| | As the millennium nears a close, RPM 2Night has gone back over the years and compiled its list of the Top 50 North American Racers of the 20th Century.
RPM 2Night asked a panel of racing media members to cast their votes. Here are the drivers who made the list from No. 50 to No. 11. To see features by RPM 2Night on the top 10 drivers, click here.
RPM 2Night will continue to reveal the remaining drivers on the list weeknights through Nov. 22 when the No. 1 driver is announced.
No. 11: Bobby Allison
The 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup champion was also a five-time runner-up in NASCAR's premier series. His 84 career wins tie Darrell Waltrip (No. 17) for fourth all-time in Winston Cup. He also won 57 poles, the Daytona 500 three times and was the 1980 IROC champion. Allison also started two Indy 500s, leading a lap in 1975.
No. 12: Kenny Bernstein
His still is the "The King of Speed," not to mention a four-time NHRA Funny Car champion. He also won the 1996 Top Fuel championship, becoming the only driver to win titles in both categories. He's fourth all-time in NHRA wins and in 1992 became the first driver to break 300 mph. As former CART and NASCAR team owner, Bernstein also had three stock car wins and saw his car take the 1992 Indy 500 pole.
No. 13: Parnelli Jones
A versital driver, Jones won six Indy car races, including the 1963 Indy 500 and seven Trans Am races, including the 1970 series title. Jones also won four races, three poles and led 522 laps in just 34 NASCAR Winston Cup starts.
No. 14: Don Garlits
"Big Daddy" is a three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion (1975, 1985 & 1986) with 35 career wins. But he was also a ground-breaker both behind the wheel and with the wrench. Garlits was the first driver to top speeds of 200, 240, 250, and 270 mph.
No. 15: Ralph DePalma
From the old school of racing, DePalma won 24 Indy car races, highlighted by his win in the 1915 Indy 500. DePalma started 10 of first 13 Indy 500s, winning poles in 1920 and 1921. He was also a two-time AAA Indy car champion (1912 & 1914). Oh, and he set a land speed record of 149.87 mph at Daytona Beach.
No. 16: Jeff Gordon
Helped bring Winston Cup racing to national spotlight in the 90's by winning three series championships (1995, 1997, & 1998). A two-time Daytona 500 winner and winner of the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994. Won four consecutive Southern 500s from 1995-98 and is a three-time Driver of the Year.
No. 17: Darrell Waltrip
Another three-time Winston Cup champion (1981, 1982, 1985). His 84 career wins tie him with Bobby Allison for third all-time. Captured 59 career poles and three Driver of the Year awards. Won the Coca-Cola 600 five times and 1989 Daytona 500.
No. 18: Glen Roberts
"Fireball" earned 32 NASCAR Grand National wins over 15 season, mostly as a part-time racer. He also had 122 top 10s in just 206 career starts. In 1958, Roberts won six races in just 10 starts. Won the 1962 Daytona 500, along with the 1958 and 1963 Southern 500s.
No. 19: Bobby Unser
A three-time Indy 500 winner and two-time pole sitter. Ranks fifth all-time with 35 career Indy car wins. A two-time USAC Indy car champion in 1968 and 1974. Little know fact: Unser is the all-time Pikes Peak Hillclimb winner. He also has 10 USAC Sprint/Midget wins and won the 1975 IROC crown.
|  | | Darrell Waltrip is one of the most popular, not to mention most successful, Winston Cup drivers of all-time. RPM 2Night ranked him 17th among all drivers in the 20th Century. |
No. 20: Tim Flock
A two-time NASCAR Grand National champion in 1952 and 1955. Among his 130 top-10 finishes in 187 career starts, he won 40 times and captured 37 poles. He holds the best career winning percentage in NASCAR history at 21.2 percent. Also won NASCAR's only sports car race in 1955 behind the wheel of a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing.
No. 21: Junior Johnson
One of the greatest owner/drivers in NASCAR history. Won 50 Grand National races as driver and 119 more as a car owner. Captured 47 poles behind the seat, as well. Won the 1960 Daytona 500 as a driver and six Winston Cup championships as car owner -- three with Cale Yarborough and three with Darrell Waltrip. Legendary moonshine runner, who helped bring R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company to NASCAR racing -- creating the Winston Cup Series.
