Pick best or favorite drivers any circuit.

#1
gsvol

gsvol

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#1
Mine:

1. Sterling Moss
2. Fireball Roberts
3. Red Farmer
4. Parnelli Jones
5. Irish Jack Murphy

Honorable mention;
Marty Robbins
 
#4
#4
I'm not going to put these in any kind of order because it would require me to think way too hard lol. These are just my favorite drivers of all time spanning all different types of racing:

Walker Evans - Off Road (and I hear his book is great - need to check that out)

Ivan Stewart - Off Road

Rick Mears - Indycars

Jim Clark - F1, others as well

Jackie Stewart - F1

Cale Yarborough - NASCAR

Darrell Waltrip - NASCAR

Harry Gant - NASCAR

Robby Gordon - Various

Don Prudohme - NHRA

Bob Senneker - ASA

Mike Eddy - ASA

Scott Bloomquist - Super Late Model dirt

Herman Goddard - Super Late Model dirt

Ronnie Johnson - Super Late Model dirt

Jack Boggs - Super Late Model dirt

That's all I can think of right now....sure I'm missing a few
 
#6
#6
Billy Moyer-Super Late Model

Freddy Smith-Super Late Model

Ronnie Sox- NHRA

Big Daddy Don Garlits- NHRA

Darrel Alderman- NHRA

Richard Petty-NASCAR

Darrel Waltrip- NASCAR
 
#7
#7
1. Jeff Gordon
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Mark Martin



HMS
 
#9
#9
1. Glen Fireball Roberts
2. David Pearson
3. DE
4. Junior Johnson
5. Dave Marcis
 
#11
#11
Earnhardt

Only watched for a couple years now, but I think I've latched onto the Robert Kubica bandwagon in F1.
 
#12
#12
Fireball Roberts
Allen Kulwicki
Sterling Moss
Jackie Stewart
Dan Gurney
Mark Donahue
Curtis Turner
Junior Johnson
Marshall Teague
Allan Jones
Rick Mears
Parnelli Jones
Giles Villanueve
Paul Newman
Bobby Allison
Paul Radford
Harry Gant
Ernie Irvan
Rick Ferkle
Jac Haudenchild
Tim Richmond
Al Unser, Sr. & Jr.
John A Utsman
Jim Heurtibese
Hurley Haywood
Brian Redman
Mark Martin
Gordon Johncock
Joe Weatherly
Davey Allison
Terry Labonte
 
#13
#13
I'm surprised to see Harry Gant so far down your list Broyles. I forgot to put him on mine, but he is one of my favorites.
 
#15
#15
**ORANGEBLOOD** said:
I'm surprised to see Harry Gant so far down your list Broyles. I forgot to put him on mine, but he is one of my favorites.
Click to expand...

My list is not really in any order. Handsome Harry is definitely one of my top favs. I talked to Ed Whitaker a month ago (Harry drove his Busch car to many wins), and Ed said Harry was his favorite, and the best driver he had.

That is saying something, his drivers included Morgan Shepherd, Dale Jarrett, Dale, Jr., Darrell Waltrip, Tommy Ellis, Phil Parsons, Gene Blackburn, Stevie Reeves, Mike Wallace, and others.
 
#16
#16
rbroyles said:
Fireball Roberts
Allen Kulwicki
Sterling Moss
Jackie Stewart
Dan Gurney
Mark Donahue
Curtis Turner
Junior Johnson
Marshall Teague
Allan Jones
Rick Mears
Parnelli Jones
Giles Villanueve
Paul Newman
Bobby Allison
Paul Radford
Harry Gant
Ernie Irvan
Rick Ferkle
Jac Haudenchild
Tim Richmond
Al Unser, Sr. & Jr.
John A Utsman
Jim Heurtibese
Hurley Haywood
Brian Redman
Mark Martin
Gordon Johncock
Joe Weatherly
Davey Allison
Terry Labonte
Click to expand...

I believe Sterling Moss was the most talented driver ever, I saw him his last competitive race at Watkins Glen. There were races that when a rain started to fall, all the other drivers would slow and Sterling would have even faster lap times, simply incredible.

I must say Jackie Stewart was close, he ran away from the field at Monte Carlo one time with his suspension broken on one wheel.

