NASCAR 50 for 50: Best racer from each state; Dale Earnhardt or Richard Petty for N. Carolina?

During NASCAR’s short offseason, story ideas can be scarce, but this seemed like one that could be both informative and entertaining, and maybe even fun — even if it did involve research.

There are 50 states in this big, beautiful land of ours. And as it turns out, each one of them has produced a racer who competed or still competes in one of the NASCAR racing properties — from the Cup Series to ARCA to the sports-cars of IMSA and the wide range of regional “minor league” circuits.

The chore: Identify the best all-time NASCAR racer from each state. We originally posted them five states at a time, alphabetically, as a 10-part series. Today, we're repackaging them and posting in one huge batch.

NASCAR PICKS From Daytona 500 predictions to Cup title; Sleepers, busts and our Final 4

POWER RANKINGS The Kyles, the Villain, Sliced Bread: Who takes the top spot?

So, 50 drivers and 50 states. You reckon that can be difficult at times? Who do you pick between David Pearson and Cale Yarborough for South Carolina? Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt for North Carolina.

Yep, it could be tough. But in a very different fashion, it could downright daunting. Ever heard of Keith McGee, the fastest man in Eagle Pass, Alaska?

Well, we found him, and we found someone to represent Delaware, both Dakotas and in a shocking bit of difficulty, Louisiana.

By and large, to represent a state, a driver should be a natural-born native of that state.

Should be, but on a couple of occasions, we bent the rule, but all in the name of common sense. Bobby and Donnie Allison were born in Miami, but who thinks of South Beach and the Fontainebleau when they think of the Alabama Gang?

Denny Hamlin might’ve won the role of Florida flag bearer — he was born in Tampa, after all. But he was a toddler when the family moved to Virginia and he’s been associated with that Commonwealth his entire racing career.

So Virginia it was for Denny, who found plenty of competition there, and at the risk of playing spoiler, let’s just say Denny is accustomed to heartbreak.

Now, on to the roll call of states.

Alabama: Bobby Allison (Hueytown)

Why Bobby: The most accomplished of the famed “Alabama Gang” had 84 career wins, including three Daytona 500s, as well as the 1983 Cup Series title. His final win was the 1988 Daytona 500, at age 50.

Others from Alabama: Davey Allison, Donnie Allison, Neil Bonnett, Red Farmer, Steve Grissom, Hut Stricklin.

Fun fact: Bobby and brother Donnie were actually born and raised in Miami, but moved to Alabama as young men to find more fertile racing ground. The Allisons are so synonymous with Alabama, you can’t help but include them here as this state's standard bearers. And by the way, Red Farmer was born in Nashville.

Alaska: Keith McGee (Eagle Pass)

Why Keith: Pickin’s are slim in the country’s 49th state. McGee raced in lower NASCAR divisions — K&N, Whelan, ARCA West — and so far has topped out with 11 Truck Series starts between 2021-23, with one top-10 (Talladega).

Others from Alaska: Todd Snyder ... and that's about it.

Fun fact: McGee’s home track is Alaska Raceway Park, where the racing season runs from the second weekend of May until the first weekend of September.

Arizona: Alex Bowman (Tucson)

Why Alex: Has seven Cup Series wins since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2016.

Others from Arizona: Michael McDowell, JJ Yeley

Fun fact: Some of the more recognizable Arizona-born racers competed outside of NASCAR — Eddie Cheever, George Follmer and Buddy Rice among them.

Arkansas: Mark Martin (Batesville)

Why Mark: This Hall of Famer is on the very short list of best NASCAR racers without a championship, with five runner-up finishes. Had 40 Cup Series wins and another 49 in Busch/Xfinity. Won five races and was second in points in 2009, at age 50.

Others from Arkansas: Parnelli Jones, Jimmy Means.

Fun fact: While he never won a Cup title, Martin was rather dominant on the old four-race IROC Series, winning five titles and 13 races in 12 appearances against all-world competition.

California: Jimmie Johnson (El Cajon)

Why Jimmie: Not a hard call. Seven Cup championships, 83 career wins. Any questions?

Others from California: Jeff Gordon, Dan Gurney, Ernie Irvan, Kevin Harvick, Ron Hornaday, Robby Gordon, Dick Rathman, Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger.

Fun fact: Jimmie Johnson’s first championship came on a 60cc motorcycle, at age 7.

