Because the creation of restrictor plates in 1988, there have all the time been NASCAR drivers who’ve mastered the artwork of drafting at superspeedways.
These are the 5 superspeedway racers in NASCAR historical past, from 1988 to the current day.
5. Joey Logano (5 wins)
Logano could “solely” have 5 wins on the drafting tracks of Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta, however he is the one driver to win on all three. it ought to be famous that solely 5 races have been held at Atlanta because it was reconfigured right into a drafting observe in 2022, nevertheless it should not be a shock that Logano was one of many first drivers to tame its excessive banks.
Logano’s greatest superspeedway win got here within the 2015 Daytona 500, which, apparently sufficient, is the one victory that the two-time champion has on the 2.5 mile observe.
4. Denny Hamlin (5 wins)
Each Hamlin and Logano leap fellow superspeedway ace Brad Keselowski for one main purpose: they’ve each received the Daytona 500. Hamlin has received the race 3 times, together with twice in a row in 2019 and 2020.
Hamlin additionally has two victories at Talladega, and whereas he is but to win a superspeedway race within the Subsequent-Gen automobile, you possibly can by no means rely out the veteran driver at any time when the circuit visits one of many excessive banked, excessive velocity ovals.
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10 wins)
Jr received six instances at Talladega and 4 instances at Daytona, together with Daytona 500 victories in 2004 and 2014. Nicknamed the “Pied Piper of Daytona”, Earnhardt Jr., like his father earlier than him, had a knack for the drafting tracks.
He did not fairly boast the superspeedway resume of his father, however the superspeedway genes clearly handed down from father to son.
2. Jeff Gordon (12 wins)
A 3-time Daytona 500 winner (1997, 1999, 2005), Gordon additionally received three Firecracker 400’s at Daytona (1995, 1998, 2004) and was a six-time winner at Talladega, matching the win complete of Earnhardt Jr on the Alabama observe.
The truth is, Gordon could have been the largest superspeedway nemesis of each Earnhardt’s, because the No. 24 group was quick all over the place it went.
1. Dale Earnhardt Sr. (13 wins)
The 13 wins credited to Earnhardt listed here are solely the factors paying races he received at Daytona and Talladega, as if exhibition races have been counted, he’d have an insurmountable lead. Earnhardt received the Busch Conflict at Daytona six instances, and received his qualifying race for the Daytona 500 12 instances, together with 10 instances in a row from 1990-99.
A ten-time winner at Talladega, the Daytona 500 was the one superspeedway prize that eluded him, however “The Intimidator” lastly captured the Nice American Race in 1998. He could not have been capable of see the air like everybody says he may, however he was clearly one of the best superspeedway racer within the historical past of NASCAR.
