100 Top NASCAR Drivers Of All-Time | Best Of The Best

Also named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998, Irvan is the 1991 Daytona 500 champion, and the winner of the 1983 Winston 500. Irvan courageously recovered from a near-fatal crash at Michigan in 1994, returning to Sprint Cup racing in October 1995. Irvan claimed his 15th and final Sprint Cup series win in June 1997 at the track that almost claimed his life.

Irvin’s career was filled with terrific highlights, and here is a rundown of them all.

One of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers (1998) and 2002 International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Tim Richmond began his career as an open-wheel racer. He was the 1980 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, having qualified 19th and leading for a short time before ultimately running out of fuel and finishing 9th. Race winner Johnny Rutherford gave Richmond a ride back to the pits on the side pod of his car. Richmond’s first and last Sprint Cup series wins came at Riverside in 1982 and 1987 respectively. He finished his Sprint Cup Series career with 14 wins to go along with four wins in the Xfinity Series.

Driver turned TV analyst turned driver again, Neil Bonnett was named one of NACAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998. Bonnett is also a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (1997) and International Motorsports Halls of Fame (2001). Notable victories came in the 1979 Firecracker 400 and the Coca-Cola 600 in 1982 and 1983. Bonnett also won the first NASCAR race held outside of North America, winning the Goodyear 500 in Australia in 1988. Bonnett won 18 times in his Sprint Cup Series career.

In this post race interview, Bonnett discusses his 1983 Daytona 125 Second Race win, in a photo finish.

“Handsome” Harry Gant is a two-time winner of the marquee Southern 500 (1984 and 1991) and the winner of the 1991 Winston 500. Gant was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998 and is also a member of both the International Motorsports and the National Motorsports Press Association Halls of Fame. Gant won 18 races over his 474-race Sprint Cup series career.

Enjoy Gant’s 1991 Winston 500 win, as he stretches his fuel, and barely makes the checkered flag.

Two-time Modified Tour champion Cotton Owens was named as one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998. Additionally, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013. Winning twice on the Daytona road course in 1950 and 1957, Owens gave Pontiac its first NASCAR win with second of those two victories. Owens won nine times in his Sprint Cup Series career.

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