Colorado: Rick Carelli (Arvada)

Why Rick: Ran five full-time seasons between 1995-2000 during the early heyday of NASCAR’s Truck Series. Won four races and finished top-10 in points three times.

Others from Colorado: Wally Dallenbach Jr., Bobby Unser.

Fun fact: The Unsers are associated with New Mexico, but Bobby and brother Jerry were born in Colorado Springs and moved away with the family as toddlers.

Connecticut: Joey Logano (Middletown)

Why Joey: Two Cup Series championships and 32 wins in a 15-year career, so far.

Others from Connecticut: Randy LaJoie, Rob Moroso, Jerry Nadeau, Parker Kligerman

Fun fact: It was a fellow Nutmeg State racer, LaJoie, who tagged Logano with the “Sliced Bread” nickname as Logano was coming up through NASCAR as a teenager.

Delaware: C.J. Faison (Felton)

Why C.J.: Ran five Xfinity and Truck Series races, with a best finish of 19th 10 years ago, but is credited with three top-10s in 18 ARCA East starts between 2011-13.

Others from Delaware: Brett Lunger.

Fun fact: Brett Lunger? He never recorded a championship point, but made 34 Formula One starts between 1975-78. For a state that was a longtime host to two annual Cup Series races at Dover, this is a shockingly low number of drivers from which to choose.

Florida: Fireball Roberts (Daytona Beach)

Why Fireball: Though he never ran a full season, he was a NASCAR star from the mid-’50s to the mid-’60s, winning 33 races and dominating Daytona’s early years in a Smokey Yunick Pontiac.

Others from Florida: Ross Chastain, Joe Nemechek, Marshall Teague, Bobby Johns, Aric Almirola, LeeRoy Yarbrough, David Reutimann, Rick Wilson.

Fun fact: Glenn Roberts was actually born in Tavares and his family moved to Daytona Beach when he was 16. It was in Tavares, as a youth-league baseball pitcher, where he earned the Fireball nickname.

Georgia: Bill Elliott (Dawsonville)

Why Bill: The 1988 Cup champ ended his Hall of Fame career with 44 wins and an enduring label: “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville.”

Others from Georgia: Chase Elliott, Roy Hall, Dave Ragan, Ken Ragan, Jody Ridley, Gober Sosebee, Jack Smith, Bubba Pollard, Sam McQuagg, Lloyd Seay, Buckshot Jones.

Fun fact: Along with wrench-wielding brothers Ernie and Dan, Bill Elliott produced so much mid-’80s speed, NASCAR had to rewrite the rulebook. Driving the famed No. 9 Thunderbird for owner Harry Melling in 1987, Bill topped 212 mph at Talladega and 210 at Daytona, ushering in the era of restrictor plates, beginning in 1988,  and basically guaranteeing those records will never be broken.

Hawaii: Will Rodgers (Maui)

Why Will: While he’s had no top-10s in 14 combined starts in Xfinity and Trucks the past few years, he had four combined wins in ARCA’s East and West circuits.

Others from Hawaii: Bryce Miller.

Fun fact: Yes, former IndyCar star Danny Ongais was from Hawaii, but the closest he got to NASCAR was a handful of IROC races.

Idaho: Brian Scott (Boise)

Why Brian: Raced from 2007-17 in all three big-league NASCAR series. Had a pair of Truck Series wins and, in Xfinity, was top-10 in the points standings for five straight years..

Others from Idaho: Randy Tolsma, Jeff Krogh, Mark Krogh.

Fun fact: Brian Scott’s best Cup finish was a runner-up at Talladega, where he finished a tenth of a second behind Joey Logano in 2016.

Illinois: Fred Lorenzen (Elmhurst)

Why Fred: “Fast Freddie” was a 1960s star in his spare time. His 26 career Cup Series wins came in just 109 starts between 1961-67.

Others from Illinois: Jim Reed, Tom Pistone, Ted Musgrave, Justin Allgaier, Bill Venturini.

Fun fact: Many of Illinois’ most famous and accomplished racers were from outside NASCAR, including Mel Kenyon, Hurley Haywood and a bunch of Bettenhausens.

