NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers explained

NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers is an alphabetical list of NASCAR drivers. It started as NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers as of 1998, the 50th anniversary of NASCAR, and was expanded with an additional 25 drivers in 2023, the 75 anniversary of NASCAR.

History

In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select the "50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time."^[1] ^[2] ^[3] It was inspired in part by the NBA's decision to select the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History on its 50th anniversary in 1996. An independent group of 51 individuals representing various NASCAR roles were asked to give their objective and educated opinions on who the 50 greatest drivers in NASCAR history were.

The living members of this group were honored on February 15, 1998 during pre-race festivities for the 1998 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.^[4] ^[5]

In 2023, as part of its 75th anniversary celebration, NASCAR announced it would add 25 names to the list, bringing the total to 75.^[6] ^[7] ^[8]

NASCAR's Greatest Drivers

Source for lists:^[9]

1998 list of 50 drivers

Bobby Allison
Davey Allison†
Buck Baker
Buddy Baker
Geoff Bodine
Neil Bonnett†
Red Byron†
Jerry Cook
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Earnhardt†

Bill Elliott
Richie Evans†
Red Farmer
Tim Flock
A. J. Foyt
Harry Gant
Jeff Gordon
Ray Hendrick†
Jack Ingram
Ernie Irvan

Bobby Isaac†
Dale Jarrett
Ned Jarrett
Junior Johnson
Alan Kulwicki†
Terry Labonte
Fred Lorenzen
Tiny Lund†
Mark Martin
Hershel McGriff

Cotton Owens
Marvin Panch
Benny Parsons
David Pearson
Lee Petty
Richard Petty
Tim Richmond†
Fireball Roberts†
Ricky Rudd
Marshall Teague†

Herb Thomas
Curtis Turner†
Rusty Wallace
Darrell Waltrip
Joe Weatherly†
Bob Welborn†
Rex White
Glen Wood
Cale Yarborough
LeeRoy Yarbrough†

2023 expansion to 75 drivers

Sam Ard†
Greg Biffle
Jeff Burton
Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Carl Edwards
Chase Elliott
Denny Hamlin
Kevin Harvick

Ron Hornaday Jr.
Jimmie Johnson
Kasey Kahne
Matt Kenseth
Brad Keselowski

Bobby Labonte
Randy LaJoie
Kyle Larson
Joey Logano
Sterling Marlin

Ryan Newman
Larry Phillips†
Mike Stefanik†
Tony Stewart
Martin Truex Jr.

Deceased and/ or Hall of Fame as of 2024.
† = Deceased at the time of the announcement
= Driver currently active in NASCAR on full or part-time basis as of the 2024 NASCAR season
Italics and gold background = NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee (opened 2010)

External links

Notes and References

Book: Center . Bill . Moore. Bob . September 23, 1998 . NASCAR 50 Greatest Drivers . Harper Collins . 8 . 9780061073304.
Web site: April 10, 2023 . What to Expect When NASCAR Adds 25 Drivers to '50 Greatest' List . May 9, 2023 . autoweek.com.
Web site: June 28, 1998 . THE 50 GREATEST DRIVERS AS SELECTED BY NASCAR . May 9, 2023 . The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Web site: February 14, 1998 . NASCAR SELECTS 50 GREATEST DRIVERS . May 9, 2023 . Orlando Sentinel.
Web site: April 5, 1998 . Litsky . Frank . Frank Litsky . Tim Flock, 73, a Successful And Colorful Nascar Pioneer. May 9, 2023 . New York Times.
Web site: May 8, 2023 . NASCAR's 75 greatest drivers: Dale Jr., Tony Stewart, Chase Elliott among additions . May 9, 2023 . foxsports.com.
Web site: April 6, 2023 . Hembree . Mike . NASCAR to announce top 75 driver list beginning next week . May 9, 2023 . nbcsports.com.
Web site: April 17, 2023 . Miller-Still . Ray . Kasey Kahne makes top 75 greatest NASCAR drivers list . May 9, 2023 . The Courier-Herald.
Web site: April 10, 2023 . NASCAR 75: Honoring NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers … then revealing 25 more . April 24, 2023 . NASCAR.com.