The best Nascar driver of all time…

It’s tough to say really. Four men have won more than 3 Championships. Jeff Gordon (4) Jimmie Johnson (4) Richard Petty (7) and Dale Earnhardt (7). Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt raced in an era that was not as difficult as it is today. Petty sometimes finished two laps ahead of second place — any fan knows that is next to impossible today. Earnhardt has probably earned his titles with harder work than anyone else but even in the 80s and 90s competition was quite different. Earnhardt is the only drive to win rookie of the year and then win a title the very next. And then there is Gordon, my favorite. Gordon came around when competition was really picking up but the era of Jeff Gordon has seen the biggest changes in Nascar. When Gordon was a rookie pit crew members didn’t wear helmets, drivers could race back to the line after a caution and there was no Chase for the Cup. If the Chase had never been implemented, using the statistics how they would have been in Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty’s day… Jeff Gordon would be looking at 6 Nascar titles and Jimmie Johnson would only have one (and only by 4 points over second place).  So here is my conclusion… Though I am a fan of Jimmie Johnson, I am not a fan of the new points system. Johnson should be looking at 1 Championship and ESPN should stop comparing him to Richard Petty. Johnson can not and will not win 13 races in one season like Jeff Gordon has (a modern record, Richard Petty actually won 13 races but he is the only other driver). Gordon has also won more races than Earnhardt and in a shorter period of time. Even this year, Gordon had an average finish of 10.5. Johnson had an 11.5. My vote for all time greatest driver is Jeff Gordon, Johnson could still change this but he hasn’t done it yet!