Over this offseason, I was thinking about fun exercises to occupy time and one thing that came to me was this:
What is the best grid of drivers you can make of drivers who only started one race in a series?
Motorsports is littered with kooky one-off appearances, whether it is a sports car driver attempting IndyCar, a Formula One driver running a NASCAR race or a motorcycle racer taking a crack at four-wheel racing. These are once-in-a-lifetime occurrences. And it can be quite interesting.
Over this week, there will be three editions of the All-Time One-Time Starter Grid, one for the NASCAR Cup Series, one for IndyCar and one for Formula One.
We will start with NASCAR, which has had 2,949 drivers start a Cup race. Of those 2,949 drivers, 1,036 only made one start. That is 35.13% of all the drivers to start a Cup race. For sanity purposes, this was only going to be a 40-driver field from the start, but with over 1,000 drivers to choose from, there is a chance one or two or 30 suitable options were missed. But here is one 40-driver option.
Row 20
40. Adam Petty
Claim to Fame: The fourth generation of the Petty family, Adam Petty won a race in ARCA at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was the youngest winner in ARCA history at the time. He also won an ASA race at I-70 Speedway. Petty had transitioned to the NASCAR Busch Series at 18 years old and made 43 starts with three top five finishes and four top ten finishes.
Only Start: April 2, 2000, DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway
Result: 40th
What happened: With plans to move to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2001, Petty was set to run seven races in 2000 with Texas being his first race of the season. Other planned starts were the Coca-Cola 600, the Bristol night race in August, the autumn Martinsville race and Homestead. He qualified 33rd for Texas in a race that featured 48 entrants with Robby Gordon, Dave Marcus, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., Todd Bodine and Petty's father Kyle failing to qualify. Adam Petty completed 215 laps before an engine failure ended his race and left him with a 40th-place finish. His father Kyle would enter the race 14 laps later, substituting for an injured Elliott Sadler in the #21 Wood Brothers Ford, bringing that car home to a 39th-place result.
Odds of a second start: Petty lost his life just over a month later in a practice accident for the NASCAR Busch Series race at Loudon. He was 19 years old.
39. Smokey Yunick
Claim to Fame: Yunick was an engineering genius, known for pushing the rulebook and NASCAR's patience. His most famous victory as a car owner was the 1961 Daytona 500 with driver Marvin Panch. Other drivers to have piloted a Yunick-owned Cup car include Tim Flock, Paul Goldsmith, Junior Johnson, Herb Thomas, Curtis Turner, Fireball Roberts, Buck Baker, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Isaac, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Allison, Mario Andretti, Charlie Glotzbach, Joe Leonard, Swede Savage and Bobby Unser.
Only Start: November 30, 1952, 200-lapper at Palm Beach Speedway
Result: 18th
What happened: Yunick's only start was driving for Herb Thomas, the 1951 and 1953 Cup champion, the first multi-time Cup champion. However, it was a short day for Yunick in the #9 Hudson, as an ignition failure ended his race after seven laps, a whopping 3.5 miles. Thomas led all 200 laps and won by two laps over Fonty Flock.
Odds of a second start: Yunick's final race as a Cup owner was in 1969 at Atlanta. He passed away after battling Leukemia on May 9, 2001, just over two weeks before his 78th birthday.
Row 19
38. Yvon Duhamel
Claim to Fame: Duhamel was a Kawasaki factory rider in the 1970s and he was the 1970 World Championship Snowmobile Derby winner, an event Gilles Villeneuve and Uncle Jacques Villeneuve also won in their careers. He was the first man to run a qualifying lap above 150 mph for the Daytona 200. His son Miguel Duhamel was the 1995 AMA Superbike champion and Miguel was a five-time Daytona 200 winner, tied with Scott Russell for the all-time record.
Only Start: April 8, 1973, Gwyn Staley 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway
Result: 10th
What happened: Entered in Junie Donlavey's #90 Ford, Duhamel started 15th and completely 381 laps, 19 laps off race winner Richard Petty, but he finished tenth, two laps off Donnie Allison in ninth, who was not running at the end of the race due to a blown engine.
Odds of a second start: Duhamel is 81 years old, but he was still competing on motorcycles into his 50s, so never say never, but I will say it is unlikely.