Indiana: Tony Stewart (Rushville)

Why Tony: Three-time Cup Series champ, 49 career Cup wins, first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Others from Indiana: Frank Kimmel, Charlie Glotzbach, Ryan Newman, Darel Dieringer, Kenny Irwin Jr., Dick Passwater, Chase Briscoe, Johnny Mantz, Justin Haley, David Stremme.

Fun fact: Tony Stewart was a USAC legend and budding IndyCar star when he took a break for an 18-year NASCAR career. Now he’s moved on to dragsters, and recently announced he’ll compete full-time in the NHRA’s Top Fuel division next year.

Iowa: Dick Hutcherson (Keokuk)

Why Dick: In just 103 starts between 1964-67, he won 14 races, including nine in 1965. He had championship finishes of second and third in the only two seasons he ran a majority of the races.

Others from Iowa: Johnny Beauchamp, Landon Cassill, Janet Guthrie, Tiny Lund, Ramo Stott.

Fun fact: Before his brief NASCAR career, Hutcherson (the “Keokuk Comet”) was a star in a midwestern stock-car league, IMCA. He became a household automotive name after leaving the cockpit, forming Hutcherson-Pagan Enterprises, and building race cars.

Kansas: Clint Bowyer (Emporia)

Why Clint: He collected 21 wins across NASCAR’s top three divisions — including 10 in Cup — from 2004-20. Won the 2008 Xfinity Series championship and was runner-up to Brad Keselowski for the 2012 Cup title.

Others from Kansas: Jim Roper, Rodger Ward, Johnny Rutherford, Rick Mears, Denise McCluggage.

Fun fact: Rick Mears is heavily associated with Bakersfield, Calif., but was born in Wichita. Johnny Rutherford is so synonymous with Texas, he’s known widely as “Lonestar JR,” though he was born in Coffeyville.

Kentucky: Darrell Waltrip (Owensboro)

Why Darrell: DW’s big personality took NASCAR by storm in the 1970s and he stayed at it for nearly 30 years before boogity-boogity-boogitying to the broadcast booth. He collected three Cup championships and 84 victories along the way. Won 12 times in each of his first two championship seasons. Also won 11 of 26 Busch Series starts between 1982-86.

Others from Kentucky: Michael Waltrip, Nelson Stacy, Jeremy Mayfield, the Green brothers (Jeff, David, Mark).

Fun fact: It was Cale Yarborough who hung the “Jaws” nickname on Waltrip early in DW’s career. He was a talker in an era when racers weren’t yet known for brash chatter. And yes, in 1982, as the crowd jeered him during a post-wreck interview at Charlotte, he did indeed invite the boo birds to meet him at a nearby Kmart parking lot.

Louisiana: Skip Manning (Bogalusa)

Why Skip: The 1976 Cup Series Rookie of the Year made 79 starts between 1975-79, posting 16 top-10 finishes, including career bests of third and fourth, both at Talladega.

Others from Louisiana: Bryan Dauzat, Kim Crosby, Billy Hagan, Doc Faustina.

Fun fact: Manning won top-rookie honors in a 1976 freshman class that included Neil Bonnett, Bill Elliott and Jimmy Means. He drove for team owner Billy Hagan, a fellow Louisianan who replaced Manning with Terry Labonte in 1979.

Maine: Ricky Craven (Newburgh)

Why Ricky: Won twice at the Cup Series level and four times in the Xfinity Series, where he was twice a runner-up for the championship (1993 and ’94).

Others from Maine: Kelly Moore, Joe Bessey, Austin Theriault, Dick McCabe, Andy Santerre, Patrick Dempsey.

Fun fact: While Craven won just twice in the Cup Series, his 2003 photo-finish victory over Kurt Busch at Darlington, where the two drivers slid under the checkers side-by-side, remains on everyone’s very short list of all-time great finishes.

Maryland: Timmy Hill (Port Tobacco)

Why Timmy: He’s made 473 starts in NASCAR’s top three divisions over the past 13 seasons. Has 15 career top-10s in the Xfinity and Truck Series, combined.

Others from Maryland: Jerry Bowman, Justin Boston, Jerry Hill, Tyler Hill, Donnie Neuenberger, Jim Parsley, Kelly Sutton.

Fun Fact: Timmy Hill has led one single lap in 141 Cup Series starts — it came on Lap 149 of the 2020 Yellawood 500 at Talladega, under caution.

