How would yesterdays drivers stack up against todays in NASCAR?

Question

How do you think past drivers like Pearson, Petty, Junior Johnson, the Allisons and so on do in todays NASCAR. Also how about todays drivers do back in the day driving the older cars against the past driving superstars.

Answer 1

my guess is today's drivers would do good today against the old guys, but yesterdays drivers back in the day would do better then.

Too many rule changes and technology today for the older guys and back in the day the new guys wouldn't know how to act when they got bumped every turn and had to actually make the race and not get bought in by the cooperate sponsor.
There are so many difference's in cars alone but I think maybe the old guys would do better today in the new cars than the new stars would getting use to the cars back then.

Answer 2

Most of the older drivers were the "ironman" drivers.THey built the car helped transport the car and drove the car,not once but 2 or 3 times a week.
Put them against the modern drivers in matching equipment and I feel they would match them.
But lets put the "new" drivers in the STOCKCARS ,no powersteering,or all the ventilation vents.How many of todays drivers could handle it? I'd say 4 or 5.

Answer 3

The real drivers from back in the 60's and 70's would love all the new safety features and the power steering. They would think it was a Sunday drive in the country. Take today's drivers and they would go 50 laps and complain that they were tired and the car was too fast.
Watch the 79 Daytona to see how great Sr. did against REAL drivers.

Answer 4

Great question.But I believe it still comes down to having good equipment,no matter what era you raced in.Now I'm not saying if your given the best you will be the best,you must have ability to go with it.Whats different is all the newbies get great equip. and that wasnt so back in the day.So if you could race and be competitive with Richard Petty and his Hemi then you eventually got good equip too.Now stick a guy like Kyle or Denny in cars with all the best and they can cause more trouble then actual victories.Back in the day the best way to learn was to bounce off a wall or two,then you understand if Dale sr. was faster you had only two options get out of the way or go faster.If you choose neither then Dale got to choose option three and we all know what that was.

Answer 5

Most of todays drivers would wind up tucking their tails and running to the porch if they had to drive the cars of say the 70's. The good 'ol boys from back in the day would run right over todays drivers. Today's drivers wouldn't know what to do with the past drivers on the track with them. We would see just how much skill the present drivers have (or don't have! lol). I for one, would love to see it.

Go Jr.>>>>

Answer 6

The old greats would do just fine. The younger drivers of today would have a hard time competing in the days of old. Remember... back in the day, there was no power steering or driver cooling units. They'd have a lot harder time adapting to the old than the old would to the new.

Answer 7

Like him or not, Dale Earnhardt Sr. would whip all thier asses driving anything on 4 wheels. I have seen him do things with a car that I didn't know could be done. I used to race stock cars on local tracks and watching him win was always impressive. He didn't qualify well so he never had much of a starting position, and many times he came from being down a lap or two for the win. He did it all with skill and guts.

There is no doubt in my mind that he could run successfully with anyone today.

Answer 8

I think they wouldn't match up to today's drivers still, they are all older now and would probably end up wrecked or finished from 30th-43rd

Answer 9

Petty, Pearson, Yarborough Allison, Bonnett....THEY WOULD ALL BE KICKING BUTT.

Answer 10

I would absolutely love to see The King battling Tony and Jeff, it would be awesome!