37. Buzzie Reutimann
Claim to Fame: Reutimann was a successful dirt modified racer on the East Coast with a victory in the 1972 Eastern States 200 as well as two victories at Syracuse's Super DIRT Week. He is also the father of David Reutimann, who won two NASCAR Cup races.
Only Start: November 11, 1962, 200-lapper at Golden Gate Speedway in Tampa, Florida
Result: 10th
What happened: He picked up a tenth-place finish, completing 192 of 200 laps in a 1960 Chevrolet while majority of the field were driving 1962-model cars. Richard Petty won, leading 158 of 200 laps. Reutimann was three laps ahead of Buck Baker and six laps ahead of Rex White, two Cup champions.
Odds of a second start: Reutimann is still racing at 79 years old and he finished 21st in the Reutimann Memorial Feature at Volusia Speedway in November, ahead of his son David. The race featured Justin Allgaier, Justin Haley, David Stremme and Kenny Wallace. Crazier things have happened, but with Bristol now being a dirt race in March, Reutimann might fit in for a second start nearly 60 years after his first!
Row 18
36. Brent Kaeding
Claim to Fame: Winner of the 1985 Turkey Night Grand Prix, Kaeding is one of the best sprint car racers from the West Coast, with 11 King of the West championship and he won nine World of Outlaws races. His sons Tim and Bud also competed in racing with Bud notably winning the USAC Silver Crown championship three times in four seasons from 2006 to 2009.
Only Start: November 4, 1990, Checker 500 at Phoenix International Raceway
Result: 29th
What happened: In the #69 Los Gatos Ferrari Chevrolet, Kaeding started 38th in the 43-car field and completed 304 laps, eight laps off race winner Dale Earnhardt, taking the checkered flag in 29th ahead of the likes of Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd, Harry Gant, Rusty Wallace, Dick Trickle, Kyle Petty, Bobby Hillin, Jr., and Michael Waltrip.
Odds of a second start: Kaeding was competing into the middle of last decade. There is the aforementioned Bristol dirt race, but I doubt we see a comeback.
35. Sam Posey
Claim to Fame: Posey is known for his work as a commentator on the Indianapolis 500 and his crafty monologues hyping a Formula One grand prix or 24-hour endurance race. Prior to his television work, Posey was a Swiss army knife, competing in Trans Am, making ten starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and winning the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring. He started two United States Grand Prix. He was also fifth place in the 1972 Indianapolis 500, his only start in the famed race and he was the top rookie finisher from seventh on the grid, but lost Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year to Mike Hiss, who finished seventh.
Only Start: January 18, 1970, Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway
Result: 28th
What happened: Prior to his Formula One and Indianapolis 500 exploits, Posey qualified ninth for the 1970 season opener driving for Cotton Owens, but a fiery engine failure ended his race after 82 of 193 laps. A.J. Foyt took the victory ahead of Roger McCluskey and LeeRoy Yarbrough.
Odds of a second start: Posey put his driving career behind him long ago and he has been living with Parkinson's disease for over 25 years.
Row 17
34. Sarel van der Merwe
Claim to Fame: Van der Merwe was an 11-time South African Rally Drivers champion, but he is known for his sport car prowess, winning the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona with fellow South Africans Tony Martin and Graham Duxbury. He also won Hendrick Motorsports only sports car race with Doc Bundy in a Corvette GTP at Road America in 1986.
Only Start: August 12, 1990, Budweiser at the Glen at Watkins Glen International
Result: 24th
What happened: Darrell Waltrip was knocked out of competition due to a leg injury and van der Merwe was drafted in for the road course race at Watkins Glen. He qualified 20th and became the first African driver to compete in NASCAR, but he finished 24th after contact with Hut Stricklin, who was running in the top five, ended both their races.
Odds of a second start: He was 43 years old when he made his debut. He is now 74 years old and I think he will not add another start 31 years after this first, though there will be seven road course races in the 2021 Cup season.
33. Jerry Titus
Claim to Fame: Titus was the 1967 Trans-Am champion driving a Ford Mustang, competing against the likes of Dan Gurney, Mark Donohue, Peter Revson and even David Pearson. He also was third overall in the 1969 24 Hours of Daytona.
Only Start: January 21, 1968, Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway
Result: 39th
What happened: In a 1966 Ford, Titus lost a gasket after five laps and he was one of six drivers to retire in the first five laps.