Massachusetts: Ralph Moody (Taunton)

Why Ralph: Moody only raced one “nearly full” season, starting 35 of 56 NASCAR races in 1956 and winning four of them, with 21 top-10s. Overall, he had five wins and 18 top-5s in just 47 career starts.

Others from Massachusetts: Ron Bouchard, Ken Bouchard, Jeff Fuller, Mike Stefanik, Pete Hamilton, Don MacTavish, Dale Quarterley.

Fun fact: Ralph Moody’s biggest fame came as half of the unbeatable Holman & Moody duo, partnering with California businessman John Holman to field two championship teams for David Pearson, before they turned to car building and supplying the highest quality racing equipment for a literal Who’s Who of Hall of Famers.

Michigan: Brad Keselowski (Rochester Hills)

Why Brad: He has 35 career Cup wins and the 2012 championship. Has also won 39 Xfinity Series races and the 2010 championship. At 39 and with new life as owner/driver, the win totals may increase a bit.

Others from Michigan: Johnny Benson, Tim Fedewa, Carson Hocevar, Howdy Holmes, Gordon Johncock, Erik Jones, Iggy Katona, Jack Sprague, Tim Steele, Phil Parsons, Mel Larson, Tracy Leslie, Vicki Wood.

Fun fact: Michigan native Egnatius “Iggy” Katona, who lived out his life in Daytona Beach, might’ve been the best-ever stock-car driver not associated with NASCAR. In his day, ARCA was independent from NASCAR, and also in Iggy’s day, he was dominant. He won 79 races and six championships in a long career. In 1974, at age 57, he won Daytona’s ARCA 200 and remains that speedway’s oldest race winner.

Minnesota: William Sawalich (Eden Prairie)

Why William: We’re leaning on potential here. Sawalich began this past season, his first on national circuits, at age 16 and competed in the Truck Series (three top-10s in just six starts), ARCA (four wins in 13 starts), ARCA East (four wins, eight starts) and ARCA West (one win, four starts). Also, Minnesota might the land of 10,000 lakes, but it’s produced precious few racers.

Others from Minnesota: Blackie Wangerin, Joe Frasson.

Fun fact: All but one of Joe Frasson’s 106 Cup Series starts came in the ’70s, and he produced a respectable 19 top-10s. But it was a 14th-place finish in the 1976 Daytona 500 that made him a key footnote in NASCAR history. It was his No. 18 Chevy, coming off the final turn, that clipped David Pearson just enough to keep Pearson’s reeling Mercury away from the inside wall and pointed toward the checkers.

Mississippi: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Olive Branch)

Why Ricky: His three career Cup wins include the 2023 Daytona 500. He has 54 top-10s in 400 career Cup starts. Before that, he won back-to-back Xfinity Series championships in 2011-12.

Others from Mississippi: Tommy Joe Martins, Chase Purdy, Lake Speed.

Fun fact: Stenhouse has a long and ongoing history of short-track racing in sprints and midgets. When he won his first Cup race, at Talladega in 2017, he joined an exclusive fraternity of racers who won a Cup Series race as well as posting wins in USAC’s three “triple crown” series — Silver Crown, Sprint, Midget. The others, by the way: Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader, Tony Stewart.

Missouri: Rusty Wallace (Arnold)

Why Rusty: He’s not without competition from Missouri, but the 1989 Cup champ finished his Hall of Fame career with 55 victories, including a combined 18 in 1993-94. While he was a combined 0-for-90 at Daytona and Talladega, 25 of his career wins came on tracks measuring under a mile.

Others from Missouri: Kenny Wallace, Mike Wallace, Carl Edwards, Ken Schrader, Jamie McMurray, Larry Phillips.

Fun fact: In 2003, Rusty Wallace became the first racer to land a golf endorsement when he signed a deal with Callaway. He’d taken up golf in his 40s and became one of a few non-PGA Tour brand ambassadors for the company. One of the others: Alice Cooper.

Montana: Tony Raines (Glasgow)

Why Tony: He ran a combined 462 races in Cup and Xfinity between 2002-13, without a win, but in two full Truck Series seasons (1997-98) he had four wins and finished fifth in the ’98 standings.

Others from Montana: Chuck Stevenson, Pete Lovely.

