Darrell Waltrip and the 10 Biggest Goofballs in NASCAR History

There are few sports that feature as eccentric a cast of characters as auto racing. More specifically, the motorsports subdivision of NASCAR has seen its fair share of goofballs over the years.

Although the word “goofball” may not a have a widely agreed upon definition, when you consider some of the things NASCAR drivers have done, it seems like the perfect word to describe them.

Whether it be on-track actions, off-track shenanigans or some combination of the two, all of the entrants on this list have left an indelible mark on NASCAR due to their personalities.

In an individual sport like auto racing, it is much easier for the fans to connect with the participants. While not all of the drivers on this list will be remembered for their racing ability, although some will, they will certainly be remembered for their antics.

Here are the 10 biggest goofballs in NASCAR history.

Juan Pablo Montoya

The fact that Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya is on this list has absolutely nothing to do with his personality, and everything to do with his driving style. Montoya is undoubtedly the most aggressive driver in NASCAR—while that can be good in a controlled state, Montoya throws caution to the wind far too often and makes dumb decisions.

Sunday’s race at Infineon Raceway was a perfect example of how Montoya can be a goofball on the track. Montoya was running comfortably in the top 10 in the closing laps of the race but, when trying to make a pass on Brad Keselowski, he got far too impatient and was spun by Keselowski for his troubles.

Although Keselowski was technically in the wrong, Montoya got what he had coming to him. That moment was simply a microcosm of his career. If he continues to drive idiotically, it will hamper his ability to become an elite driver in the future.

Jeremy Mayfield

While some NASCAR drivers can be considered goofballs for their personalities or on-track antics, others like Jeremy Mayfield are goofballs for a different reason. Mayfield achieved moderate success over his NASCAR career, winning five races and making The Chase in each of its first two years of existence. Mayfield was a fairly non-descript driver throughout most of his tenure with NASCAR, but that changed in 2009.

While racing for his own team, Mayfield Motorsports, Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamine. Mayfield maintained that the positive test was a result of a mixture of over-the-counter medications, but he was suspended anyway.

He again tested positive just five days after his original suspension was lifted. Even if Mayfield’s positive test was due to over-the-counter medication (which is highly unlikely) it was stupid of him to continue taking that medication after he tested positive.

Mayfield is currently under indefinite suspension from NASCAR.

Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick’s claim to fame in terms of being a goofball is his reputation for being one of the biggest pranksters in all of NASCAR. Harvick also tends to act a little strange on the track at times as his generally calm demeanor can transform into an explosive temper. Harvick had a heated argument earlier this season with Kyle Busch and attempted to punch Busch while he was sitting in his car on pit road.

Harvick also got into an altercation with Carl Edwards a couple years back. Despite these run-ins, Harvick’s nickname, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, is “Happy.” To go along with that, his sign on pit road is even a big smiley face.

Although Harvick also blames others for his misfortunes, he has a penchant for racing others hard in his own right. Harvick seemingly has split personalities when it comes to being on the track and off the track, and that certainly makes him a goofball.

Robby Gordon

Robby Gordon is a very talented driver who has had to compete with inferior equipment and other resources throughout his career. Despite that, Gordon has three Sprint Cup victories to his name and is considered to be one of the circuit’s best road-course racers. With all that said, Gordon’s stellar NASCAR career pales in comparison with some of the strange on- and off-track situations Gordon has been involved in during his tenure in the sport.

Gordon’s biggest goofball moment in NASCAR occurred during a Nationwide Series race in Montreal in 2007. Gordon had been forced to move back in the field following a caution after getting spun out while leading the race. He refused, and was eventually removed from the race. He continued to drive even though his laps weren’t being counted, and proceeded to do burnouts after the race as if he had won it. That may very well be the strangest ending to a race in NASCAR history.

Tony Stewart

As one of the most talented and successful NASCAR drivers today, Tony Stewart is beloved by many fans of the sport. Despite his wide spread popularity, Stewart has done a lot of strange things over the course of his career. As a young driver, Stewart often got into tussles with the media, including separate incidents where he roughed up cameramen and reporters.

Another goofy aspect of Stewart’s personality is his celebration after winning a race. In 2005, Stewart began climbing the fence, separating fans from the track and grabbing the checkered flag following his victories.