No. 22: Frank Lockhart
His 10 career Indy car wins are highlighted by his 1926 Indianapolis 500 triumph. In just two Indy 500 starts, he led 205 laps and started from the pole for '27 Indy 500. He finished second in series points in both 1926 and 1927.
No. 23: Rex Mays
The 1940 and 1941 AAA Indy car champion had eight career wins and 19 poles -- including the top starting spot for the 1935, 1936, 1940, and 1948 Indianapolis 500s Finished second twice in the Indianapolis 500.
No. 24: Louis Meyer
The first three-time winner of the Indy 500 (1928, 1933, 1936). Enjoyed eight career Indy car wins and was a three-time AAA Indy car champion (1928, 1929, and 1933). Was the driver who started tradition of drinking milk in Indianapolis 500 winner's circle after winning the 1936 race.
No. 25: Al Unser Jr.
A two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (1992 and 1994) and two-time CART series champion (1990 and 1994). He has 31 career wins and seven poles. Unser won a record eight races in the 1994 season. Also won four conecutive races in 1990. Won the 1988 IROC championship and is the all-time IROC winner with 11 victories.
No. 26: Phil Hill
Became the only American-born Formula One champion when he won the title in 1961 driving for Ferrari. Earned three career F1 wins, six poles and 16 podium finishes. Also has three Le Mans 24 Hour wins to his credit and over 30 sports car wins for Ferrari.
No. 27: Bill Vuckovich
A two-time Indy 500 winner (1953 and 1954) and he led in four of his five Indianapolis starts for 485 laps. Started on the Indy pole in 1954. His son, Bill II, and grandson, Bill III, also raced at Indy.
No. 28: Mark Donohue
The 1972 Indy 500 winner was also a three-time Trans Am champion (1968-69, 1971) with 29 career Trans Am wins. Won a Winston Cup race at Riverside in 1973 in just six career starts. Started 14 F1 races with one podium finish. Was the first IROC champion (1974) with three career IROC wins.
No. 29: Jeremy McGrath
The all-time leader in Supercross wins, championships, and money won. A seven-time AMA Supercross champion, including four in a row from 1993 to 1996. Also claimed the 1995 AMA Motorcross championship and 1992 World Supercross title. In 1996, he won 14 of 15 Supercross races and finished second in the race he didn't win.
No. 30: Wilbur Shaw
A three-time Indy 500 winner (1937, 1939, 1940). He led 508 laps in 13 Indianapolis starts. The 1937 and 1938 AAA Indy Car champion with six career wins. Started tradition of saying, "Gentlemen, start your engines" during tenure as President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
No. 31: Ivan Stewart
"The Ironman" is the greatest off-road racer of the 20th Century. Stewart has won over 100 off-road races, including 16 Baja 500s and three Baja 1000s. A seven-time Off-Road Man/Driver of the Year. His career started in 1973 and he shows no signs of slowing down.
No. 32: Richie Evans
"The Rapid Roman" won nine National Modified championships. Won first national title in 1973 and then reeled off eight championships in a row from 1978 to 1985. In 1979, Evans scored 37 wins and 54 top 10s in 60 starts.
No. 33: Steve Kinser
"King of the Outlaws" has won 15 World of Outlaws championships and over 400 "A" feature races. A 12-time Knoxville Nationals winner. In 1987, he won 56 races, including 46 of 69 World of Outlaw events and the IROC race at Talladega. Finished 14th in the 1997 Indy 500. Started five Winston Cup races for Kenny Bernstein in 1995.
No. 34: Don Prudhomme
"The Snake" won four NHRA Top Fuel championships from 1975 to 1978. Of his 49 career wins, 35 came in Top Fuel and the other 14 in a Funny Car. He became the first Funny Car driver to top 250 mph and a 5.7 elapsed time. Currently a winning car owner in both Top Fuel with Larry Dixon and Funny Car with Ron Capps.
No. 35: Lee Petty
First three-time NASCAR Grand National champion (1954, 1958, and 1959). Won inaugural 1959 Daytona 500 in a photo finish. His 55 career wins were a record until his son Richard broke it in 1967. Grandson Kyle and great-grandson Adam are currently driving in NASCAR.
