Daytona experts count down NASCAR's all-time top 75 drivers; list of 46 through 60

Ken Willis and Ryan Pritt, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·4 min read
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With No. 75 through No. 61 out of the way, we move on to No. 60 through 46 in our effort to rank the top 75 NASCAR Cup Series racers of all time, as the Cup Series prepares to open its 75th season with Sunday's Daytona 500.

News-Journal motorsports writers Ken Willis and Ryan Pritt based their rankings on a wide variety of criteria. Career victories and championships are important, of course, but rankings were also based on winning percentage, wins in the biggest events, and a balance of great accomplishments over a short period of time versus steady accomplishments over a longer career.

We're releasing groups of 15 drivers daily this week, through Friday. No. 60 through No. 46 is below.

60. Speedy Thompson

Speedy Thompson after his 1957 Southern 500 win.
Speedy Thompson after his 1957 Southern 500 win.

Years active: 1950-71

Wins: 20

Also: Finished third in the championship standings four straight years (1956-69). Won eight times in 1956, driving for Carl Kiekhaefer.

59. Neil Bonnett

Neil Bonnett, right.
Neil Bonnett, right.

Years active: 1974-94

Wins: 18

Also: Eight of his wins came while driving a limited schedule for the Wood Brothers from 1979-81. After moving to a full-time ride in ’83, finished sixth, eighth and fourth in points from 1983-85.

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58. A.J. Foyt

A.J. Foyt
A.J. Foyt

Years active: 1963-97

Wins: 7

Also: His seven wins came in his first 47 Cup Series starts. When the IndyCar legend went stock-car racing, it was usually for the bigger events. Had three Daytona wins — two Firecracker 400s and one Daytona 500.

57. Jeff Burton

Jeff Burton
Jeff Burton

Years active: 1993-2014

Wins: 21

Also: At his peak from 1997-2000 with Roush Racing, winning 15 times and never finishing lower than fifth in the standings. Had eight top-10 championship finishes.

56. Donnie Allison

Donnie Allison, left, with brother Bobby.
Donnie Allison, left, with brother Bobby.

Years active: 1966-88

Wins: 10

Also: A part-time NASCAR racer with a knack for the fastest tracks, he won twice at Talladega, twice at Charlotte, and once each at Atlanta and Daytona (1970 Firecracker 400).

55. Marvin Panch

Marvin Panch
Marvin Panch

Years active: 1951-66

Wins: 17

Also: In his one full-time season (1957), he had six wins and finished second in points. Won 1961 Daytona 500. Won races in each of his last four seasons before retiring, with final victory coming at Charlotte’s Coke 600 in a Petty Enterprises Plymouth.

54. Geoff Bodine

Geoff Bodine during his Hendrick Motorsports tenure.
Geoff Bodine during his Hendrick Motorsports tenure.

Years active: 1979-2011

Wins: 18

Also: Had six top-10 points finishes. Got Hendrick Motorsports off the ground in the mid-’80s, with the ’86 Daytona 500 being his biggest win.

53. LeeRoy Yarbrough

LeeRoy Yarbrough in Daytona's Victory Lane after then 1969 Firecracker 400.
LeeRoy Yarbrough in Daytona's Victory Lane after then 1969 Firecracker 400.

Years active: 1960-73

Wins: 14

Also: Always a part-time NASCAR racer. His best year came in 1969 when he won seven times in a “Jim Robbins Special” Ford owned by Junior Johnson. Slingshot pass of Charlie Glotzbach for the ’69 Daytona 500 win was Exhibit A in what became known as the “typical Daytona finish.”

52. Jack Smith

From left, Richard Petty, Jim Paschal and Jack Smith during a promo shoot for a Nashville race in 1962.
From left, Richard Petty, Jim Paschal and Jack Smith during a promo shoot for a Nashville race in 1962.

Years active: 1949-64

Wins: 21

Also: All of his wins came between 1956-62. Finished top 10 (142 times) in over half his starts (264).

51. Jim Paschal

Years active: 1949-72

Wins: 25

Also: Replaced Lee Petty in the No. 42 Plymouth and got nine of his career wins with Petty Enterprises between 1962-64. Had 10 top-10 points finishes.

50. Kasey Kahne

Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kahne

Years active: 2004-18

Wins: 18

Also: Best season was 2006 when he won six times and had 19 top 10s. Big wins included three Coke 600s and the 2017 Brickyard 400, his last victory.

49. Buddy Baker

Buddy Baker in 1975.
Buddy Baker in 1975.

Years active: 1959-94

Wins: 19

Also: NASCAR’s gentle giant was at his best at the biggest and fastest tracks. Won four times at Talladega and twice at Daytona, including the 1980 Daytona 500. Also won at Darlington, Charlotte, Ontario and Texas World Speedway.

48. Tim Richmond

TIm Richmond
TIm Richmond

Years active: 1980-87

Wins: 13

Also: Seemed ready to launch into steady greatness when he died at 34 in 1989. Had seven wins for Hendrick Motorsports in ’86 and two more in his first two starts of ’87 before the health slide began.

47. Dick Rathman

Dick Rathman
Dick Rathman

Years active: 1951-55

Wins: 13

Also: In the midst of an IndyCar career, Rathman made 129 Cup Series starts in a five-year stretch, won 13 of them, and had 69 top-fives. Though a short-track ace, he did get a 1952 win at Darlington.

46. Ernie Irvan

Ernie Irvan in Daytona's Victory Lane, 1981.
Ernie Irvan in Daytona's Victory Lane, 1981.

Years active: 1987-99

Wins: 15

Also: Put together a great run before his career was short-circuited by serious racing injuries. Though known for superspeedway prowess, Irvan had underrated versatitily — his first three career wins came at a half-miler (Bristol), superspeedway (Daytona) and road course (Watkins Glen).

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR drivers, best 75 ever; 46-60 includes A.J. Foyt, Jeff Burton