Odds of a second start: Titus suffered an accident in practice for the 1970 Trans-Am race at Road America and he would succumb to injuries from that accident nearly three weeks later.
Row 16
32. Billy Foster
Claim to Fame: Foster made 28 IndyCar starts, which saw him score two podium finishes, surprisingly both were at Atlanta. He was third in Johnny Rutherford's first career victory with Mario Andretti second in 1965. The following year he was second to Andretti. He was third in the 1966 USAC Stock Car Division championship.
Only Start: January 23, 1966, Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway
Result: 18th
What happened: Foster qualified 12th driving for Rudy Hoerr in a 1964 Dodge and completed 181 of 195 laps. He ended up seventh ahead of Ned Jarrett, Norm Nelson, Ron Hornaday, Sr., Jerry Grant and Bobby Allison. This was also Mario Andretti's first NASCAR Cup start and Andretti was 16th, completing 154 laps before retiring due to an accident.
Odds of a second start: Foster lost his life in an accident ahead of practice for the 1967 Motor Trend 500. His accident would lead to increased development of window nets.
31. Klaus Graf
Claim to Fame: Graf was the 2005 Trans-Am champion with four victories from nine races and he also won the 2012 and 2013 LMP1 championship in the American Le Mans Series with Lucas Luhr. He has three starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and he had four podium finishes in Porsche Supercup.
Only Start: June 27, 2004, Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway
Result: 17th
What happened: Driving for BAM Racing, Graf started 38th despite ending up over 6.7 seconds off pole-sitter Jeff Gordon. He was 13th and eighth in the two Saturday practice sessions and he finished on the lead lap in 17th ahead of Dale Jarrett, Matt Kenseth, Sterling Marlin, his teammate Ken Schrader, Rusty Wallace, Kasey Kahne, Bobby Labonte, Robby Gordon, Ricky Rudd, eventually 2004 champion Kurt Busch and two-time Cup champion Terry Labonte.
Odds of a second start: Graf attempted to make four other Cup starts.
Later in 2004, he was entered for Watkins Glen, but qualifying was rained out because it is NASCAR, and he was one of four drivers not to make the race. Other notable failed qualifiers were Scott Pruett and Boris Said. He also attempted to make the Martinsville race in October but missed out on making the race by one position. He would attempt to make both road course races again in 2007, but was one of nine drivers to miss the Sonoma race, which included Ward Burton, Paul Menard and both Red Bull Racing drivers, Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmendinger. At Watkins Glen, qualifying was again rained out because it is NASCAR and the likes of him, Allmendinger, Said and Marcos Ambrose all missed out on racing. Said would at least get to substitute for Bill Elliott at Wood Brothers Racing.
As for a second start, it's probably not going to happen now, but we have seen some odd one-off entries on road courses, so if he can find the money anything is possible.
Row 15
30. Jorge Goeters
Claim to Fame: Goeters won pole position for his NASCAR Busch Series debut at the inaugural Mexico City race. Unfortunately, a poor pit stop after leading the first 24 laps and an engine failure cost him the finish to match his satisfying start to the weekend. He would finish ninth at Watkins Glen later that season and he would finish seventh at Mexico City in 2007. In the NASCAR Mexico Series, he has seven victories and he was the 2012 series champion. He also ran in Indy Lights in 1998. He made a Champ Car start at Monterrey in 2005, finishing 18th after a gearbox failure.
Only Start: August 14, 2005, Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen at Watkins Glen International
Result: 35th
What happened: One day after his ninth-place finish in the Busch Series, Goeters made his Cup debut at Watkins Glen, sliding into the field despite qualifying being rained out, because it is NASCAR. He led lap 57, but finished 35th, one-lap down after a spin in the chicane.
Odds of a second start: Goeters is now 50 years old and he did compete in the NASCAR Mexico Series in 2019. Like I mentioned before, there will be seven road course races in Cup in 2021. It is possible. Surprisingly, Goeters' only had one Cup start considering his Busch Series performances.
29. Andrew Ranger
Claim to Fame: Ranger won three NASCAR Pinty's Series championships. He has 28 victories, 73 top five finishes and 110 top ten finishes in 134 starts in the series. Prior to that, he made 27 starts in Champ Car with a runner-up finish in his second career start at Monterrey, coincidentally, Goeters' first career start. Ranger had 16 top ten finishes in 27 Champ Car starts. He has won four of his seven ARCA starts and he has never finished worse than fifth in an ARCA race.
