Austin Dillon’s Top 5 NASCAR Drivers of All Time

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Austin Dillon during driver introductions before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
Ryan Hannable @RyanHannable Nov 20, 2023, 9:27 AM

Similar to betting on other sports, when it comes to NASCAR betting, one strategy is selecting the best driver.

There have been many greats over the years, with a lot of the best coming many years ago.

While ringing the bell before a recent Las Vegas Golden Knights game, BetMGM NASCAR driver Austin Dillon ranked his five best drivers of all time.

David Pearson

Pearson raced from 1960-86 in the former NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series, most notably driving the No. 21 Mercury for Wood Brothers Racing.

Over the course of his long career, he finished with 105 wins and 366 top-10 finishes.

Pearson passed away in 2018 at the age of 83. 

Kyle Busch

Busch currently races in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing as well as in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving a Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports.

He was the 2015 and 2019 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, as well as the 2018 and 2019 NASCAR Cup regular-season champion.

Busch was the first driver in the NASCAR Cup Series to win on every track.

Jimmie Johnson

Johnson’s seven Cup championships, the first five of which were consecutive (2006-10), are tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most all-time.

He also won the Daytona 500 twice (2006 and 2012).

Richard Petty

Petty raced from 1958 to 1992 in the NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series. He was most known for driving the No. 43 Plymouth/Pontiac for Petty Enterprises.

He was the first driver to win the Cup Series championship seven times and won the Daytona 500 a record seven times.

Over the course of his career, Petty won 200 times.

Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Regarded as the best NASCAR driver in history, Earnhardt raced from 1975 to 2001 in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, where he drove the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing.

He won 76 times and added 428 top-10s over the course of his career. He’s tied with Petty and Johnson with the most Cup Series championships (7).

Earnhardt tragically died during the 2001 Daytona 500. He was 49 years old.

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About the Author

Ryan Hannable

Read More @RyanHannable

Ryan Hannable is a Content Managing Editor on the Web Content Team for BetMGM. Previously, he was a New England Patriots beat writer for WEEI in Boston. He also has published a golf book, “The Ultimate Book of Golf Trivia: 600 Questions and Answers.”

Ryan Hannable is a Content Managing Editor on the Web Content Team for BetMGM. Previously, he was a New England Patriots beat writer for WEEI in Boston. He also has published a golf book, “The Ultimate Book of Golf Trivia: 600 Questions and Answers.”