5 NASCAR drivers who dominated across generations ft. Richard Petty

Modified Sep 18, 2024 21:16 GMT

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NASCAR has been hosting the intensely competitive stock car racing since its inaugural season in 1949. While some drivers have dominated the sport in each generation, a few notable ones have found success in multiple decades during their careers.

Drivers like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. have stood out because of their ever-growing fame after winning several championships and asserting their presence in multiple eras. During and after the seven-time champions Petty and Earnhardt's prime, some legends have marked their presence in this high-octane racing by winning races and titles

On that note, let us take a look at five NASCAR Cup Series drivers who dominated across generations since their debut:

#1 Richard Petty

With 200 triumphs in his career, NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty has been known for being the winningest driver in the Cup Series. The seven-time Cup Series champion made his debut in 1958. His dominant run began in the 1960s when he won two Cup Series titles in 1964 and 1967.

The seven-time Daytona 500 winner continued his dominant stint throughout the 1970s, winning five more championship titles and was later nicknamed 'The King' by his fans. Petty then went on to continue racing in the 80s and 90s, making his final start at the Atlanta Motor Speedway race in 1992.

#2 Darrell Waltrip

Darrell Waltrip rose to fame in the 1980s driving for NASCAR legend Junior Johnson. The three-time Cup Series champion, who made his debut in 1972, had a brilliant run in the 80s as he won the Cup Series championship in 1981, 1982, and 1985.

With 84 Cup victories to his name, the 1989 Daytona 500 winner was a fierce competitor to NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt in the 80s and 90s. Waltrip continued his stint in NASCAR's premier division until his last race in the 2000 NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Additionally, in more than 800 starts, Waltrip secured 390 top 10s and was inducted into NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.

#3 Dale Earnhardt

The Richard Childress Racing legend Dale Earnhardt was the top driver in the 1980s and 1990s. With seven Cup Series titles, Earnhardt made his NASCAR debut in 1975. He won three championships in the 80s and extended his supremacy in the 90s by securing four more titles.

In over 650 races, the NASCAR Hall of Famer managed to chalk up 76 wins. Dubbed 'The Intimidator', Earnhardt was considered a force to be reckoned with until a tragic final-lap accident at the esteemed Daytona 500 race in 2001 took his life.

#4 Jeff Gordon

NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon started his dominance in the 1990s and won his first Cup Series title in 1995 by beating Dale Earnhardt. Driving for Hendrick Motorsports throughout his career, Gordon debuted in 1992 and made his final start in the Cup Series season in 2016.

In a career spanning almost 25 years, Gordon amassed 93 Cup wins and is placed third in the all-time winners list. The three-time Daytona 500 winner Gordon became a household name because of winning four Cup Series titles and his knack for popularizing NASCAR.

#5 Jimmie Johnson

Hendrick Motorsports legend Jimmie Johnson has been competing in NASCAR Cup Seris since 2001 and is still racing part-time for his team, Legacy Motor Club. The seven-time Cup Series title holder is tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, moreover, Johnson won the title five times in a row.

One of the best drivers in NASCAR history, Johnson has 83 Cup victories in approximately 700 starts so far. The two-time Daytona 500 winner was last seen competing at the 2024 Brickyard 400 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Edited by Shirsh