NASCAR: Top 10 All Time Winners

By (Featured Columnist) on July 21, 2011

1,120 reads

9

Previous
1 of 12
Next
LOUDON, NH - JULY 17:  Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet, leads the pack going into turn two during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 17, 2011 in Loudon, New H
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

It's no secret that Kyle Busch made his way into history with 100 wins last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. But who are the top 10 drivers on the all time winners list?

How many races have they won in each series, and what are some of their career highlights? Let's take a look at a list that has some of the greatest drivers of all time on it.

Thanks to Jayski.com for win totals.

No. 10: Kevin Harvick

LOUDON, NH - JULY 16:  Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Rheem Heating, Cooling & Water Heating Chevrolet, sits on pit wall prior to the NASCAR Nationwide Series New England 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 16, 2011 in Loudon, New Hampshire.  (P
Jerry Markland/Getty Images

Kevin "Happy" Harvick as he's known in the garage has 62 wins to his name in NASCAR.

Harvick's win total comes from 17 Sprint Cup wins, 37 Nationwide wins, and eight Truck series wins.

However, there's one thing missing on Kevin Harvick's resume and that is a Sprint Cup championship.

But even without a Cup championship, Harvick has had an impressive career with two Nationwide championships (2001 and 2006), a Daytona 500 win (2007), and Rookie of the Year awards in both the Cup and Nationwide series (2001 and 2000 respectively).

He also co-owns Kevin Harvick Inc. with wife Delana and fields cars in both the Trucks and Nationwide series.

No. 9: Cale Yarborough

DARLINGTON, SC - SEPTEMBER 26:  NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough speaks to fans during the Darlington Historic Racing Festival on September 26, 2009 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.  (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)
Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

We come to our first "big" name on the list.

Cale Yarborough won 83 races in his career. However, extra kudos should be given to the driver for winning all 83 races in the Sprint Cup series, something that is rare for this list.

Cale Yarborough's resume is eye popping with three Winston Cup Championships (now the Sprint Cup) in a row, four Daytona 500 wins, 1993 International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee, and a 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction among others.

In addition to his 83 wins, Yarborough had 319 top 10s and 70 poles in his 31 year Sprint Cup career.

No. 8: Bobby Allison

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 23:  Class of 2011 Inductee Bobby Allison speaks to the media after the 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Charlotte Convention Center on May 23, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Ima
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Bobby Allison tops Cale Yarborough by three wins.

Only two of his wins coming in the Nationwide series.  He also sits three wins under Jeff Gordon and is tied with Gordon in Cup wins.

In addition to Allison's win's his resume is also impressive. Allison was the 1983 Winston Cup Champion, is in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

In addition, Allison is only one of eight drivers to win the career Grand Slam, an unofficial set of NASCAR's major races (the Daytona 500, the Winston 500, now called the Aaron's 499, the Coca-Cola 600, and the Southern 500).

Allison's 1982 Daytona 500 win was surrounded in controversy because of his rear bumper falling off, which tests later reveled made the car handle better and run faster.

No. 7: Jeff Gordon

LOUDON, NH - JULY 16:  Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, walks in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 16, 2011 in Loudon, New Hampshire.
Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

As with Bobby Allison, the majority of Jeff Gordon's wins come in the Sprint Cup series with 84 Sprint Cup wins (tied with Allison) and five Nationwide wins.

Gordon was one of the most famous drivers through the 1990s. He is a four time Sprint Cup champion with his last Championship coming in 2001, was the 1991 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, has three Daytona 500 wins, four Brickyard 400 wins, and was the 1993 NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year.

Gordon is also a Grand Slam winner and posted 382 top 10 finishes and 70 Poles. He is also co-owner of Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 with Hendrick Motor Sports.

No. 6: Mark Martin

LOUDON, NH - JULY 16:  Kyle Busch (R), driver of the #18 Z-Line Designs Toyota, and driver Mark Martin (L) pose in Victory Lane after Busch won the NASCAR Nationwide Series New England 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 16, 2011 in Loudon, New Ha
Geoff Burke/Getty Images

Kyle Busch's win in the Nationwide series last weekend was also a milestone for Mark Martin, as it forced him to share the No. 1 winningest driver in the Nationwide Series title with Busch.

In addition to Martin's 49 Nationwide wins, he has 40 Cup wins and seven Truck wins for a total of 96 wins overall.

Mark Martin has been a bridesmaid five times in the Sprint Cup, with his most recent attempt in 2009. He is the second oldest winner in the series after winning at Phoenix in 2009 at 50 years of age (Morgan Shepherd won in the Cup series in 1993 at 51).

Martin also has 598 top 10s among all three series and 83 Poles.

He is signed up to run through 2011's season for Hendrick Motorsports but it has not been announced where he'll go at the end of the season.

No. 4: Dale Earnhardt

29 Apr 2000: Dale Earnhardt Sr. #3 relaxes while watching the action during the NAPA Auto Parts 500, Part of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, at the California Speedway in Fontana, California. Mandatory Credit: Donald Miralle  /Allsport
Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Dale Earnhardt ties for the number four spot with rival Darrell Waltrip. With 76 Cup victories and 21 Nationwide victories, Earnhardt won 97 races (including the NASCAR Grand Slam) in a career that was cut tragically short at Daytona in 2001.

