Hey, I’m back.
Raise your hand if you’ve never heard of an A.I. site called ChatGPT. If your hand is raised, I suggest you raise your other hand so you can remove the rock you seem to live under.
Artificial Intelligence is everywhere nowadays and ChatGPT is one of the most commonly used sites. Originally created to have authentic dialogue with users, it didn’t take long before people realized the extent of its capabilities, the famous example being Stan Marsh using it to send sweet text messages to his girlfriend in South Park.
Eventually, someone had the idea to use it to create sports rankings. With rankings being a guarantee to spark conversations and debates, this was a genius move. It didn’t take NASCAR long to jump in on the fun, as NASCAR on Fox tweeted their automated ranking of the best drivers since 2000.
Photo: @NASCARONFOX
Naturally, I like many others, had my grievances about the list. Since school’s out and I’ve got some time, why not make my own list and show ChatGPT who’s boss?
*Quick note: wins and accolades are only considered from 2000 up to May 24, 2023. No prior wins will be considered (sorry Jeff Gordon fans).*
Photo: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
1. Jimmie Johnson (2002-2020)
83 wins, 7x Champion, 2x Daytona 500 winner, 2x Southern 500 winner, 4x Coca-Cola 600 winner, 4x Brickyard 400 winner
There’s simply no other answer for the best of the century. In my opinion the best driver in NASCAR history, Jimmie Johnson had a stranglehold on the sport comparable to very few dynasties we’ve ever seen. He won in all different types of points formats and always showed out at the big races. I’m happy to say that ChatGPT and I are in agreement so far. Don’t expect it to last long, however.
Photo: Jerry Markland/Getty Images
2. Tony Stewart (2000-2016)
46 wins, 3x Champion, 2x Brickyard 400 winner, 2001 Bristol Night Race winner
Arguably the most well-rounded driver in auto racing history, Tony Stewart was the driver that you would build in a lab. Brash, vocal, a winner on any type of track and absolutely fearless. He knew he could win any given week and had arguably the greatest single race performance at the 2011 Ford 400 to win the championship. There will be some disagreement about this pick I’m sure, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Stewart belongs here.
Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
3. Kyle Busch (2005-)
62 wins*, 2x Champion, 2008 Southern 500 winner, 2018 Coca-Cola 600 winner, 2x Brickyard 400 winner, 3x Bristol Night Race winner
Speaking of guys that can win anywhere, how about Rowdy? Kyle Busch came into the sport with higher expectations than just about anyone not named Jeff Gordon. Incredibly, he has absolutely exceeded them. He is a wheelman in every sense of the word and his run at Joe Gibbs Racing will go down as one of the best driver-team combos of all time. The biggest knock on him was Chase/Playoff success. Two championships and five championship appearances later and there’s simply nothing he hasn’t excelled at. If he wins a Daytona 500 before he hangs it up, I have no problem moving him ahead of Stewart.
Photo: Daytona 500 Winners
4. Kevin Harvick (2001-)
61 wins*, 2014 Champion, 2007 Daytona 500 winner, 2x Southern 500 winner, 2x Coca-Cola 600 winner, 3x Brickyard 400 winner, 2x Bristol Night Race winner
Nobody has ever come into the Cup series with tougher circumstances than Kevin Harvick. Replacing the late Dale Earnhardt is an almost impossible task… keyword almost. Harvick has met the moment every step of the way, winning in his third career start and blossoming from there. After a tumultuous exit from Richard Childress Racing, he made the move of a lifetime to team up with Rodney Childers at Stewart-Haas Racing. He scored that elusive championship his first year and has been a machine ever since, having an average-finish of less than 11.0 in six of his ten years at the team. Not only that, but he’s part of a dying breed of hard-nosed drivers that follow the code and aren’t afraid to anger people. He’s not the Intimidator, but he played the role better than anyone could ever ask for.
