Petty won his first race in a year but Cale and Donnie fistfighting in the infield was far more entertaining.

    Cale Yarorough was ten times the driver Dale Earnhardt ever thought about being. He had the ability to drive all out and still think in a duel with somebody else. Earnhardt just plowed right through people and didn't have the talent it took to be a thinking driver.

  8. Donny Allison

  9. Lee Petty

  10. Harry Gant

    He drove the skoal bandit for Hal Needham and Burt Reynolds. Now that is Classic

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Tim Flock

  12. ?

    Dale Jarrett

    13. The Contenders

  13. David Pearson

    Pearson should be ahead of Petty on this list.

    Pearson should be 2nd on this list

  14. Jimmie Johnson

    Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American professional stock car racing driver and a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. He earned titles in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2016, which ties him with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for the most championships in the series. Johnson was inducted... read more

  15. Mark Martin

  16. Kevin Harvick

    Kevin Michael Harvick (born December 8, 1975) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver and commentator for NASCAR on Fox. Harvick clinched the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship and holds 60 wins in that premier division. He also boasts two NASCAR Xfinity Series titles earned... read more

  17. Adam Petty

  18. Jeff Gordon

    Jeffery Michael Gordon is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He is currently an announcer for Fox NASCAR. In addition, he serves as the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports.

    First seen Jeff Gordon on ESPN's Thursday Night Thunder back late '80's driving a miget sprint car at Indianapolis raceway park. Had a feeling he was going to be one of the best then. His first Daytona 500 brough back memories of Dale Earnhardt in rookie '79. Jeff's debut in Winston Cup marked a new generation had arrived, not since Davy Allison was anybody so competitive. Jeff joined Hendrick when they finally got they're act together and started winning. (was easy for Chevy in the 90's since Buick and Olds withdrew and the Ford Thunderbird after 89 was as aerodynamic as Kenworth)Anyway I was hoping to see Jeff close in on David Pearson's win record but he is doing what Richard Petty should have done by the mid 80's; retire before becoming a backmarker( where Dale Earnhardt was heading in 2000)

  19. Tony Stewart

    Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart, nicknamed Smoke, is an American professional auto racing driver and team owner. He is a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, winning titles in 2002, 2005, and 2011. Stewart is co-owner of Tony Stewart Racing and the Superstar Racing Experience and began competing in NHRA... read more

    He will retire soon if he runs this bad, but he is still a good driver

  20. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr., known professionally as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Jr., or just Junior, is an American professional stock car racing driver and champion team owner. He is a two-time Daytona 500 winner, claiming victories in 2004 and 2014. After retiring from full-time racing in 2017, he became... read more

    Better than matt kenseth and is super awesome

  21. Bill Elliott

    A brief summary of NASCAR's most popular top-tier driver.

    - Debuted in the 1976 Carolina 500 with a team created by his family.

    - Won the Winston Million in 1985 and no one has repeated that feat since. (Do note that LeeRoy Yarbrough won the equivalent of the award in 1969, but it wasn't implemented yet.)

    - 1988 Winston Cup Series Champion

    - 212.808 mph lap at Talladega Superspeedway in 1987, the fastest lap recorded in the top-level NASCAR series.

    - 16 time recipient of the Winston Cup Series "Most Popular Driver Award"

    - 44 wins and 55 pole positions.

    - Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.

    Basically, the stats prove he is a classic driver while rising through the top-level ranks with his family to back his career.

  22. Darrell Waltrip

    I best remember Darrell for his finally winning Daytona 500 in 1989. I thought he would have ended his career with 90+ wins but he seemed to fade after 89' and ended up driving for some lackluster teams. He probably would have won Daytona sooner of the teams he drove for in '79 '81 would have used 8 cylinder engines (in the '70s transistion big cube v-8s could still be ran with restrictor plates and some teams used 6- cylinder engines in Winston cup races) the cars he drove at least in '79 and '81 daytonas were not v-8s) not one of ny favourite drivers houever this 3 time champ is one of my favourite race commentators along with his former crew chief Jeff Hammond.

  23. Rusty Wallace

  24. Matt Kenseth

    Matthew Roy "Matt" Kenseth, born on March 10, 1972, is a retired American professional stock car racing driver. He competed in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2000 to 2017 and won the championship in 2003. Kenseth is also a two-time Daytona 500 winner, claiming victories in 2009 and 2012.

  25. Denny Hamlin

    James Dennis Alan "Denny" Hamlin, born on November 18, 1980, is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. As of the 2025 season, he has secured 57 Cup Series wins, including three Daytona... read more

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