Only Start: August 15, 2011, Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen at Watkins Glen International
Result: 35th
What happened: Ranger qualified 35th driving for FAS Lane Racing and he made it 75 laps before a transmission failure took him out of the race.
Odds of a second start: I am surprised it hasn't happened yet. Even more surprising, he hasn't run a race in NASCAR's second division since 2013. Don't rule it out.
Row 14
28. Scott Sharp
Claim to Fame: The co-champion in the 1996 Indy Racing League season and nine-time IndyCar race winner, Sharp was also a two-time Trans-Am champion, the 2009 American Le Mans Series LMP1 champion and has two overall victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona, one in the 12 Hours of Sebring and one in Petit Le Mans.
Only Start: August 9, 1992, Budweiser at the Glen at Watkins Glen International
Result: 19th
What happened: Driving for Jimmy Means Racing, he started 22nd and finished 19th in a 51-lap, rain-shortened race at Watkins Glen, because... once again, it's NASCAR.
Odds of a second start: Sharp will turn 53 on Valentine's Day. His last IMSA start was in 2018. It's possible, but unlikely.
27. Kaz Grala
Claim to Fame: Grala has made 33 Truck starts, 32 Grand National Series starts, and he was seventh in the 2017 Truck Series championship with a victory at Daytona. He has four top five finishes in NASCAR's second series with all of those coming at Daytona and Road America.
Only Start: August 16, 2020, Go Bowling 235 at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course
Result: 7th
What happened: Grala was a last-minute substitute for Austin Dillon for the Daytona road course race and he had to start at the rear of the field. He ended up leading three laps through pit cycle in the final stage and that strategy positioned Grala for a top ten results, coming home in seventh.
Odds of a second start: It is likely going to happen and Grala will be entered in the Daytona 500 driving for Kaulig Racing. He will have to qualify for the race, as he will be an open entry. Grala is only 22 years old, even if Daytona doesn't work out, he will likely get a crack at one or two road courses this year in Cup or the Grand National Series. A full-time Cup ride could be in his future.
Row 13
26. Tom Cherry
Claim to Fame: Cherry won the Little 500 four times, the first multi-time winner of the event. He also won two of seven races in NASCAR's Speedway Division in 1952
Only Start: February 15, 1953, Daytona Beach & Road Course
Result: 9th
What happened: Cherry's only start saw him finish a lap down in ninth. He retired from driving after 1956 and sanctioned sprint car races in the Midwest, including the Little 500 at one point.
Odds of a second start: Cherry passed away in 1990.
25. Jan Opperman
Claim to Fame: A winner of the Knoxville Nationals, Opperman was one of the most respected sprint car drivers in the 1970s. His dirt success led to pavement opportunities, most notably he made two Indianapolis 500 starts and eight IndyCar starts. His best finish was sixth at Ontario in the California 500 behind the likes of Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Wally Dallenbach and Tom Bigelow.
Only Start: August 4, 1974, Purolator 500 at Pocono International Raceway
Result: 8th
What happened: Opperman's only Cup start was Pocono's first NASCAR Cup race. He was teammates with Benny Parsons driving for L.G. DeWitt and he finished eighth from a 14th starting spot, four laps off race winner Richard Petty, in a race that was shortened to 192 laps due to rain.
Odds of a second start: Two serious accidents shortened Opperman's career and he died in 1997 at the age of 58.
Row 12
24. Tom Bigelow
Claim to Fame: Bigelow ranks second all-time in USAC National Sprint car victories with 52 and he was the 1978 champion. He was also the 1984 USAC National Midget champion. Besides his dirt success, Bigelow made 110 IndyCar starts and scored a sixth-place finish on debut in 1968 at DuQuoin. Though he never won a race he had 13 top five finishes, including runner-up finishes at Texas World, Milwaukee and DuQuoin. He made nine Indianapolis 500 starts, with his best finish being sixth in 1977. His final IndyCar start was at Pocono in 1985 but he attempted to make the Indianapolis 500 through 1989.
Only Start: November 2, 1986, Atlanta Journal 500 at Atlanta International Raceway
Result: 40th
What happened: Two days after his 46th birthday, Bigelow took the green flag in the #99 Chevrolet for Ralph Ball. His race lasted 58 laps due to an engine failure.
