Best NASCAR drivers from all 50 states, Part 3: Hawaii through Iowa
Editor's note: This is the third in a 10-part series, choosing the best NASCAR driver from each state.
Heads-up for the Keokuk Comet and the Rushville Rocket. Both join the all-star roster in this third installment of our effort to list the best NASCAR racer from each of the 50 United States.
Chargin' Charlie falls short, as does the Flyin' Hawaiian (on a technicality). And sorry, but no Dick Passwater, either.
And, though it seems strange to make such a list without Jeff Gordon, decisions had to be made. You could kinda/sorta argue he should represent Indiana, since he moved there at age 13. But he grew up in California, and that California angle was such a big part of his early years — and his Yin-and-Yang rivalry with Dale Earnhardt.
So California it was for Jeff Gordon, and guess what: Jimmie Johnson was the no-brainer from the Golden State.
So Indiana was left to Rushville's favorite son.
Let's resume the roll call ...
THE FIRST FIVE 50 states, 50 best: NASCAR's greatest, from Alabama to Wyoming; starting with Bobby Allison
PART 2 50 states, 50 drivers: NASCAR's best, from Colorado to Georgia; which Elliott is chosen?
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.
The list, so far ...
Alabama: Bobby Allison, Alaska: Keith McGee, Arizona: Alex Bowman, Arkansas: Mark Martin, California: Jimmie Johnson
Colorado: Wally Dallenbach Jr., Connecticut: Joey Logano, Delaware: CJ Faison, Florida: Fireball Roberts, Georgia: Bill Elliott
Next up: Kansas through Maryland
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR: 50 states, 50 best; the 'Keokuk Comet' carries the Iowa flag