Juan Miguel Fangio has to be considered one of the best ever F-1 drivers.

I was a big Harry Gant fan too and think he was as good as anyone he ran against.

Dan Gurney was a fantabulous driver.

A. J. Foyt should be on your list.

Nowadays I pull for Marco Andretti.

I recomend Andy Granatelli's book for any Indy racing fan.

Bobby, Davey and even Donny were good but Red Farmer was the brains behind them and probably one of the best drivers ever, he just never had the sponsorship he needed.

And it should be a crime to slight Richard Petty, his total win record will be one that may never be broken.

Someone mentioned Don Garlits, he's my favorite at the strip.

I saw Marty Robbins the first race he hit the track, he was as good on the track as he was on stage and that ain't bad.

There are lots of other drivers that deserve some consideration in a discussion like this.

There are several on your list I like and some I know nothing about, I'll have to ask about them.
 
#18
#18
I've only been into racing since 1998. I watch oter forms of racing but mostly watch NASCAR. The best racing to watch is the trucks. The best hard nosed "old" guys seem to end up there. Bobby Hamilton was one of my favorites to watch. I remember( I believe it was the first or second truck race at atlanta) Hamilton getting penalized and put at the tail end of the field with about 20-30 laps to go and he put his truck on the high side and passed 'em all and won spinning across the finishline. If I had to rate my top 5 tallent wise in Cup(right now) it would be:
Jeff Gordon-already on the backside of the hill
Tony Stewart-can drive anything (hopefully he has a few more good years left)
Kasey Khane-He is the most wasted talent at GEM
Robby Gordon-He can drive anything, even 2 wheels
Kyle Busch-He has the most tallent with the least brain function
(Biffle and Burton are close)
My favorite driver is Tony Stewart. He is a hard nosed no fear racer that reminds me alot of the drivers that are in the trucks. You never have to wonder what he is thinking when a microphone is put in his face. He doesn't worry about if it is correct or popular he just says or does it. I always felt that if they all were given the same exact car that his tallent would allow him to win most of the time.
 
#19
#19
gsvol said:
Juan Miguel Fangio has to be considered one of the best ever F-1 drivers.
No doubt at all, but the thread is list your favorite drivers, I never saw him race.

Dan Gurney was a fantabulous driver.
He was undefeated at Riverside in the Wood Brothers car. Always wondered how he would have done on the full circuit.

A. J. Foyt should be on your list.
He never was one of my favorites, no question one of the best drivers ever. He could win in anything.

I recomend Andy Granatelli's book for any Indy racing fan.
Agree

Bobby, Davey and even Donny were good but Red Farmer was the brains behind them and probably one of the best drivers ever, he just never had the sponsorship he needed.
You may be right, but I only saw him race a couple times.

And it should be a crime to slight Richard Petty, his total win record will be one that may never be broken.
It would be, but I just didn't pull for him that much, his record will not be broken.

Someone mentioned Don Garlits, he's my favorite at the strip.
[I]I should have listed him along with Shirley Muldowny and Danny Ongias - both 1/4 mile and Indy Cars.
[/I]

There are several on your list I like and some I know nothing about, I'll have to ask about them.
Click to expand...
Name them and I'll gladly fill you in. I m surprised you did not mention Mario.
 
#20
#20
rbroyles said:
Name them and I'll gladly fill you in. I m surprised you did not mention Mario.
Click to expand...

I like Mario.

Down n Dirty mentions some good ones (as do others)
Notably Prudholme, Jim Clark and Cale.

I said "best or favorite" btw.

Like Ned and Dale Jarret and the Marlins, Coo Coo, Sterling and Steadman.

OK, the ones you listed that I don't remember for whatever reason;

Curtis Turner (I think he and Teague were early Nascar?)

Marshall Teague

Allan Jones

Giles Villanueve

Paul Radford

Rick Ferkle

Jac Haudenchild

Tim Richmond

John A Utsman

Hurley Haywood

Brian Redman

You also mention a lot of very good drivers that not many people would recognize these days, maybe only the really hard core racing fans.

I have to give Johnson his due for winning three championships in a row.
 