Odds of a second start: If the Bristol dirt race had come 30 years earlier, I bet Bigelow would have taken a shot at it. However, at 81 years old, I am not so sure. Though, if Buzzie Reutimann is still competing, anything is possible.
23. Duane Carter
Claim to Fame: An 11-time starter of the Indianapolis 500, Carter's best result was third in a relief drive for Sam Hanks. He was the 1950 AAA Midwestern sprint car champion and in the middle of his career stepped away from driving for the USAC Competition Director from 1956 to 1958 before returning to driving in 1959.
Only Start: June 25, 1950, 200-lapper at Dayton Speedway
Result: 7th
What happened: Carter's only Cup start was in the first Cup race on a completely paved track. Carter was seventh ahead of Lee Petty in eighth and the 1950 champion Bill Rexford was tenth. Carter's prize for the result? $125, which adjusted for inflation would be $1,349.74 in 2021.
Odds of a second start: Carter passed away in 1993 at the age of 79.
Row 11
22. Timothy Peters
Claim to Fame: Peters has 11 victories in the NASCAR Truck Series and from 2011 to 2016 he finished in the top five of the championship in five of six seasons with his best championship position being second in 2012. Three of those victories occurred at Talladega with two victories at Iowa and victories at Martinsville, Daytona, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Bristol, Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Only Start: April 29, 2018, Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
Result: 23rd
What happened: Peters was entered in a part-time program with Ricky Benton Racing. He fell a lap down on track early on and he would be the best finishing lapped car in 23rd, but he avoided the accidents and finished ahead Martin Truex, Jr., Jamie McMurray, William Byron, Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, A.J. Allmendinger, Erik Jones and Kyle Larson, who were all caught in accidents.
Odds of a second start: Peters is only 40, so I wouldn't rule it out. The only problem is he has been part-time in the Truck series since 2017, though he did win at Talladega in 2018. Last year, his only Truck start came when Stewart Friesen had a scheduling conflict. It is still possible, and I think he would deserve it. It would not surprise me if he gets it.
21. Billy Johnson
Claim to Fame: 2016 IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS class champion and Johnson has the most victories in that series history with 23. He was a Ford GT driver from 2016 to 2019 and he won the 2018 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in the GTE-Pro class with Stefan Mücke and Olivier Pla.
Only Start: June 25, 2017, Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway
Result: 22nd
What happened: With Aric Almirola out due to a fractured vertebra, Ford tossed Johnson a bone for all his good work in its sports car division and guided him into the #43 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports. With five starts in NASCAR's second division under his belt, where his best result was eighth, Johnson had not been in a stock car in four years prior to this outing and he qualified 26th. He worked his way into the top ten and spun Daniel Suárez in the process. Later in the race, he and Matt Kenseth would tangle. Johnson completed all 110 laps, but he was 22nd with only one car behind him on the lead lap. He did finish ahead of Kasey Kahne, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Boris Said, A.J. Allmendinger and Martin Truex, Jr., though most of those drivers ran into mechanical problems or had an accident.
Odds of a second start: It could happen, especially with the number of road courses, but unfortunately road course ringers don't get the same opportunities they once did. Back in the day, a team 26th or 30th in the championship would take out its regular driver for a hope of a top ten result with a road course ringer. With the current playoff format where one victory guarantees a spot, a team can't do it because there is the stipulation a driver runs every race, unless granted a waiver, which is normally for a medical reason. The teams that do rotate drivers aren't that competitive options even for a road course ringer (see Rick Ware Racing).
Row 10
20. Andy Pilgrim
Claim to Fame: 2005 Speed World Challenge champion driving for Cadillac and Pilgrim was a Corvette factory driver from 2000 to 2003. He won the 2004 24 Hours of Daytona overall with Christian Fittipaldi, Terry Borcheller and Forest Barber. In six Le Mans starts, he was on his class podium five times with four runner-up finishes and his worst class finish was fourth.
Only Start: June 26, 2011, Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway
Result: 26th
What happened: At 54 years old, Pilgrim made his debut from last on the grid driving for Whitney Motorsports, but he finished on the lead lap in 26th, which was tied for the team's best finish that season with Bill Elliott's 26th at Talladega a few months earlier. Pilgrim did finish ahead of fellow road course ringers Boris Said, Brian Simo and Andy Lally.