Fun Fact: Chuck Stevenson won half of the Cup Series races he entered. So why isn’t he Montana’s representative here? Because he only entered two NASCAR races. His win came on a California road course (Willow Springs) when he crossed the checkers well ahead of Marvin Panch. He also competed in nine Indianapolis 500s and had four wins in Indy-style racing.

Nebraska: Joe Kosiski (Omaha)

Why Joe: Kosiski spent his racing career in NASCAR’s minor leagues, but shined mightily. He won the 1986 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national championship, and was also a five-time champ of the old NASCAR All Star Busch Tour. He spent much of the past two decades owning and operating the I-80 Speedway in his home state.

Others from Nebraska: Bob Burdik, Roger Rager.

Fun fact: Bob Burdick made just 15 Cup Series starts between 1959-62, but he won one of them — at Atlanta in ’61 — and had three top-10s in just five starts that year.

Nevada: Kyle Busch (Las Vegas)

Why Kyle: Kurt Busch is a former Cup champ with 34 career wins, and 43 combined when you include Trucks and Xfinity. But again, he doesn’t represent his own family here. And look at Kyle Busch’s numbers and you know why: 63 Cup wins and two championships, and a combined 229 victories in the top three series.

Others from Nevada: Kurt Busch, Brendan Gaughan, Noah Gragson, Riley Herbst, Louis Meyer, Bill Dennis, Spencer Gallagher, T.J. Bell, Eddie Skinner.

Fun fact: Both Kyle and Kurt Busch have one win in 25 Cup starts at their home track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

New Hampshire: Dale Shaw (Center Conway) 

Why Dale: He ran 45 Xfinity Series races over 13 years, with his best season coming in1997, when he posted seven top-10s in 14 starts. In ARCA East, he collected 19 career wins and the 1994 championship.

Others from New Hampshire: Derek Griffith, Brad Leighton, Mike Olsen

Fun fact: Dale Shaw won ARCA East races in 13 different seasons between 1987-2002. He once won at least one race in nine of 10 seasons, and the one season he didn’t win a race, he won the championship.

New Jersey: Martin Truex Jr. (Mayetta)

Why Martin: The 2017 Cup Series champ has 34 career wins, as well as back-to-back championships in the Xfinity Series (2004-05). He was the 2023 regular-season Cup champ before faltering in the playoffs.

Others from New Jersey: Mark Donohue, Neil Cole, Jimmy Horton, Wallly Dallenbach Sr., Joe Graf Jr., Frankie Muniz, Frankie Schneider, Martin Truex Sr., Ryan Truex.

Fun fact: Truex’s dad, Martin Sr., did most of his racing in the old Busch North Series. He went on to become one of the country’s top clam fisherman through a business formed with brother Barney — Sea Watch International.

New Mexico: Tanner Gray (Artesia)

Why Tanner: Basically it’s Tanner because none of those Unsers spent enough time dabbling in NASCAR. Tanner has raced full-time in the Truck Series the past four seasons, with 10 top-5s and 22 top-10s.

Others from New Mexico: Taylor Gray, Al Unser, Al Unser Jr., Bobby Unser.

Fun fact: Brothers Bobby and Al Unser, a pair of IndyCar gods, raced a combined nine NASCAR races and posted four top-5 finishes. Al Unser Jr. ran just one, the 1993 Daytona 500, but finished 36th after wrecking with Bobby Hillin and Kyle Petty on Lap 158. One of Little Al's 11 career IROC wins came at Daytona, however.

New York: Geoff Bodine (Chemung)

Why Geoff: The 1986 Daytona 500 is one of his 18 career Cup wins, which came on the biggest tracks, the shortest, and road courses. Had six top-10 championship finishes.

Others from New York: Boris Said, Todd Bodine, Brett Bodine, Jerry Cook, Christian Eckes, Richie Evans, Stewart Friesen, Doug Heveron, Jim Hurtibise, Andy Lally, Dick May, Mike “Magic Shoes” McLaughlin, Steve Park, Bill Rexford, Greg Sacks, Regan Smith, Bill Wimble

Fun fact: Geoff Bodine ruled the Northeast world of Modified racing before coming to NASCAR, once winning 55 of 84 starts (1978). He gave Hendrick Motorsports its first win, which kept the upstart team afloat at the time, and he is probably one of the two best NASCAR racers not in the Hall of Fame (along with Carl Edwards).

