Field of dreams: we create our fantasy grid by selecting the greatest drivers in NASCAR history - National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing

Auto Racing Digest, August-Sept, 2003 by Barry Wilner

THE ONE PERSON THAT A Winston Cup driver tends to ignore these days is himself. He blathers on about teamwork and the guys in the pits and the guys in the shop and the sponsors--and more sponsors and more sponsors. He'll mention the owner of the car, the brand of the machine, the guy who puts the decals on, and the backup spotter on Turn 3. He'll thank the television networks and the raceway. There's always a good word for the family on hand or back home. But what about the driver?

Well, we're going to pay full heed to the guys who sit behind the wheel and go anywhere from 90 mph at Martinsville to 200 mph at Atlanta. We want to recognize the men making all those left-hand turns (and a few rights when they get to Sonoma and Watkins Glen), so we've selected the top stock car drivers of all time.

From former moonshine runners and colorful characters such as the Flocks and Fireball to more modern winners like "the King," "DW," and "the Intimidator," they're all here.

And we're not ignoring the top guns in today's Winston Cup series. We're certain that in another five or so years, several current drivers will speed onto our fantasy starting grid.

Our rankings are based on four criteria: results (wins, poles, top-five and top-10 finishes, overall championships); consistency (was he a contender throughout most of his career?); versatility (performances on all types of tracks); and longevity (although in some cases a driver died well before his time).

From the pole-sitter to No. 43, here is our all-time starting grid--our dream race and our choices as the greatest drivers in NASCAR history:

1. DALE EARNHARDT

They didn't call him "The Intimidator" for nothing. When an opponent saw the black No. 3 car approaching, he knew he was in for a challenge. And when Earnhardt got to the front of the pack, he was virtually impossible to pass.

Although his career numbers don't top many of NASCAR's charts, Earnhardt was the best driver Winston Cup has ever seen. The owner of seven championships--and a few more close calls--he came from a racing family in which his father, Ralph, was a NASCAR pioneer. His son, Dale Jr., is the most popular driver in the sport today and seems headed toward the heights his father reached. Another son, Kerry, is a regular on the Busch Series.

Earnhardt is remembered for his 76 career wins, his bushy mustache and shades--and for the way he could get a crowd riled up for him or against him. It once was written that he would knock his grandmother out of the way to get to the checkered flag. When asked if that was true, Earnhardt simply grinned.

Earnhardt won quite a few races, but he also is remembered for some of his losses--specifically in the Daytona 500. At that track, he is the career leader in victories but he found all kinds of heartbreak in America's Race until 1998, when he finally found Victory Circle.

Earnhardt also died at Daytona, on the final lap of the 2001 500 as he helped preserve victory for friend and recent hire Michael Waltrip. Dale Jr. finished second that day as his father blocked others from catching them. But nearing the end of the race, Earnhardt's car spun and hit the outside wall, instantly killing the driver.

2. RICHARD PETTY

Ah, "The King." No one did more to popularize NASCAR in the South than Petty, whose father Lee began the family involvement with the sport and whose son, Kyle, carried it on.

Petty won a phenomenal 200 times. Admittedly, some of those victories came on small dirt tracks against mediocre competition, but still--200 wins!

From his debut--a sixth-place finish in a local track against big-name competition--Petty inexorably climbed to the top of his sport For more than two decades, drivers were compared to Petty.

Richard drove the No. 43 car, one number higher than his father's ride. But he did Lee Petty a whole lot better by earning seven Daytona 500 victories and seven Winston Cup championships, Both records.

In 1967, Petty won an unfathomable 27 times in 49 races, including 10 straight These days, most drivers are happy to finish 10 straight races. The rookie of the year in 1959, Petty would race anywhere throughout his career-and almost always win.

Petty retired in 1992 and has played a role in Petty Enterprises ever since. His name is celebrated throughout NASCAR, and he's even been the subject of songs. He is truly the King.

3. DAVID PEARSON

No rivalry in NASCAR has been more prominent or entertaining than the one between Pearson and Petty. What few people remember is that from 1966 through 1969 Pearson was the more dominant driver, winning three series rifles.

Second to Petty in career all-rime victories (105), Pearson made his name early in Winston Cup, winning the rookie of the year award in 1960. His first win came the following season in the World 600 at Charlotte. "That year, he became the first man to win three superspeedway events in a single season.

By 1966, driving a Dodge for Cotton Owens, Pearson was up front nearly all of the time. He won 14 races that year, 16 in 1968, and--after switching teams--11 in 1969.