It might not be a global sport, but NASCAR has a large fan base in the United States. This means it has turned many racers into famous figures, the type that transcends the sport and become household names.
However, there are certain drivers who sit at an exclusive table when it comes to ranking popularity. To see who is dining on this table and discussing their exploits, here are five of the most famous NASCAR drivers of all time.
Bill Elliott
Considering he is known as NASCAR’s original ‘Most Popular Driver’, there’s certainly a place for Bill Elliott on this list. In fact, he won the popularity award 16 times. In a row.
‘Awesome Bill from Dawsonville’ certainly deserves the popularity due to his accomplishments. Along with being the first to win the Winston Million, Elliott was the first racer in NASCAR to top the 210mph mark when driving on a superspeedway.
Danica Patrick
No, she won’t touch a list that is referencing the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time. Yet, in terms of popularity, Danica Patrick sits comfortably alongside the elite.
A combination of good looks and being able to compete in a male-dominated sport propelled Patrick to fame. However, don’t let her profile fool you. There have been other female participants in the sport, of course, but none come close to the achievements of Patrick.
With appearances on popular worldwide shows like The Simpsons and South Park (the latter a depiction rather than a guest role), Patrick has gained a fan club that stretches beyond the US – a rarity for NASCAR drivers.
Jeff Gordon
Okay, he might not quite have raked in the type of money the best Formula One drivers have amassed, according to Cash Lady, but make no mistake: Jeff Gordon is one of the richest people to have ever driven a vehicle professionally.
Naturally, this type of wealth is only available to those who top their respective sport in terms of both popularity and accolades – and that’s certainly the case with Gordon. With four championship titles and 85 cup wins under his belt, ‘The Kid’ is one of the most decorated NASCAR drivers ever.
Dale Earnhardt
While the discussion for the greatest NASCAR driver is a hotly debated one, there’s one name that is always in the discussion: Dale Earnhardt. Yet despite his accomplishments – including a tie for the most NASCAR championships in history – it was perhaps his untimely death on the track which propelled his popularity to another level.
Another highly popular figure in the sport is Earnhardt’s son, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Richard Petty
To round off this list is driving royalty. Known as the ‘King of NASCAR’, Richard Petty put together an incredible list of statistics during his career, the type that is unlikely to ever be surpassed. With 1,027 career starts, 123 Cup poles, 200 Cup wins, 10 consecutive wins – the list goes on and on.
The achievements put him into almost mythical status. Not only does a Richard Petty Museum exist, but he also made a cameo in the Pixar film Cars!
