# The 17 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time

> From dirt-track pioneers to modern superstar champions, this lineup spans stock car racing's earliest legends to today's title contenders. Who's your pick for the best ever?

*By YPB Team · Published August 10, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-17-greatest-nascar-drivers-of-all-time*

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## Current results (3 votes)

1. **Richard Petty** — 100% (3 votes · score 1000/1000)
   'The King' won a record 200 Cup Series races and seven championships, the benchmark for NASCAR greatness.
2. **Dale Earnhardt** — 0% (0 votes · score 714/1000)
   'The Intimidator' won seven Cup championships and became one of the sport's most iconic and aggressive competitors.
3. **Dale Earnhardt Jr.** — 0% (0 votes · score 551/1000)
   A two-time Daytona 500 winner and NASCAR's most popular driver for 15 consecutive years.
4. **Bill Elliott** — 0% (0 votes · score 550/1000)
   The 1988 champion nicknamed 'Awesome Bill' for his blistering superspeedway speed.
5. **Kevin Harvick** — 0% (0 votes · score 494/1000)
   The 2014 champion who won at least one Cup race for 19 consecutive seasons.
6. **Kyle Larson** — 0% (0 votes · score 428/1000)
   The 2021 champion known for his versatility across dirt track and Cup Series racing.
7. **Jimmie Johnson** — 0% (0 votes · score 350/1000)
   Won a record-tying seven championships, including five straight from 2006 to 2010.
8. **Bobby Allison** — 0% (0 votes · score 350/1000)
   A Hall of Famer with 84 career wins and the 1983 Cup Series championship.
9. **Kyle Busch** — 0% (0 votes · score 350/1000)
   Owns more combined national series wins than any driver in NASCAR history.
10. **David Pearson** — 0% (0 votes · score 257/1000)
   Won 105 career races and three championships, long considered Richard Petty's fiercest rival.
11. **Cale Yarborough** — 0% (0 votes · score 257/1000)
   Won three consecutive championships from 1976 to 1978, a feat unmatched for decades.
12. **Tony Stewart** — 0% (0 votes · score 257/1000)
   A three-time Cup champion known for his versatility and success across multiple racing disciplines.
13. **Darrell Waltrip** — 0% (0 votes · score 257/1000)
   A three-time champion with 84 wins who later became one of NASCAR's most recognizable broadcasters.
14. **Jeff Gordon** — 0% (0 votes · score 143/1000)
   A four-time champion with 93 career wins who modernized NASCAR's popularity in the 1990s and 2000s.
15. **Denny Hamlin** — 0% (0 votes · score 143/1000)
   A three-time Daytona 500 winner and one of the most consistent modern-era Cup Series drivers.
16. **Rusty Wallace** — 0% (0 votes · score 143/1000)
   The 1989 champion who racked up 55 career wins across two decades of Cup Series competition.
17. **Junior Johnson** — 0% (0 votes · score 143/1000)
   A Hall of Fame driver and later legendary team owner, credited as one of the founding figures of stock car racing.

Tags: racing, drivers, nascar, motorsport