#21
#21
I'm ashamed to admit I omitted one of my absolute favorites when I was very young - Tim Richmond. Its a travesty what NASCAR done to him. Its an even bigger travesty that we didn't get to watch him and Earnhardt battle it out through the late 80s and into the early 90s for NASCAR supremacy. I have no doubt in my mind that Richmond would have won at least two Cup championships if things would have been different.

Anyone that likes to read racing books I HIGHLY recommend Richmond's book as well as DW's book as both are well done and informative IMO. I even pick up books from guys I didn't care for as much like Bill Elliott to get some more insight on drivers. His book had some interesting stories as well. But the book written about Tim Richmond and DW's autobiography were both very well done.
 
#22
#22
gsvol said:
I like Mario.


OK, the ones you listed that I don't remember for whatever reason;

Curtis Turner (I think he and Teague were early Nascar?)
Correct, Turner was one of the very best, he got banned by Bill France for trying to start a drivers union. Years later after being reinstated, he partied heavily the night before Charlotte, and being afraid he would pass out and be late for the race, he went to the track and passed out on the hood of his race car so his crew could find him-he won the race! Those were the days.

Marshall Teague
Another early star, raced in many series, including winning the grueling Mexican Road Race in a Stock Car. Raced well into his sixties.

Alan Jones
Surprised you are not familiar, won F1 Champ. for Williams. Very tough driver, the most likely to do well in NASCAR IMO.

Giles Villanueve
Also surprised, Canadian F1 driver for Ferrari, father of Jacques Villaneauve, killed in a qualifying accident. He raced snowmobiles for the company I worked for- Rupp.

Paul Radford
The best Modified driver ever, won nat. champ. several times in '60s

Rick Ferkle
Known as "Mr. Ohio", top sprint car driver in '60s. Won early World of Outlaws titles. The best of his time. Saw his last race at Elldora, some new guy won - Kinser.

Jac Haudenchild
Another Ohio Sprint Car driver who lived near me, had a fair amount of success, known as "The Wild Child"

Tim Richmond
You are kidding, right? The most natural car control I ever saw. Got to know him in his early days of sprint cars. Knew his father. His mother made him leave Indy cars for Nascar after a bad crash at Michigan. Drove for Rick Hendrick #25.

John A Utsman
Local Late Model driver, won Cup race at Bristol driving in relief for Benny Parsons. Bobby Allison called him the best driver he knew on National TV.

Hurley Haywood
Sports car driver, won 24 Hours of Daytona several times. A true gentleman.

Brian Redman
British F1 and Sports Car driver, very personable, won Daytona and Le Mans 24 hour races.

You also mention a lot of very good drivers that not many people would recognize these days, maybe only the really hard core racing fans.

I have to give Johnson his due for winning three championships in a row.
Click to expand...

I started following racing when I was about 12, in 1960. My father owned a NASCAR Sportsman car ( now Nationwide). I worked as a corner worker at Mid-Ohio and Nelson Ledges and Charlotte. I raced some as well. I've driven Bristol, Charlotte, Mid-Ohio, Waterford Hills, Pocono, and IRP. Promoted races at the Kingsport Raceway, worked for JD Stacey.
 
#25
#25
rbroyles said:
Fireball Roberts
Allen Kulwicki
Sterling Moss
Jackie Stewart
Dan Gurney
Mark Donahue
Curtis Turner
Junior Johnson
Marshall Teague
Allan Jones
Rick Mears
Parnelli Jones
Giles Villanueve
Paul Newman
Bobby Allison
Paul Radford
Harry Gant
Ernie Irvan
Rick Ferkle
Jac Haudenchild
Tim Richmond
Al Unser, Sr. & Jr.
John A Utsman
Jim Heurtibese
Hurley Haywood
Brian Redman
Mark Martin
Gordon Johncock
Joe Weatherly
Davey Allison
Terry Labonte
Click to expand...

Very interesting that you have these two names without Phil Hill. As a matter of fact, I find it completely amazing that Phil hasn't even made the thread yet. Not only was he the first and only American-born F1 WDC, He has played a very integral part in American sportscar history, was a major player in the birth of the GT40.

This also seems to be the case in most American motorsport circles. I wonder if this was a consequence of his unwillingness to come back to America until he retired.
 
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