Top Ten Most Underrated NASCAR Drivers

Drivers that aren't recognized for all they truly are.

The Top Ten

  1. Regan Smith

    Replaced Dale Jr? Please... I like Regan as much as the next guy but if anyone its Kasey Kahne, he is easily the worst driver on Hendrick, but sure lets replace a guy with 26 wins and a top ten driver every race with Regan Smith... no thanks.

    Regan actually in my opinion is very talented! He deserved more (good) opportunities in NASCAR!

    Regan Smith is a great driver who kept a low-budget team up front. He should've stayed at Hendrick Motorsports and replaced Dale Jr.

  2. Mark Martin

    Undoubtedly the best driver never to win a championship. Humble, and physically and mentally fit. Fantastic at oval tracks, which is showcased by the fact that he's the only 5 time IROC Series champion in history. Running partial seasons in the Busch series, he commanded a team that consistently dominated races. Runner up so many times and by such small margin, even his fellow racers consider him to be champion quality.

    The only thing that we remember about Mark Martin was that he celebrated too early at Bristol, but he's one hell of a driver

  3. Trevor Bayne

    Some people clearly don't know the difference between "underrated" and "overrated". Bayne is overrated.

    This guy is an amazing driver. He rarely finishes below 20th, and he's also won the Daytona 500. He should've gone to the Cup Series instead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    Even to this day I don't understand why Bayne isn't driving for Roush in the 17. Stenhouse should've stayed a bit longer.

  4. Dave Blaney

    Should have gone to Penske in the #22 instead of that moron LogaNO

    Another Regan Smith story.

  5. 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.

    They say he doesn't have it anymore. Tell that to this season- a win, and aside from 2 wrecks (Talladega and the All Star Race) his worst finish is 13th. Need I say more?

    Mr. Gordon is underrated far too often. He is a 4-time champ with 84 wins and counting. That's the most in NASCAR's modern era. The facts speak for themselves.

    Jeff has been the face of gentlemanly sportsmanship and yet others continue to put him down! His charities show what a caring man he truly is.

  6. Kurt Busch

    Kurt Thomas Busch is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has competed in the NASCAR Cup Series for several years and won the championship in 2004. Busch is known for his aggressive driving style and has raced for several major teams throughout his career.

    Kurt may be a hothead like his brother, but you have to admit - temper isn't the only thing they share. Both of them can drive a ball of dirt to victory any day.

  7. Michael Waltrip

    He may not have won much, but he runs a great team and is possibly the best plate racer in the sport.

  8. Ryan Blaney

    I'm gonna agree that he is underrated but he is the Justin Haley of the Cup Series. You aren't changing my mind on that.

    The son of Dave Blaney, he is a great racer and still doesn't have a full-time Cup ride.

    He is such a great racer and I think he'll win before Chase Elliot

  9. Austin Dillon

    This guy has the courage to drive the famed #3. He's also won in it twice. He deserves a Cup ride.

  10. Brad Keselowski

    Bradley "Brad" Aaron Keselowski, born February 12, 1984, is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He currently competes full time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, a team he co-owns. Keselowski won the NASCAR Cup Series championship... read more

    He finally got the recognition he deserves when he won the championship last year, but he's earned it all along. What can I say? The guy is an awesome driver.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Harry Gant

  12. ?

    Chase Elliott

    Hasn't won a cup race yet as of 2-17-18 but in two years has finished in the top 5 1/3 of his races and top 10 2/3 of the time. Not to mention he's only in his early 20s. Will be a champ before it's all said and done

    13. The Contenders

  13. Joe Nemechek

    He can beat anyone on the field but NASCAR does not look at him as a good driver they ignore him a lot he knows how to win he's done it 4 times but they don't look at him good

  14. Kyle Busch

    Kyle Thomas Busch (May 2, 1985 - May 21, 2026) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado... read more

    One of the most talented drivers ever... if you take out Petty, Pearson, Earnhardt, Johnson, Gordon, Stewart, DW, Allison, Harvick, Kenseth, and about 30 others.

    This guy is one of the most talented drivers ever.

    Results speak for themselves. Competitive everywhere in anything. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny his talent.

  15. Martin Truex, Jr.

    Soon he will be overrated no one cared for him till 2017

    Doing a great job so far this year in the #78 car

    He is just on a God aful team. If he stayed wit MWR, he would be good

  16. Joey Logano

    Joseph Thomas "Joey" Logano (born May 24, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, piloting the No. 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske. Logano has won three Cup Series championships (2018, 2022, and 2024) and has secured 37 career... read more

    A great talent. Hasn't been on a decent Cup team to showcase it yet. Even though he was with JGR, his team lead by Zipidelli was a joke.

  17. Kyle Larson

    Kyle Miyata Larson (born July 31, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series and has earned numerous victories. Larson won the 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race and the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

    Now I'm not a fan of Larson but like him or not, he is easily one of the best drivers not only in NASCAR, but in the world.

    Nascar doesn't respect him like they should. He will show them in 2020!

  18. Paul Menard

    Is a good.. very good racer. in his position in life 999.9% of us would have failed at any thing. he is a very nice person.. rare today

  19. A. J. Allmendinger

    Even though he got busted in a drug test he still is a talented driver and should be given a chance to race sprint

    Winning with a JTG Car in Watkins Glen. Got the chance to win Indy 500. Great Ringer, and he deserves to be in 2015 Chase

    He is a great driver, and he is a good driver on a bad team

  20. Jeff Burton

  21. J. D. McDuffie

  22. 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

    Pfft he's overrated not underrated

  23. Brian Vickers

    He is one of the most consistent drivers out there. When he drove for hendrick he was good!

    His average finishes for last season are unreal, he is truely underrated.

  24. Mike Bliss

    Contantly fishs 15 I peice of crap car, even beat danica patrick in points when he start and parked it half the time

  25. David Ragan

    Two career wins and a near Chase appearance in 2008, yet still drives with the low-budget Front Row Motorsports, with whom he last won with at Talladega in 2013.

  26. Jamie McMurray

    James Christopher "Jamie" McMurray is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competed in NASCAR's Cup Series and is best known for winning the 2010 Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. After retiring from full-time racing in 2018, McMurray joined Fox Sports as a racing analyst.

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