Odds of a second start: Pilgrim is now 64 years old. He competed in some vintage racing in 2020. It is possible, but I get a hunch the probability is low.
19. Nelson Piquet, Jr.
Claim to Fame: Where to begin? 2004 British Formula Three champion. Swept the inaugural A1GP weekend at Brands Hatch. 2006 GP2 Series vice-champion. Started 28 Formula One races with his best result being second in the 2008 German Grand Prix. Intentionally spun in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, leading to a scandal that defanged Renault's Formula One operation. 2014-15 Formula E champion. Two victories in the NASCAR Truck Series, winner at Bristol in the NASCAR East Series. Winner in his third start in NASCAR's second division at Road America.
Only Start: August 10, 2014, Cheez-It 355 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International
Result: 26th
What happened: Just a little over a month before the first Formula E race, Piquet, Jr. stepped in the #77 Ford for Randy Humphrey Racing and qualified 32nd. He really wasn't a factor in this race and stayed in the middle of the pack, but he finished 26th and on the lead lap, directly ahead of Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson while Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch had mechanical issues. Piquet, Jr. gets to say he finished ahead of four Cup champions in his only Cup start.
Odds of a second start: Piquet, Jr. is only 35 years old. I am surprised he didn't stick in NASCAR. He did two full seasons in the Truck Series and was tenth and seventh in those seasons. He was 12th in his one full season in the Grand National Series. I am not saying he was going to spend ten years in Cup, but I think he could have put together a few competitive seasons and won a road course race or two with the right organization.
Anyway, I think there is a shot Piquet, Jr. makes another Cup start. He's young. He flamed out of Formula E after being the inaugural champion. He has spent the last three years running Stock Car Brasil. It could happen.
Row 9
18. Pat Flaherty
Claim to Fame: The 1956 Indianapolis 500 winner, Flaherty won that race from pole position, leading 127 of 200 laps. He would also win at Milwaukee later that week.
Only Start: August 12, 1951, Motor City 250 at Michigan State Fairgrounds
Result: 59th
What happened: Flaherty drove the #188 Oldsmobile for 13 laps and finished 59th out of 59 starters for what was the second-longest race of the 1951 season behind only the Southern 500.
Odds of a second start: Flaherty passed away in 2002 at the age of 76.
17. Patrick Long
Claim to Fame: Three-time American Le Mans Series GT2/GT champion. 2017 Pirelli World Challenge champion. Two class victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Three class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring. Three class victories in Petit Le Mans. One class victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Only Start: August 12, 2012, Finger Lakes 355 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International
Result: 42nd
What happened: Long had been dabbling in stock car races on road courses at the end of the 2000s, famously having a NASCAR West Series victory taken from him for spinning Joey Logano at Sonoma. He would win at Miller Motorsports Park and Portland in the West Series. His only Cup start came for Inception Motorsports and he started 43rd because of a blown engine and a practice accident. Due to all the damage leading up to race day, this was a start-and-park effort, and Long's race ended after two laps. The good news is Brian Vickers blew an engine on the first lap, so Long was spared a last-place finish.
Odds of a second start: When Long was running West Series road course races, I thought he was going to lead the next wave of road course ringers. Surprising, he has not raced a stock car since 2012. He turns 40 this July. I would love to see Long get an actual shot on a road course in a Cup car. With the how Cup racing has changed and the death of the road course ringer because of the championship format, it is more likely he gets a shot in NASCAR's second division, but even that would be a great opportunity.
Row 8
16. Ken Miles
Claim to Fame: Winner of the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona and 1966 12 Hours of Sebring with Lloyd Ruby, runner-up in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans with Denny Hulme behind Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon driving for the Ford GT program, a car Miles played an extensive role in developing. He was also the 1961 USAC Road Racing champion.
Only Start: November 3, 1963, Golden State 400 at Riverside International Raceway
Result: 11th
What happened: Prior to the Ford GT program, Miles, a reputable West Coast-based driver, was recruited to start the 1963 season finale driving for Holman-Moody. His weekend started on the wrong foot, with a practice accident, but the team was able to repair the car ahead of the race. He qualified tenth and ended up nine laps off race winner Darel Dieringer, but he was three laps ahead of David Pearson and his teammate Fred Lorenzen retired after 25 laps due a transmission failure. Miles did finish ahead of Bob Bondurant, Paul Goldsmith, Ned Jarrett, Richard Petty and Rex White.