Although Stewart has mellowed in recent years, his weird behavior still rears its ugly head at times. The best example is the physical altercation he got into with an Australian race track owner while testing this past offseason. Knowing full well that getting into a fight with an owner would tarnish his reputation, Stewart did it anyway. That is the true mark of a goofball.

Shane Hmiel

Shane Hmiel may not be well known to the casual NASCAR fan, but he is certainly one of the most outrageous characters in the history of the sport. Hmiel raced primarily in the Nationwide Series between 2002 and 2005, although he also found some success in the Camping World Truck Series. Additionally, Hmiel ran in seven Sprint Cup races during his career.

Hmiel often got into on-track disagreements, one of which involved Dale Jarrett during a Nationwide race in 2005. Jarrett confronted Hmiel after he had spun Jarrett out, and Hmiel then proceeded to flip Jarrett his middle finger on camera.

In addition to his hijinks on the oval, Hmiel got into plenty of trouble off the track as well. Hmiel failed three separate drug tests leading to a lifetime ban from NASCAR. Hmiel went on to drive in various open-wheel series, but is now unfortunately paralyzed due to an on-track accident.

Michael Waltrip

With 16 career wins spread across NASCAR’s top three series, Michael Waltrip has found plenty of success as a driver. He is probably best known as a two-time Daytona 500 winner, including the 2001 race in which Dale Earnhardt was involved in a fatal crash. Waltrip is also renowned for his happy-go-lucky attitude.

His personality has been on display for many years as the spokesperson for NAPA, his longtime sponsor in NASCAR. He has starred in a number of commercials for the company over the years, highlighting his goofy personality. He also has done some television spots for Aaron’s.

Waltrip’s fun demeanor has made him an ideal representative for NASCAR over the years. Although he is semi-retired, he is still very popular among NASCAR fans.

Kyle Busch

With 97 career victories spread across NASCAR’s top three series, Kyle Busch is among the sport’s fastest rising stars. Busch’s excellence is often overshadowed by his propensity for creating controversy, however.  Busch often gets under the skin of his competition due to his penchant for driving very aggressively. Among his most recent rivals is Kevin Harvick, whom he spun out earlier this season at Darlington.

Busch also got into an altercation with owner Richard Childress after a truck race due to Busch bumping one of Childress’ drivers in the aftermath of the race. Busch also earns the moniker of a goofball because of his post-race celebration. After winning, Busch gets out of his car and bows to the crowd, and he is normally met with a chorus of boos. As wild as Busch’s antics may be at times, he very well may be the future of NASCAR.

Tim Richmond

Prior to his untimely death in 1989, Tim Richmond was a larger-than-life character in the world of NASCAR. He was highly successful with 13 wins on the Sprint Cup circuit, but his persona is what made him a very polarizing figure.

Nicknamed “Hollywood,” Richmond was an extremely charismatic and confident person who rubbed a lot of his competitors the wrong way. Because of his personality, he was either loved or hated by most fans with little in between.

While Richmond’s charm and good looks were a blessing, they also ended up being a curse. He naturally attracted a lot of women which, presumably, led to him being infected with HIV/AIDS. The disease severely weakened his immune system and led to him missing most of the 1987 season, although he incredibly won two of the eight races he ran despite being sick. His life tragically ended at the age of 34, but Richmond remains one of the biggest personalities in NASCAR history.

Darrell Waltrip

Considered one of the greatest drivers of all time, Darrell Waltrip won 84 Sprint Cup races over the course of his career and will be a class of 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee. With all of those accolades, it may be tough for newer fans to believe that Waltrip was once among the most controversial drivers in NASCAR. As a young driver, Waltrip often called out his veteran counterparts and was considered very brash and cocky.

Fast forward to today and Waltrip is a much respected NASCAR analyst. Despite his fine reputation, Waltrip is still considered a goofball by many. His catchphrase of “boogity, boogity, boogity, let’s go racing boys,” is a big part of his good-old-boy persona.

As an older Southerner, he has a different way of speaking in general, which makes him sound a bit goofy at times, but he is heralded as one of the smarter people in all of NASCAR. Regardless of that, Waltrip seems to embrace the persona he has created for himself.