What Lincoln is Thinkin’ - All-Time Driver Terrific 13

All-Time Driver Terrific 13

1. Richard Petty This is the easiest selection on this list. 200 wins (only one other driver has over 100), 712 Top 10's (only 2 other drivers have over 400), 7 championships (only one other driver has more than 4), and the most wins all time at Daytona. Those are four great reasons why they call him "The King". The best hat and buckle in NASCAR would be others.
2. Dale Earnhardt 76 wins is just 7th on the all-time list, but he was robbed of who knows how many more after his death at Daytona. Like Petty he won 7 championships, but he left an indelible mark on the sport unlike any other driver ever has.
3. David Pearson Pearson's double-digit victories at the Track Too Tough to Tame, is impressive enough... but he's the only other driver than Petty to have over 100 wins. Pearson has the third best winning percentage of any driver... findng himself in victory lane 18% of the time.
4. Cale Yarborough The Timmonsville native also had one of the best winning percentages of all-time, and won 9 times at Daytona. Cale won three championships, and left a lasting legacy by the way he drove on the track, and carried himself off it.
5. Jeff Gordon Gordon is obviously still writing his story, and has the opportunity to finish as high as second on this list when all is said and done. As of right now, he has four championships - only The King and The Intimidator have won more. He only needs five more victories to go from 6th on the all-time list, to third. Whether you love him or hate him, you can't deny he's one of the best ever.
6. Bobby Allison Allison's career spanned a quarter century of greatness that saw him win 85 races, 3 Daytona 500's and two championships. While he's one of the best ever, his career may be remembered more for the tragedy - a nearly fatal crash in Pocono, and the death of his son Davey due to a wreck at Talladega.
7. Darrell Waltrip DW's legacy also continues to change as he's been one of the foremost voices of NASCAR since he retired in 2000. Waltrip won 84 races all-time, including an incredible two year span in the early 80's when he had back-to-back 12 win seasons. DW is one of only seven drivers to have won three championships.
8. Lee Petty The paterfamilias of NASCAR's foremost family, Petty was the best driver in the sport's first decade of existence. He won three championships and captured the victory in the first Daytona 500. He also sired "The King", which gives him bonus points.
9. Ned Jarrett While Petty ruled the 50's, Jarrett was the man of the 60's. Jarrett won 28 combined races in 1964-1965, and took home two championships in the decade. Jarrett retired after 1965, at the age of 34, because Ford was getting out of the sport. He also sired Dale Jarrett, which gives him a pat on the back.
10. Herb Thomas Thomas has the record for best winning percentage among drivers. Thomas won an astounding 21% of the time, and took home titles in 1951 and 1953. Thomas did not race a long time, but long enough to take home 48 victories, including three Southern 500's.
11. Rusty Wallace Rusty's win total of 55 is good for 8th all-time, but he never won at either Daytona or Darlington. Wallace won the championship in 1989, but by the time he hit the mid-90's for the most part his winning days were over.
12. Buck Baker Lee Petty's main rival in the 50's, Baker won back to back titles in 56 and 57. He won 46 races all-time, and his legacy lives on in the form of a racing school that has taught the likes of Jeff Gordon.
13. Bill Elliott "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville" won the first ever million dollar purse by winning the Winston 500, the Daytona 500 and the Southern 500 in 1985. Elliott has 44 wins all-time, and won the championships in 1988.

Honorable Mention

Junior Johnson: Junior is the only member of the 50 win club not on this list. Johnson won 16% of the time when he got in the car, but despite his prolific career, he never won a points championship.
Mark Martin: Martin has a remarkable 83 wins combined between Sprint Cup and Nationwide, but with too many of those victories coming for the latter, he falls just short of this list.
Terry Labonte: One of the most long-tenured drivers of all-time, he's third in races and laps completed. Labonte won two championships, but only 22 races, all-time.

What do you think of my list? I challenge you to do better!

Posted by on 05/19 at 03:01 PM