North Carolina: Richard Petty (Level Cross)

Why Richard: While some of the strongest Dale Earnhardt devotees might want to make an argument, you have to go with the “King of Stock Car Racing.” Those seven championships have been matched, but the 200 wins will stand the test of time.

Others from North Carolina: Lee Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Harry Gant, Tommy Houston, Jack Ingram, Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, Ralph Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Benny Parsons, Jim Paschal, Kyle Petty, Morgan Shepherd, Herb Thomas and, frankly, we could be here all day.

Fun fact: Topping the familiar and iconic Richard Petty accessories (boots, belt buckle, shades) is his familiar (and flashy) Charlie 1 Horse cowboy hat. If you feel like you’ve seen it elsewhere, other Charlie 1 Horse devotees include Kid Rock, Hank Williams Jr., Gretchen Wilson and Tracy Lawrence.

North Dakota: Donny Schatz (Minot)

Why Donny: We could’ve gone with Bryce Haugeberg, who’s had two top-10s in 16 ARCA starts over the past three years. Donny, after all, has just one career Truck Series start in his NASCAR history. But he’s also a 10-time World of Outlaws champ with more than 300 career wins.

Others from North Dakota: Bryce Haugeberg is it.

Fun fact: You might see this lack of NASCAR racers from North Dakota and assume it’s an auto-racing desert, but that’s not true. The state features a dozen oval tracks — all dirt or clay-based.

Ohio: Ryan Blaney (Hartford Township)

Why Ryan: It's a close call between Blaney and Tim Richmond, but Blaney's 2023 Cup championship gives him the nod here. He reached 10 career wins this year and his championship capped a run of seven seasons in the top 10.

Others from Ohio: Tim Richmond, Dave Blaney, Austin Cindric, Rodney Combs, Sam Hornish Jr., Banjo Matthews, Lonnie Rush Jr., Lee Raymond, Ben Hess, Mike Klapak, Jack Bowsher, Bobby Bowsher.

Fun fact: Tim Richmond’s career exploded in the summer of ’86, during his first season with Hendrick Motorsports. Between June 8 and Sept. 7, he won six of 10 starts, on a superspeedway (Daytona), road course (Watkins Glen), a short track (Richmond) and a Lady in Black (Darlington). Nine of his 13 wins came in his final 25 starts before illness ended his career at age 32.

Oklahoma: Christopher Bell (Norman) 

Why Christopher: He has six Cup Series wins through his first four full-time seasons, and has reached the “Championship Four” each of the past two years. More to come, we imagine.

Others from Oklahoma: Troy Ruttman, Tanner Berryhill, Christi Passmore.

Fun fact: Bell is one of just a few racers on a first-name basis with the Victory Lane doorman. In 2017, he won five Truck Series races and the championship, and over the next two years he won a combined 15 races in the Xfinity Series.

Oregon: Herschel McGriff (Bridal Veil)

Why Hershel: It’s quite literally a career without end, and the NASCAR highlight came in 1954 when he recorded all four of his career Cup Series wins. In the early-’70s he dominated in what’s now known as the ARCA West Series. Ran his final Cup race at age 65 in 1993.

Others from Oregon: Mike Bliss, Bill Amick, Chuck Bown, Jim Bown, Don Waterman.

Fun fact: McGriff, now 96, indeed ran his last Cup race at age 65. But his final race came 25 years later — yes, at age 90 — when he completed 94 of 100 laps in an ARCA West race in Tucson … AFTER playing the national anthem on his trombone!

Pennsylvania: Jimmy Spencer (Berwick)

Why Jimmy: “Mr. Excitement” spent 18 seasons in the Cup Series and made plenty of headlines along the way, even though he posted just two wins. Those two Cup wins came three weeks apart in the summer of 1994, first at Daytona and then Talladega. He also had 12 Xfinity Series victories.

Others from Pennsylvania: Mario Andretti, Dick Linder, Kirk Shelmerdine, John Andretti, Andy Belmont, Norm Benning, Bobby Gerhart, Tighe Scott, Tommy Gale, Blaise Alexander.

Fun fact: It was tempting to give Pennsylvania to the great Mario Andretti, given his 1967 Daytona 500 victory. But he ran just 14 total Cup races (eight at Daytona) with two other top-10s. He did eventually win again at Daytona, however, in the ’78 IROC race, where he beat Darrell Waltrip to the line by a car length.