Odds of a second start: Miles lost his life in a testing accident at Riverside on August 17, 1966.
15. Lloyd Ruby
Claim to Fame: Winner of the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona and 1966 12 Hours of Sebring with Ken Miles in the Ford GT, Ruby made 18 Indianapolis 500 starts with seven top ten finishes and his best result was third. Ruby is also known as one of the best drivers never to win the Indianapolis 500, as mechanical problems cost him shots at victory in 1966 and 1968 and a botched pit stop ended his hopes in 1969. He did win seven IndyCar races in 176 starts.
Only Start: January 22, 1967, Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway
Result: 22nd
What happened: Ruby was drafted in for the 1967 season finale to drive the #26 Ford for Junior Johnson. He qualified eighth but lost his engine after 96 of 185 laps. Only 12 of 44 starters were running at the finish of this race with Parnelli Jones winning by two laps over Paul Goldsmith, Norm Nelson and Don White.
Odds of a second start: Considering Ruby's contemporaries A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones and Dan Gurney regularly dabbled in NASCAR, it is surprising this was his only start. He was entered for the 1971 season finale at Texas World Speedway but withdrew. Ruby passed away in 2009 at the age of 81.
Row 7
14. Kevin Swindell
Claim to Fame: Four-time winner of the Chili Bowl, the first driver to win the race in four consecutive years. Two ARCA race victories at Chicagoland and DuQuoin.
Only Start: September 22, 2013, Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Result: 38th
What happened: After having spent a few years as a Ford development driver and running in NASCAR's second division, where he notably finished eighth at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Swindell fell into a seat at Swan Racing. He started 33rd and 39 laps into his debut, he was caught in an accident when teammates Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya got together. The team was able to get the car repaired and he ran 244 laps, but he finished 38th, 56 laps down.
Odds of a second start: Swindell suffered broken L-1 and T-7 vertebrae in his back when competing on one of the preliminary nights for the 2015 Knoxville Nationals. He was partially paralyzed from the waist down. He has been running a race shop that has operated cars for the likes of his father Sammy Swindell and Christopher Bell and he has been able to compete in simulator racing. We have seen more and more physically impaired people compete in motorsports over the last 20 years, from Alex Zanardi to Michael Johnson in IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge Series. Swindell is only 31 years old. I think he is set on his front office role, but he is young enough to make NASCAR history. Anything is possible and this is certainly something to be rooting for.
13. Rolf Stommelen
Claim to Fame: Four-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, three-time class winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and runner-up overall in 1979 with co-drivers Paul Newman and Dick Barbour, 1967 Targa Florio winner, 54 Formula One starts with his best finish being third in the 1970 Austrian Grand Prix
Only Start: August 22, 1971, Talladega 500 at Alabama International Motor Speedway
Result: 39th
What happened: One week after finishing seventh in the Austrian Grand Prix, Stommelen made his NASCAR debut after Bill France invited him to compete at Talladega. The German joined Holman-Moody for the race and the car he drove was Mario Andretti's 1967 Daytona 500 winner, with the Ford Galaxie body replaced with the body of a Mercury Cyclone. Due to his travel from Europe, Stommelen only made three laps of practice before qualifying sixth in a field of 50 cars. He ran at the front before having to pit due to a steering issue and the car was retired after only 53 of 188 laps due to a frame issue.
Odds of a second start: Stommelen lost his life in an accident during an IMSA race at Riverside on April 24, 1963.
Row 6
12. Frank Gardner
Claim to Fame: Three-time British Saloon Car champion, 1971 European Formula 5000 champions, class winner in the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans, started seven Formula One grand prix. Gardner still ranks ninth all-time in British Touring Car victories with 35 victories in 93 starts, a winning percentage of 37.63%.
Only Start: October 27, 1968, American 500 at North Carolina Motor Speedway
Result: 44th
What happened: After winning back-to-back British Saloon Car Championships driving for Ford, got an opportunity to run a NASCAR race with Holman-Moody. He qualified 21st but lost an engine after two laps while teammate David Pearson would go on to finished second to Richard Petty.
Odds of a second start: Gardner passed away in 2009 at the age of 77.
11. Marvin Burke
Claim to Fame: Winner of the 1951 250-lap NASCAR Cup race at Oakland Stadium. Burke also attempted to qualify for the 1950 Indianapolis 500, but did not make the field.
