If im gonna follow the races i might as well pull for a driver thats not already famous and winning the hell out of races. The 20 dirtiest drivers in nascar history bleacher report latest. Hed spend 2001 out of nascar and then attempt another four races over the 2002 and 2003 seasons and fail to qualify for three of them. Overhyped nascar drivers who ended up being huge busts. Nascar will hold its biggest race this sunday with the daytona 500. Elliott sadler is the younger brother of former nascar driver hermie sadler. He currently tied for the longesttenured active driver in the cup series with kurt busch having made their first start in 2000. Compared to the last four accidents we listed, earnhardts crash doesnt seem so crazy to an onlooker. November 15, 1992 one of the most significant races in nascar history, the 1992 season finale at atlanta motor speedway. As the drivers drove around the track under caution, larry foyt raced to catch up to the rest of the vehicles, when park accidentally pulled his steering wheel off. Automobile club usac midget car race in kansas city.
Ranking the 20 greatest nascar drivers of all time fox sports. Bodine was not only the most dangerous nascar sprint cup driver in the history of the sport, he may have the record for most monetary expenses per race in nascar history. Stewart has a worst career finish of 11th in the standings in 12 seasons of cup competition. At which point he was struck in the drivers door at nearly full speed by jocko maggiacomo probably the only time this name appears in nascar history. Dont roll your eyes wondering why we included martin truex jr. A fully owned and operated family business, sanctioning three of the largest series the sprint cup, nationwide, and camping world truck, the france family. Isc archives via getty images racingone michael waltrip racing, 20. Debut starts wins top 5s top 10s poles best points finish.
The only other driver close to his ability was, tim richmond. Ranking the 20 greatest nascar drivers of all time fox. In 2017, no driver in nascar maneuvered around the. In 2004, hed run another partial schedule for his fathers team and managed to pull off one of the biggest upsets in nascar history by winning the xfinity series race at chicagoland speedway. At darlington raceway in 2001, steve park experienced one of the most freakish accidents in nascar history. What makes a driver one of the greatest in nascar history. If, gun to your head, you had to come up with the best nascar race of all time, youd probably find yourself in a pretty sticky situation. Driver has qualified for the nascar playoffs i driver is not eligible for championship points fulltime drivers. Petty, a racing icon and one of the mostrecognizable figures in nascar history, will be participating in his secondstraight indianapolis 500. With so many family members in the circuit, one of the first races petty ended up doing ended up killing him. Ford and chevrolet have each had some disappointing drivers take the track for them in their nascar history. Kevin lilesusa today sports images a downtothewire photo finish or some smooth maneuvering to block out another driver definitely keeps us entertained. The most notorious accident in nascar history is without question the one that claimed the life of renowned stock car driver dale earnhardt sr. Arguably one of the most traumatic events in nascar history, the death of dale earnhardt sr.
This is a video i put together of some of the worst wrecks in nascar history. Drivers who will compete in all 2020 nascar cup series races. This entry from the cartoon network in 1998 has every element possible to qualify as one of the worst paint schemes in nascar history. Well, that might be a slightly easier task, especially considering the absolute dumpster fire that was the 1969 talladega 500 where did nascar go wrong with the 1969 talladega 500. The fact of the matter is in todays day and age in sports people care and are interested in what has happened lately. This led to the elimination of shorter races 50 to 150 miles from the. Technological advances in roll cages, window nets, seat mounts, air flaps, driving suits, and helmets as well as the hans. The top ten worst nascar drivers 1 danica patrick danica sue patrick is an american professional racing driver. But who are 20 drivers in nascar history who have helped themselves be competitive by pulling some dirty stunts from cheating to wrecking.
Monster energy nascar cup series 20172019 nascar cup series 2020present rule changes in 1972 established a minimum distance of 250 miles 400 km for pointspaying cup series events reduced to 186. A 200time nascar race winner and seventime nascar champion, petty witnessed the indianapolis 500 in person for the first time in 2007 and participated as a coowner for the first time last year. It was back in 1986 that hillin became one of the youngest nascar cup series championships in the history of the sport. Safety in the sport has evolved through the decades. Rather than having just one family member in racing, adam petty was the first fourthgeneration nascar driver to ever exist. Foyt 1935 scores his first professional victory, in a u. First, obviously, anybody who gets to the level of running regularly in the nascar cup series is a good driver who is capable of doing things that most folks cant even comprehend. First, obviously, anybody who gets to the level of running regularly in the nascar cup series is a good driver who is capable of doing things that most folks. She is the most successful woman in the history of american openwheel.
A nascar driver will have the best sponsor only if the driver has certain characteristics. List of alltime nascar cup series winners wikipedia. Big names and largerthanlife characters to go along with it. Here is a look at the 10 biggest fights in nascar history, i am. Jeff gordon is the winningest driver in the history of bad nascar haircuts. He also won the most popular driver award in the truck series in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He was only 22 years, 1 month, and 22 days old when he won in 1986 at talladega superspeedway, according to. Bobby was cut out of the car and airlifted, in critical condition, to a hospital in allentown. The premier series of nascar has seen 28 driver fatalities, the most recent of which occurred in february 2001 when dale earnhardt was killed during the daytona 500. His early career was not notable and hit an alltime low in a race at dover when he came 31st. With nascar returning to darlington raceway for two cup series races in may, nascar historian ken martin compiled a history of. Heres a look at 12 of the best nascar drivers of all time along with who clearly cant drive.
The top 5 worst crashes in nascar racing history tba. While it is the first race of the year, a driver can cement his legacy with how he performs there. Top 5 most hated active nascar drivers may 24, 2019 may 24, 2019 by eli hartsoe being a nascar fan is all about cheering on your favorite driver and sticking with them through hard times, team changes and championships or even lackthereof. More from the series more from the daytona 500 expanded coverage of 2020s great american race expand all best. Who is the worst nascar driver with a championship.
Held in midseptember in the midst of a fullblown tire war, a new drivers union starting up, and a track owner who wouldnt back down, the first talladega 500 was the worst race in nascar history. He also was the first driver in nascar history to win the winston million by taking the checkered flag in the sports three prestigious races the daytona 500, the winston 500 at talladega. That being said, in recent history, you could argue that carl long. Greatest nascar drivers in history the best racers. Championships come to mind, but that doesnt tell the whole story when there were only a handful of drivers running fulltime schedules in the early years. Adam pettys fatal crash was one of the saddest car crashes in nascar history because of a similar issue. The national association for stock car auto racing nascar is an oddity in terms of major sporting leagues. As always, feel free to agree or disagree with my picks in the comments section. Carlos pardo mexico 2009 the worst nascar crashes in. Ranking the 10 most embarrassing nascar driver sponsors in.
This article lists drivers who have been fatally injured while competing in or in preparation for testing, practice, qualifying races sanctioned by the national. She is the most successful woman in the history of american openwheel racingher victory in the 2008 indy japan 300 is the only female win in an indycar series race. Rejecting nascars theory of the crash, myers said that, even assuming what he termed a worstcase scenario, earnhardts head probably would have suffered. Best drivers are richard petty, jeff gordon, jimmie johnson, kasey kahne, dale jr. Ryan joseph newman born december 8, 1977, nicknamed rocket man, is an american professional stock car racing driver. Still incomplete, but perhaps a better gauge even than championships. For example, the nascar driver will have to be charismatic and a good driver who is ranked highly.
Without further ado, here are the 10 worst ford drivers and 10 worst chevrolet drivers in nascar history. Was the 1969 talladega 500 the worst race in nascar history. It is richard pettys last race and jeff gordons first in nascar. He competes fulltime in the nascar cup series, driving the no.
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