These NASCAR drivers have been at the vanguard of high-speed racing!
In the 71 years of NASCAR's existence, many legendary personalities have risen to prominence. Every decade presented its own stars, exhibiting a range of abilities and character traits, both on and off the track. From the bumpy racetracks of the 1950s to the modern superspeedways, NASCAR has developed while upholding a high level of rivalry. So, in this list, we’ll explore the greatest NASCAR drivers to ever do it.
Over the course of his 37-year racing career, Hall of Famer Bill Elliot was chosen 16 times as the most popular driver in the sport. Throughout his career, he won 44 races and one title, and he also triumphed at some of the top NASCAR venues. There was a reason he was known as "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville," and his son Chase, who currently competes in the Cup Series, has now taken on the mantle.
At just 40 years old, Denny Hamlin has secured over 30 victories in his career, even though he went winless in 2018. His undeniable skill has earned him two Daytona 500 wins, including the most recent edition of the NASCAR Super Bowl in 2019. Nevertheless, he is still chasing his first NASCAR championship. Since entering the top series in 2006, Hamlin has brilliantly qualified for every NASCAR playoff, making him one of the most dominant drivers in the history of the sport during the previous 20 years.
(A NASCAR Nationwide Series)
Tim Richmond is well-known for being one of the first drivers to switch from open-wheel racing to NASCAR. He began his professional racing career in the IndyCar series. During the course of his eight-year career, he won thirteen times, but illnesses cruelly ended his life. Because of his personality and attractive appearance, Richmond gained the moniker "Hollywood" and is credited as being the primary inspiration for Cole Trickle from Days of Thunder.
Martin Truex Jr. advanced through the levels of the NASCAR series before taking home the lone title for both himself and the now-defunct Furniture Row Racing organisation. In his six-year career, he has won 23 times, including two Coca-Cola 600 titles. Truex has the tools to contend for a second championship after recently joining Joe Gibbs Racing.
Another driver who tragically passed away too young was Alan Kulwicky, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the most recent class. He insisted on driving for his own race team for the majority of his career since he was a highly self-determined person. His "Polish victory lap," in which he circled the circuit in reverse to celebrate winning, is his most well-known sporting achievement. The tightest victory margin in NASCAR history occurred during Kulwicky's 1992 championship, which coincided with the sad aircraft disaster that claimed his life in 1993.
In his two decades of racing in the premier series of NASCAR, Kurt Busch has amassed 31 victories and almost 300 top-10 finishes. In 2004, he also won a championship at an early stage of his career. He may not have had the same kind of career as his younger brother Kyle, but he is still one of the few drivers to win in the truck, Xfinity, and Cup series, in addition to being a Daytona 500 champion. The Buschs are a racing family since their father, Tom, was a winner in several NASCAR-sanctioned events.
Some other honourable NASCAR greats that are worth mentioning are Buck Baker, Mark Martin, Joey Logano, Rusty Wallace, and Joe Weatherly.