No. 36: Ned Jarrett
"Gentleman Ned" won two NASCAR Grand National championships (1961 and 1965) along with 50 career wins. Won the 1965 Southern 500 at Darlington and the NASCAR Sportsman Division championships in 1957 and 1958. Currently serves as a broadcaster with ESPN, ABC, CBS, TNN, and MRN radio. Son, Dale, is a two-time Daytona 500 winner.
No. 37: Jacques Villeneuve
The 1997 Formula One champion won seven times and captured 10 poles in 17 races. In 1996, he was the F1 runner-up to teammate Damon Hill. Won the 1995 CART championship, a season that saw him also win the Indianapolis 500. The 1994 CART Rookie of the Year has five career CART wins and six poles. Father, Gilles, came in at No. 49 on our list.
No. 38: Kenny Roberts
The first American Grand Prix motorcycle champion actually won three consecutive titles from 1978-80. He owns 32 career AMA wins, 22 career World Grand Prix wins and three Daytona 200 wins. Is a two-time Grand Slam champion, including an unprecedented Grand Slam single-season sweep.
No. 39: Johnny Rutherford
"Lone Star J.R." won three Indianapolis 500s (1974, 1976, and 1980). The 1980 CART champion picked up 27 career Indy car wins and 23 poles. Rutherfod also won eight USAC Sprint Car races and won his first ever Winston Cup start -- the 1963 Daytona 100-miler.
No. 40: Mauri Rose
Rose was the first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (1941, 1947, 1948). He earned a pole, eight top 10s and led 256 laps in 16 career starts at Indy. Rose won the 1936 AAA Indy Car championship and finished runner-up in the series two other times.
No. 41: Shirley Muldowney
"Cha-Cha" is simply the greatest female drag racer ever. She won the NHRA Top Fuel title three times (1977, 1980, 1982) and has 18 career wins. Muldowney was the first woman to win an NHRA championship and the only woman to win the U.S. Nationals in 1982.
No. 42: Barney Oldfield
An early-century speed pioneer, Oldfield set the original "mile-a-minute" record of 55.8 seconds. In 1910, he broke speed records in the mile, two-mile, and the flying kilometer. He traveled the nation in his "Peerless Green Dragon," going undefeated in all-comers match races. He also scored two Indy car wins and became the first man to break 100 mph at Indianapolis.
No. 43: Eddie Rickenbacker
"Captain Rick" was a master mechanic and race strategist at the turn of the century. He scored seven Indy car wins and ran the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1927 to 1945. He also became a flying ace in World War I, scoring 26 air victories.
No. 44: Jimmy Murphy
A winner of 19 Indy car races, including the 1922 Indianapolis 500. The two-time AAA Indy Car champion (1922 and 1924) scored four top fives and two poles in just five Indy 500 starts.
No. 45: Al Holbert
The greatest American sports car racer of the 1970s and early 80's. A five-time Camel GT champion and all-time IMSA winner with 49 victories. A three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 10-time Can-Am race winner. Won at Lime Rock in Trans Am in 1974 and finished fourth in his only Indy 500 start (1984).
No. 46: Gordon Johncock
He won 25 career Indy car races, including two Indianapolis 500s (1973 and 1982). Also won 20 poles and the 1976 USAC Indy Car title. Led 339 laps in 24 starts at Indianapolis.
No. 47: Bill Muncey
Greatest speed boat racer of all-time. He won 26 races over a 31-year career from mid-1950s to 1981. Won four world championships, seven national championships and eight Gold Cups.
No. 48: Bob Glidden
He's the all-time leader in NHRA Pro Stock with 85 career victories. A 10-time Pro Stock champion, including five titles in a row from 1985-89. Became the first Pro Stock driver to eclipse 191 mph and 7.4 seconds elapsed time.
No. 49: Gilles Villeneuve
Won six Formula One races in his career and started on the pole twice. Finished on the podium 14 times in 67 career F1 starts. Was the 1979 runner-up to Jody Scheckter in F1 drivers championship. Son, Jacques, won Formula One title in 1997.
No. 50: Louise Smith
The "Good ol' Gal" scored 38 career stock car wins from 1946 to 1956 in everything from Modifieds to Sportsmans to the NASCAR Grand National division. Traveled the U.S. and Canada for match racing and to promote NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr.
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