Tony Stewart's amazing run to the Spring Cup title -- which honestly wouldn't have been possible under the pre-Chase setup -- moved him within striking distance of the top 10 NASCAR drivers ever.
In my system, the top 12 racers in the Sprint Cup race each year get points, the top three finishers in the Daytona 500 get points and you get points for each win every season. Wins from 1955 through 1971 are worth less because there were 33 percent more races each year -- lots of Richard Petty's wins are on dirt tracks.
I then calculate 3-year, 6-year, 10-year and career point totals and add them up for a final ranking.
Here is your ultimate NASCAR race.
ROW 22
Driver No. 43 -- Jim Paschal (25-time winner)
ROW 21
Driver No. 42 -- Dave Marcis (5-time winner, series runnerup in 1975)
Driver No. 41 -- Greg Biffle (16-time winner, series runnerup in 2005)
ROW 20
Driver No. 40 -- Speedy Thompson (20-time winner, series runnerup in 1956)
Driver No. 39 -- Davey Allison (19-time winner, Daytona 500 winner in 1992, third in series in 1991 and 1992)
ROW 19
Driver No. 38 -- Denny Hamlin (17-time winner, second in series in 2010)
Driver No. 37 -- Sterling Marlin (10-time winner, Daytona 500 winner in 1994 and 1995, second in series in 2001)
ROW 18
Driver No. 36 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (18-tim winner, Daytona 500 winner in 2004, second in series in 2003)
Driver No. 35 -- Junior Johnson (48-time winner, Daytona 500 winner in 1960, second in series in 1958)
ROW 17
Driver No. 34 -- Curtis Turner (17-time winner, series champion in 1950)
Driver No. 33 -- Ricky Rudd (23-time winner, second in series in 1991)
ROW 16
Driver No. 32 -- James Hylton (2-time winner, top three in series seven times)
Driver No. 31 -- Kevin Harvick (18-time winner, Daytona 500 winner in 2007, third in series in 2010 and 2011)
ROW 15
Driver No. 30 -- Fonty Flock (19-time winner, series champion in 1951)
Driver No. 29 -- Harry Gant (18-time winner, third in series in 1981, 1984, 1985)
ROW 14
Driver No. 28 -- Carl Edwards (19-time winner, second in series in 2008, 2011)
Driver No. 27 -- Jeff Burton (21-time winner, third in series in 2000)
ROW 13
Driver No. 26 -- Fireball Roberts (33-time winner, Daytona 500 winner in 1962, second in series in 1957)
Driver No. 25 -- Rex White (28-time winner, series champion in 1960, runner up in 1961)
ROW 12
Driver No. 24 -- Bobby Isaac (37-time winner, series champion in 1970, runner up in 1968)
Driver No. 23 -- Kurt Busch (24-time winner, Daytona 500 runner up in 2003, 2005 and 2008, series champion in 2004)
ROW 11
Driver No. 22 -- Bobby Labonte (21-time winner, series champion in 2000, runner up in 1999)
Driver No. 21 -- Matt Kenseth (21-time winner, series champion in 2003, Daytona 500 winner in 2009)
ROW 10
Driver No. 20 -- Joe Weatherly (25-time winner, series champion in 1962 and 1963)
Driver No. 19 -- Benny Parsons (21-time winner, series champion in 1973, Daytona 500 winner in 1975)
ROW 9
Driver No. 18 -- Terry Labonte (22-time winner, series champion in 1984 and 1996, Daytona 500 runner up in 1986, 1990, 1997)
Driver No. 17 -- Mark Martin (40-time winner, five time series runner up)
ROW 8
Driver No. 16 -- Tim Flock (39-time winner, series champion in 1952 and 1955)
Driver No. 15 -- Ned Jarrett (40-time winner, series champion in 1961 and 1965)
ROW 7
Driver No. 14 -- Buck Baker (46-time winner, series champion in 1956 and 1957)
Driver No. 13 -- Dale Jarrett (32-time winner, series champion in 1997 and 1999, Daytona 500 winner in 1993, 1996 and 2000)
ROW 6
Driver No. 12 -- Tony Stewart (44-time winner, series champion in 2002, 2005 and 2011)
Driver No. 11 -- Herb Thomas (47-time winner, series champion in 1953 and 1954)
ROW 5
Driver No. 10 -- Bill Elliott (44-time winner, series champion in 1992, runner up four other times, Daytona 500 winner in 1985 and 1987)
Driver No. 9 -- Lee Petty (54-time winner, series champion in 1958, 1959, runner up in 1953, 1954, Daytona 500 winner in 1959)
ROW 4
Driver No. 8 -- Bobby Allison (82-time winner, series champion in 1983, runner up five times, Daytona 500 winner in 1978, 1982 and 1988)
Driver No. 7 -- David Pearson (105-time winner, series champion in 1966, 1968 and 1969, Daytona 500 winner in 1976)
ROW 3
Driver No. 6 -- Jimmie Johnson (54-time winner, series champion in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, Daytona 500 winner in 2006)
Driver No. 5 -- Cale Yarborough (83-time winner, series champion in 1976, 1977 and 1978, Daytona 500 winner in 1968, 1977, 1983 and 1984)
ROW 2
Driver No. 4 -- Darrell Waltrip (84 time winner, series champion in 1981, 1982 and 1985, Daytona 500 winner in 1989)
Driver No. 3 -- Jeff Gordon (85-time winner, series champion in 1995, 1998 and 2001, Daytona 500 winner in 1997, 1999 and 2005)
ROW 1
Driver No. 2 -- Dale Earnhardt (72-time winner, series champion in 1980, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993 and 1994, Daytona 500 winner in 1998)
Driver No. 1 -- Richard Petty (200 wins, series champion in 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979, Daytona 500 winner in 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979 and 1981)
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