The new decade is upon us. Which means its time for New Year’s resolutions, NFL playoffs, and best and worst of lists. What were the top 5 of the decade in NASCAR? Drivers? Races? Rivalries? Check out my spin on the 2010s in the top echelon of stock car racing.
The past ten years of NASCAR have been tumultuous, but the downturn of the sport started early in the previous decade. Prior to Dale Earnhardt’s death at the conclusion of the 2001 Daytona 500, an argument can easily be made that NASCAR was encroaching on the popularity of the so-called Big 4 sports. Races sold out regularly. Hell, there was a years-long waitlist at Bristol. NASCAR merchandise crossed over into pop culture, specifically the hip-hop music industry (anybody remember Pharrell rocking Jeff Gordon’s Pepsi colors?) Top drivers used to easily eclipse $3-4 million in sales. Now they are lucky to reach 7 figures.
Not all is doom and gloom in the taxicab racing world, however. As a lifelong NASCAR fan, I will always see the fuel tank as half full. With all due respect to my partner, Chris Prince, and his recent ranking of NASCAR’s Not Top Five of the 2010′s, I want to share some of my best of the decade in hopes that glory days will return soon.
Top Drivers
Alright, let’s get the easiest (and most boring) list out of the way first. Based on statistics alone, here are the top 5 drivers of the 2010s.
- Kyle Busch (2015 and 2019 Champion, 40 race wins, 60% top tens)
- Jimmie Johnson (2010, 2013 and 2016 Champion, 36 wins, 51% top tens)
- Kevin Harvick (2014 Champion, 38 wins, 65% top tens)
- Brad Keselowski (2012 Champion, 29 wins, 51% top tens)
- Martin Truex, Jr. (2017 Champion, 25 wins, 47% top tens)
I rank Busch ahead of Johnson partially for his current form and partially for his additional 106 wins in the Xfinity and Truck Series. Harvick has the highest percentage of finishes in the top ten, but only one championship. Truex cracks the list due to his record over the past four seasons putting him slightly ahead of Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin.
Top Races
- 2011 Daytona 500 (Daytona, Winner – Trevor Bayne Link:
- 2015 Goody’s 500 (Martinsville, Winner – Jeff Gordon) Link:
- 2011 Ford 400 (Homestead, Winner – Tony Stewart) Link:
- 2012 Finger Lakes 355 at the Glen (Watkins Glen, Winner – Marcos Ambrose) Link:
- 2016 AAA 400 Drive for Autism (Dover, Winner – Matt Kenseth) Link:
Order is not that important to me, but each of these races are unique in their own right. The 2011 Great American Race included unpredictable racing with the ultimate unpredictable winner. There were 74 lead changes and 16 cautions that punctuated part-timer Bayne winning in his second career race.
I was at the 2015 Goody’s 500 and was one of the many left confused and disoriented after finding myself rooting for Jeff Gordon at the end. The racing was highlighted by the continuing feud between Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth, culminating in Kenseth plowing leader Logano into the wall with 45 laps to go. Gordon overcame AJ Allmendinger and Jamie McMurray for his last career victory and celebrated in the twilight.
The 2011 Ford 400 saw Tony Stewart finish off a remarkable run in that year’s playoffs with his 5th win in the ten playoff races to edge Carl Edwards for his third championship. Stewart had not won until those playoffs while Edwards finished no worse than 11th throughout the stretch run. The two finished the season tied in points, giving Tony the trophy with his edge in victories.
The 2012 race at Watkins Glen was good, but the finish was astounding. Kyle Busch led nearly half the race but was clipped by rival Keselowski entering the esses on the white flag lap. A charging Marcos Ambrose traded the lead with Brad until the checkered flag, with both drivers off the track as much as on during the battle.
I was also fortunate enough to be at Dover in 2016 in what had to be the coldest, windiest race I have ever attended. There were 12 cautions, including a pileup when Johnson broke on a restart and was run over by much of the field. Kenseth, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott produced a hell of a battle to the finish to top things off.
Top Feuds
- Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth 2014 — Tipping Point: Bank of America 500 at Charlotte
- Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer 2012 — Tipping Point: AdvoCare 500 at Phoenix
- Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano 2015 — Tipping Point: 2015 Goody’s 500 at Martinsville
- Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards 2009 – infinity — Tipping Point: 2010 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta
- Brad Keselowski and the Busch brothers — Tipping Point: every race
Let’s face it – for the most part rivalries in NASCAR have become tame affairs. Whether because of muted driver personalities or the fear of alienating sponsors, real hatred has evolved largely something resembling a slap fight in a girls’ middle school locker room. But some drivers – notice the patterns – still don’t mind mixing it up in the track, in the pits, or on social media. Love him or hate him Brad Keselowski doesn’t shy away from conflict. And his feuds have staying power. I’m positive he will never send Christmas cards to anyone named Busch or Edwards.
Matt Kenseth also makes multiple appearances. Strange when you consider Kenseth is most often described as mild-mannered or level-headed. When he feels provoked, however, Kenseth has shown a propensity to strike back decisively. See the aforementioned plowing of Joey Logano at Martinsville or the spider monkey ambush of Keselowski at the car haulers in Charlotte. Always beware the quiet ones.
Honorable mentions would go to Logano and Denny Hamlin, Logano and Kyle Busch, and Danica Patrick and Kasey Kahne.
Have any ideas for lists? I can write lists all day! Holler at me on Twitter or comment below. Don’t be scurred.