Rhode Island: Rob Rizzo (Providence)

Why Rob: It’s a rather low bar in Rhode Island. Rob gets the nod based on his 19 Truck Series starts and three top-10 finishes from 1996-99.

Others from Rhode Island: Rita Goulet, and a handful of racers from the sports-car and Indy-car world.

Fun fact: Rhode Island did produce one of the more recognizable figures in NASCAR — Dick Berggren, who raced modifieds and sprints before quitting to begin a career as magazine editor and TV reporter for auto racing coverage.

South Carolina: David Pearson (Spartanburg)

Why David: Recognized by most, including Richard Petty, as the most talented racer of his time, he finished second in overall wins (105) and won three championships in the four mostly full-time seasons he raced. For all Cup racers who started more than 230 races, his winning percentage of 18.29% is the highest ever.

Others from South Carolina: Cale Yarborough, Buck Baker, Buddy Baker, Sam Ard, Joe Littlejohn, Cotton Owens, Larry Pearson, Butch Lindley, Bob Dotter, Joe Eubanks, Jason Keller.

Fun fact: David Pearson subbed for Dale Earnhardt for four weeks in 1979 when Dale was out with an injured shoulder. The fourth of those races was at Darlington, where Pearson got the ninth of his 10 career Darlington wins. He'd win there again the next year in the No. 1 Hawaiian Tropic car, and his 10 Darlington victories are the most of anyone, including Earnhardt, who finished with nine.

South Dakota: Leo Ray (Rapid City)

Why Leo: He never finished outside the top 10 in his NASCAR career. Yes, he started just one race, a 200-lapper at Rapid City Speedway in 1953, and finished eighth. Fellow South Dakotan Bob Laswell finished 14th in the 15-car field. Herb Thomas won.

Others from South Dakota: Bob Laswell, Doug Wolfgang.

Fun fact: Doug Wolfgang wasn’t actually a NASCAR racer, but he was hell on wheels in sprint cars, finishing with 140 career wins in the World of Outlaws and was a five-time winner of the Knoxville Nationals.

Tennessee: Sterling Marlin (Columbia)

Why Sterling: His 10 career Cup wins includes back-to-back Daytona 500s (1994-95), which were the first two victories of his 33-year career. Had two third-place championship finishes.

Others from Tennessee: Bobby Hamilton, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Coo Coo Marlin, Trevor Bayne, Jeff Purvis.

Fun fact: Sterling’s dad, Coo Coo, spent a lot of time in the top 10 but never won a Cup race in 165 starts between 1966-80. He did win a 125-mile qualifier at Daytona in 1973. It was a combined 443 Cup Series starts without a win for the Marlins before Sterling won his first Daytona 500.

Texas: Terry Labonte (Corpus Christi)

Why Terry: While he never gathered wins in bunches (he finished with 22), he was rarely outside the lead pack. His two Cup championships came 12 years apart, in 1984 and ’96.

Others from Texas: Bobby Labonte, A.J. Foyt, David Starr, Billy Wade, Chris Buescher, James Buescher, H.B. Bailey, Walter Ballard, Brennan Poole, Eddie Bierschwale, Shorty Rollins, Bobby Hillin.

Fun fact: During A.J. Foyt’s long prime, the Indy-car legend never ran more than seven Cup races a year. His seven wins came between 1964-72 and include three Daytona victories — two Firecracker 400s and the 1972 Daytona 500. If we counted Super Tex's dominant career in USAC’s old stock-car series, his three titles and 41 victories would make him the Lone Star representative.

Utah: Michael Self (Park City)

Why Michael: After seven fruitless Xfinity Series races in 2014, Self moved to ARCA and found his calling — nine wins in 59 starts between 2017-20, with back-to-back runner-up finishes for the championship in ’19 and ’20.

Others from Utah: Eric Rhead, Madison Snow.

Fun fact: Michael Self is one just four racers to win a stock-car race on Daytona’s famed trioval as well as its road course. The others: Chase Elliott, Austin Cindric and Ben Rhodes.

Vermont: Kevin Lepage (Shelburne)

Why Kevin: From the late-’90s to the mid-teens, Lepage had a combined 551 starts in the Cup and Xfinity Series. His two career NASCAR wins came in Xfinity. Seven of his nine Cup Series top-10s came while driving for Jack Roush from 1998-2000.