Earnhardt is only one of two drivers to be a seven time Cup Champion (winning the Cup in consecutive years in 1986-87, 1990-91, and 1993-94), won the Daytona 500 in 1998, was the 1979 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, and is in the Motorsports Hall of Fame, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Earnhardt had 428 Top 10s and 22 Poles in the Cup series as well as 76 wins. Earnhardt's death was also instrumental in making the HANS device mandatory for all drivers.

No. 4: Darrell Waltrip

CHARLOTTE, NC - JUNE 14: NASCAR 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Darrell Waltrip stands in the Great Hall during Hall of Fame Voting Day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on June 14, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Jason Smith/Getty Images

Best known to current race fans as the man in the booth that says "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity. Let's go racing, Boys!", Darrell Waltrip is tied with Dale Earnhardt on the All Time Winners list with 97 wins.

He has 84 Sprint Cup (tied on that list with Jeff Gordon) wins and 13 Nationwide wins.

Waltrip won the 1981, 1982, and 1985 Cup Championships, the 1989 Daytona 500, the Grand Slam of NASCAR, and has won the Coca-Cola 600 a record five times. He is in both the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame and is a 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee.

Darrell Waltrip has 451 Top 10s and 63 Poles overall and is currently a commentator for Sprint Cup races. His first Sprint Cup booth appearance was at the 2001 Daytona 500, a race that his brother Michael Waltrip won.

No. 3: Kyle Busch

LOUDON, NH - JULY 16:  Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Z-Line Designs Toyota, signs his autograph in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series New England 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 16, 2011 in Loudon, New Hampshire. Busch's w
Jerry Markland/Getty Images

While Kyle Busch's Nationwide win at New Hampshire didn't move him up the all time wins list (he was already two in front of Waltrip and Earnhardt), it did put him on the number one spot for Nationwide wins (tied with Mark Martin).

Busch has 22 Cup wins, 49 Nationwide wins, and 29 Truck wins for 100 wins overall.

Busch has won a race in each series every year since 2005, has more than 20 wins in each series, has won in all three series at seven tracks, and won 17 races before his 25th birthday (No. 1 on that list with Jeff Gordon at 15).

He was also the 2004 Nationwide Rookie of the year, 2005 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year, and won the 2009 Nationwide Series Championship.

Kyle Busch has 327 top 10s and 42 Poles among all three series. He also debuted as a NASCAR owner last year when he started a Truck team.

No. 2: David Pearson

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 23:  Class of 2011 Inductee David Pearson speaks to the media after the 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Charlotte Convention Center on May 23, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Ima
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

With 105 wins in the Sprint Cup series and one win in the Nationwide series, David Pearson sits in the number two spot.

Pearson was a three time NASCAR Grand National Champion (today's Sprint Cup) in 1966, 1968, and 1969 in addition to winning the 1960 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award. He is also in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame this Year.

His victories included the 1961 World 600 where he had such a lead (3 laps) that after blowing a tire with two laps to go, he drove around the track at 20 miles per hour for the final laps and won the race.

Pearson also won the Winston 500, the Firecracker 400 (3 consecutive times), and won the 1976 Daytona 500 after crashing with Petty and slowly driving his car over the line for his only Daytona victory. Pearson is also one of only eight Grand Slam winners in the sport.

Even more impressive when looking at his win totals is the fact that Pearson spent multiple seasons in only part time rides and earned 366 Top 10s and 113 Poles during his Sprint Cup career.

No. 1: Richard Petty

SPARTA, KY - JULY 07: NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty stands in the garage during testing for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kentucky Speedway on July 7, 2011 in Sparta, Kentucky.  (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Geoff Burke/Getty Images

It is safe to say that "The King's" No. 1 spot will be safe for years to come with Kyle Busch needing 100 more wins to top him. 

All of Richard Petty's wins came in the Sprint Cup series, which makes his feat even more impressive. Only one other driver on the all time list getting all their wins in one series.

Richard Petty's 200 wins also came with 712 Top 10s and 127 Poles during his career in addition to seven Championships and the 1959 NASCAR Rookie of the Year title. His wins included seven Daytona 500s, 27 races in the 1967 season (10 in a row), the NASCAR Grand Slam, among many others.

Petty was also inducted into the first NASCAR Hall of Fame Class in 2010.

Richard Petty is still involved in NASCAR as a team owner and can often still be seen at the track. He is also involved in the Victory Junction Camp in memory of his grandson, Adam Petty.

Begin Slideshow
Keep Reading
Flag
Props (0)
This article is

What is the duplicate article?

Why is this article offensive?

Where is this article plagiarized from?

Why is this article poorly edited?

Flag This Article
Crop_45x45
or to post a comment

9 Comments

There are no comments yet. Get the conversation started by leaving the first comment

Loading comments...
just now posted just now
  • Loading...
  • Nobody has liked this comment yet
Cancel

This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

Follow B/R on Facebook

Fans of bleacherreport

Follow @BleacherReport on Twitter
NASCAR

Subscribe Now

We will never share your email address

Thanks for signing up.

We're Scouting Top Writers

Fantasy NASCAR Picks for the FedEx 400 at Dover Hint: you can use arrow keys to navigate through this channel.