# The 16 Greatest American Racing Drivers of All Time

> Ovals, road courses, bricks and dirt. Picking one name means deciding which kind of racing counts most.

*By YPB Team · Published September 11, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-16-greatest-american-racing-drivers-of-all-time*

---

## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Mario Andretti** — score 1000/1000
   The only American to win the Indy 500, the Daytona 500 and a Formula 1 title.
2. **Phil Hill** — score 856/1000
   The first American to win the Formula 1 world championship, in 1961.
3. **A.J. Foyt** — score 815/1000
   Four Indy 500s, seven USAC titles, Le Mans and the Daytona 500.
4. **Kyle Larson** — score 642/1000
   A Cup champion who still runs sprint cars and attempted the Double in 2024.
5. **David Pearson** — score 582/1000
   105 NASCAR wins from part-time seasons, second on the all-time list.
6. **Jimmie Johnson** — score 513/1000
   Seven Cup titles, five of them consecutive.
7. **Tony Stewart** — score 434/1000
   Champion in NASCAR, IndyCar and a sprint car on the same weekend.
8. **Dale Earnhardt** — score 434/1000
   Seven NASCAR Cup championships and 76 wins.
9. **Richard Petty** — score 342/1000
   200 NASCAR wins and seven championships, neither likely to be beaten.
10. **Cale Yarborough** — score 342/1000
   The first driver to win three straight NASCAR championships.
11. **Jeff Gordon** — score 342/1000
   Four Cup titles and 93 wins, third on the all-time list.
12. **Al Unser** — score 342/1000
   Four Indy 500 wins across three decades.
13. **Parnelli Jones** — score 342/1000
   Won the 1963 Indy 500 and nearly won it again in a turbine car.
14. **Dan Gurney** — score 233/1000
   Won in Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR and sports cars, and built his own cars.
15. **Rick Mears** — score 103/1000
   Four Indy 500 wins and six poles at the Brickyard.
16. **Bobby Unser** — score 103/1000
   Three Indy 500 wins and a Pikes Peak dynasty.

Tags: usa, racing, drivers, legends, motorsport