Others from Vermont: Jamie Aube, Tim Viens.

Fun fact: Vermont’s most accomplished racer competed in short bursts. Trailblazing drag-racer Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney, of Burlington, won three NHRA Top Fuel championships while speeding her way into most of the non-NASCAR Halls of Fame.

Virginia: Joe Weatherly (Norfolk)

Why Joe: Yes, Denny Hamlin has 51 career wins, the most of anyone listed here, but “Little Joe” won back-to-back championships (1962-63) in his only two full-time seasons. His 25 wins came in just 230 starts, roughly a third of Hamlin’s career starts. There would’ve been more to come if not for the Riverside tragedy in 1964.

Others from Virginia: Denny Hamlin, Buddy Arrington, Jeff Burton, Ward Burton, Red Byron, Tommy Ellis, Ray Hendrick, Jimmy Hensley, James Hylton, Rick Mast, Lennie Pond, Ricky Rudd, Elliott Sadler, Hermy Sadler, Wendell Scott, Curtis Turner, Glen Wood, Emanuel Zervakis.

Fun fact: Weatherly was his era’s best modified racer before moving to NASCAR’s top division, but was also known widely as the “Clown Prince of NASCAR.” Along with throwing all-nighters with fellow Virginian Curtis Turner, Joe also once rode a mule in a pre-race parade and once took practice laps wearing a Peter Pan suit.

Washington: Greg Biffle (Vancouver)

Why Greg: It’s a close call between Biffle and Kasey Kahne, whose careers largely overlapped. Biffle had one more career win — 19 to Kahne’s 18 — but Biffle also had five championship finishes of seventh or better while Kahne had just two top-10 seasons.

Others from Washington: Derrike Cope, Kevin Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Chad Little, Ed Negre, Tom Sneva.

Fun fact: Biffle’s win total includes three straight at Homestead, beginning in 2004 when Homestead was the final race of both the season and the new playoff system. He won again the next year but finished second in the championship standings to Tony Stewart, because the final race wasn’t a winner-take-all back then.

West Virginia: Paul Goldsmith (Parkersburg)

Why Paul: The former motorcycle champ had nine Cup Series wins. In his busiest season, 1957, he had four wins and 15 top-10s in just 25 starts, mostly for Smokey Yunick.

Others from West Virginia: Larry Frank, Junior Spencer, Pop McGinnis, Johnny Patterson.

Fun fact: In 1958, Goldsmith won the final NASCAR race on Daytona’s beach-and-road course, beating Curtis Turner to the line by five car lengths. Just five years earlier, riding a Harley-Davidson, he won the Daytona 200 on the same course, and yes, he’s the only racer to win at Daytona in a car and on a bike.

Wisconsin: Matt Kenseth (Cambridge)

Why Matt: Plenty of competition for Kenseth in America’s Dairyland, but his 39 Cup wins and 2003 championship set him apart. He finished top 10 in nearly half of his 697 career starts. Also collected 29 Xfinity Series victories.

Others from Wisconsin: Rich Bickle, Sam Mayer, Alan Kulwicki, Travis Kvapil, Dave Marcis, Paul Menard, Marvin Panch, Danica Patrick, Jim Sauter, Jay Sauter, Johnny Sauter, Tim Sauter, Dick Trickle, Scott Wimmer, Josh Bilicki, Pancho Carter, Ty Majeski, Norm Nelson,

Fun fact: In 2003, Kenseth took the points lead in Week 4 and held it the rest of the way, despite winning just one race. He clinched the title the week before the final race, and his numbingly consistent run was viewed by some as NASCAR’s final impetus for instituting a playoff in 2004.

Wyoming: Dick Hallock (hometown unknown)

Why Dick: Three of his seven starts and his only top 10 came in 1955. He finished ninth of 19 starters at a 200-lapper in Fonda, N.Y., a whopping 47 laps behind winner Junior Johnson. He earned $100 for that run.

Others from Wyoming: Jim Fleming.

Fun fact: Jim Fleming had no official NASCAR regular-season starts but made a run at starting the 1976 Daytona 500. In the second Thursday 125-mile qualifier, he finished 17th in a field of 35 and was one of 25 drivers who failed to make that year’s field

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Ultimate NASCAR list: Best racer in all 50 states; Petty or Earnhardt?