NASCAR's Other Type of Race Ringers

Perhaps the days of the road course ringers racing in NASCAR has come to an end, but stock car racing has found a new group of superspeedway drivers.

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If you have watched NASCAR in its transition over the 21st Century, you have seen the changes in the makeup of the grid. From drivers primarily concentrated in the Southeast to now an eclectic field representing many states and countries, stock car racing has become a more diverse sport. And the discipline of its drivers has changed along with it.

Back in the day when road course racing was just becoming part of the NASCAR schedule, many times specialists would come in to race, known as “road course ringers”. Names like Scott Pruett, Boris Said, Tony Ave, Brian Simo and Alex Tagliani have graced the road courses of racing, but their days in the sport have come and gone. Now, drivers have become better versed in turning left and right, allowing names like Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin to go to Victory Lane.

Today, there is another type of race ringer becoming more and more popular. The “Superspeedway Specialist” has now become a facet of races at Daytona and Talladega, especially at the Xfinity and Truck Series level. When you see drivers like Mark Thompson, Bobby Gerhart and Scott Lagasse Jr. on the entry list, odds are you are racing at a 2.5-mile oval.

But what is the significance of these drivers racing at two of NASCAR’s most iconic tracks? Much of the time, while effective racers in the draft, they are not contenders for race wins. But as the superspeedways are the great equalizer in racing, sometimes luck can turn their way. Scott Lagasse Jr., who despite having battled colon cancer continues to race, has been close to strong finishes. He now has translated that into a part-time opportunity with Richard Childress Racing.

Perhaps the future can be just as bright for other “Superspeedway Specialists” as that for Lagasse. While Thompson and Gerhart may be past their prime of racing, other drivers whose top successes come at Daytona and Talladega can do more. Ryan Reed, for example, has won both his Xfinity Series races at Daytona, but can be a contender for wins at other tracks.

Next: NASCAR's Overtime Line Drama Grows

Who do you think are the best of the “Superspeedway Specialists” at Daytona and Talladega? Are there some drivers you’d like to see race at some additional tracks? Comment with your favorites below as we await the next restrictor plate track race at Talladega in October.

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NASCAR’s Other Type of Race Ringers

By Alex Herbst | Jul 3, 2017

Perhaps the days of the road course ringers racing in NASCAR has come to an end, but stock car racing has found a new group of superspeedway drivers.

More from NASCAR