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
5. Jeff Gordon (2000-2015)
44 wins, 2001 Champion, 2005 Daytona 500 winner, 2007 Southern 500 winner, 2x Brickyard 400, 2002 Bristol Night Race winner
Jeff Gordon at No. 5? Really? Yes. Remember, this list is only from 2000-onward, meaning his dynasty in the late 1990s isn’t considered. Even then, his record is pretty stellar. His 2007 season is probably the best non-championship season ever, as he set a modern record with 30 top-10s in 36 races. He did everything he could do to win a fifth championship, but it eluded him for the last 14 years of his historic career. Because of this, he will have to settle for fifth on the list; total scrub, right?
Photo: Athlon Sports
6. Denny Hamlin (2006-)
49 wins*, 3x Daytona 500 winner, 3x Southern 500 winner, 2022 Coca-Cola 600 winner, 2x Bristol Night Race winner
As much as he hates to hear it, Denny Hamlin is the best driver to have never won a championship. While the title has eluded him, he is unbelievable at the big races. He maneuvers both Darlington and Daytona better than anyone I’ve seen in a long time. He’s also mastered Richmond, Pocono and Martinsville among others. It takes a special talent to be so good at so many different types of tracks, but that reputation fits Hamlin better than just about anybody.
Photo: USA Today
7. Joey Logano (2009-)
32 wins*, 2x Champion, 2015 Daytona 500 winner, 2x Bristol Night Race winner
Joey Logano is paradoxically the youngest winner in Cup series history and somewhat of a slow burn. After four unremarkable years at Joe Gibbs Racing, he got a big break in moving to Team Penske in 2013. He immediately showed off his otherworldly ability, scoring 11 wins between 2014-15. Arguably nobody has benefited more from the elimination style playoffs than Logano, who has scored a pair of titles and 12 wins in the nine years of the format. Drivers hate, fans are split on him. But Logano is one of the best, and far from being done.
Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
8. Matt Kenseth (2000-2017, 2020)
39 wins, 2003 Champion, 2x Daytona 500 winner, 2013 Southern 500 winner, 2000 Coca-Cola 600 winner, 3x Bristol Night Race winner
“It’s been a Matt Kenseth kind of day, not a lot of flash but a lot of substance.” Doug Rice said that about Kenseth on his way to a win at New Hampshire in 2016 and it is the perfect description of his career. Kenseth was never a good qualifier, but understood his cars so well to know what adjustments to get to the front. Few were smarter or smoother than the Wisconsin native. You know you’ve made it big when Mark Martin calls you his favorite driver of all time. Mine too, Mark.
Photo: NBC Sports
9. Kurt Busch (2001-2022)
34 wins, 2004 Champion, 2017 Daytona 500 winner, 2010 Coca-Cola 600 winner, 2x Bristol Night Race winner
Racing aside, Kurt Busch has had one of the most satisfying character developments in sports history. He was able to control his anger issues and has blossomed into one of the more well liked drivers in the past few years. He’s been described by many as an amazing teammate, which helped him always find competitive rides. Now for on the track, both Busch and Kenseth would be on the Mount Rushmore of underrated drivers. He was fearless and left it all out on the track every single time. As hard as he raced, you’d be hard pressed to find a driver who didn’t like to race him. He deserved a better exit than he got.
Photo: Orlin Wagner/AP Photo
10. Brad Keselowski (2009-)
35 wins*, 2012 Champion, 2018 Southern 500 winner, 2020 Coca-Cola 600 winner, 2018 Brickyard 400 winner, 2011 Bristol Night Race winner
We conclude our list with the 2012 champion. It’s hard to believe that a broken ankle helped spark a Hall of Fame career, but that’s sort of the case with Brad Keselowski. After suffering a crash while testing at Road Atlanta in 2011, Keselowski went on to finish 1-2-3-1 at the next four races to rally for a fifth-place points finish. He took that momentum to the championship the next year. Keselowski has had success just about everywhere, but no track matches Talladega, where he’s won six times. After a great run at Penske, he is now onto the next phase of his career, trying to revive RFK Racing as a new co-owner.
Honorable mentions: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Carl Edwards, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson
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