5 NASCAR drivers with greatest career comebacks ft. Jeff Gordon

NASCAR is a grueling sport and the drivers are fueled by passion and a hunger for victories, bringing in as many as possible in careers that can span well over two decades for some. While most of the sports in the world witness the players participating actively for around 10 - 12 years, this American stock car racing has legends that remain competitive for multiple decades at once.

At the end of their careers, most NASCAR drivers take part in broadcasting activities or become experts for the same. But there are some who don't quite feel the need for a retirement and return to racing after a short break. This has been noticed many times in the long history of the sport.

There have been legendary drivers who returned to racing years after announcing their retirements. This tradition dates back to the 1970s when Fred Lorenzen retired in 1967. But after feeling "homesick" because of the lack of racing action, he returned for another handful of seasons in 1970.

5 NASCAR drivers who made career comebacks

Drivers prove themselves and their competitiveness after making their comeback. Lorenzen himself did so. Upon his return, he led the race for 47 laps.

On that note, here is the list of top five NASCAR drivers who made career comebacks after retiring apart from Lorenzen:

#5 Jeff Gordon

Gordon raced in the Cup Series between 1992 and 2015. He won the championship four times in 1995, 97, 98, and 2001. He bid farewell to the sport at the end of 2015 but returned the following season for eight races. He was called upon to replace an injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. His final race at Martinsville produced his best result in sixth place.

#4 Bobby Labonte

In a career spanning over two decades, Labonte won the Cup Series Championship once in 2000 but remained competitive for a long time. After retiring in 2016, he took part in fifteen races between 2017 and 2019, racing in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and also managed to clock in a second-place finish in France.

#3 Matt Kenseth

The 2003 Cup Series champion raced actively for almost two decades between 2000 and 2017. After retiring, he made a few appearances in 2018, but finally returned with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2020 for a 32-race stint, marking a second-place finish in Indianapolis.

#2 Greg Biffle

With an active career starting with Roush Racing in 2003, Biffle raced through the years until hanging his helmet at the end of the 2016 season. However, he returned for five races in 2022 with the NY Racing Team. His 20th place finish in Atlanta was his best race result upon return.

#1 Jimmie Johnson

The seven-time Cup Series championship winner Jimmie Johnson had a legendary career between 2002 and 2020. Hendrick Motorsports was his home throughout the years, but he marked his return with the Legacy Motor Club in 2023, albeit not racing regularly. In the 2024 season as well, he has so far taken part in five races.