Only Start: October 14, 1951, 250-lapper at Oakland Stadium in Oakland, California
Result: 1st
What happened: Burke is the only driver in NASCAR Cup Series history with a perfect record. One start, one victory. From fourth on the grid, he led 156 of 250 laps at Oakland and won the race by three laps over Robert Caswell. It was also the first victory for car #18 in the Cup Series. This was a time when NASCAR included races from all across the country on schedule and this race was one of three races that counted toward the Grand National Series championship held on October 14, 1951. Tim Flock won a race held at Shippenville, Pennsylvania and Frank Mundy won at Martinsville.
Odds of a second start: Burke passed away in 1994 and he will likely remain the only driver to have a winning percentage of 100% in NASCAR history for quite some time.
Row 5
10. Larry Phillips
Claim to Fame: Five-time NASCAR Weekly Series national champion. From 1989 to 2001, he won 220 of 289 NASCAR-sanctioned starts
Only Start: November 21, 1976, Los Angeles Times 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway
Result: 13th
What happened: Phillips' only Cup start was in a Winston West Series car, back in the day of combination events when the Cup Series went west. Forty cars started the race and 41 cars failed to qualify. Phillips put the #55 Haddick's Towing Ford on the outside of row 12. In a race that saw 14 cars drop out due to engine failures, including the likes of Richard Petty, Bobby and Donnie Allison and Darrell Waltrip, Phillips kept the car running and finished 13th, the top West Series finisher in the field, 12 laps off the overall winner David Pearson.
Odds of a second start: Phillips raced until 2001 when lung cancer forced him to step away from competition. He died three years later at the age of 62.
9. Jan Magnussen
Claim to Fame: Four-time champion in IMSA competition, four-time 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner, 46 victories between Grand-Am, the American Le Mans and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, 24 Formula One grand prix starts.
Only Start: June 20, 2010, Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway
Result: 12th
What happened: Driving for Phoenix Racing, Magnussen ended up qualifying 32nd, but climbed his way through the order as the race went on, running a clean race. He made up four spots in the final five laps to finish 12th ahead of A.J. Allmendinger, Mark Martin and Jamie McMurray.
Odds of a second start: Less likely than it was five years. Though he is still only 47 years old. I don't think he will get the same type of opportunity as he did a decade ago, but he would be more than capable of running on any of the seven road courses on the Cup schedule.
Row 4
8. Geoff Brabham
Claim to Fame: Four-time IMSA GTP champion. 1981 Can-Am champion. 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans winner. Two-time 12 Hours of Sebring winner. 1997 Bathurst 1000 winner. Ten-time Indianapolis 500 starter. Started 89 IndyCar races with six runner-up finishes, the second-most runner-up finishes for a driver without a victory in IndyCar history.
Only Start: August 6, 1994, Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Result: 38th
What happened: For a race that saw Dick Trickle, Davy Jones, Gary Bettenhausen, Robert Pressley, Ron Hornaday, Jr., Hershel McGriff, Norm Benning, James Hylton, Stan Fox, Charlie Glotzbach, P.J. Jones, Butch Gilliland and 30 other drivers fail to qualify, Brabham's lone Cup Series start was the inaugural Brickyard 400 driving a one-off entry for Michael Kranefuss. He qualified 18th ahead of such names as Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip, John Andretti, Ward Burton, Kyle Petty, Jeff Burton, A.J. Foyt and Harry Gant. He would fall two laps down in the race before an accident with 33 laps to go. He spun exiting turn one and collected Jimmy Hensley.
Odds of a second start: Brabham has been out of competition for 20 years, having last run in what is now known as the Supercars series. Perhaps his son Matthew gets a shot at NASCAR. Matthew Brabham is one of the best Road to Indy drivers not to get a substantial IndyCar opportunity. I bet Matthew Brabham, would be quite suited for a stock car race on a road course.
7. Danny Sullivan
Claim to Fame: 1985 Indianapolis 500 winner. 1988 CART champion. 17 IndyCar victories. Started 15 Formula One grand prix with his best finish being fifth in the 1983 Monaco Grand Prix.
Only Start: August 6, 1994, Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Result: 33rd
What happened: Just like Brabham, Sullivan's only NASCAR start was the inaugural Brickyard 400. Unlike Brabham, Sullivan had planned to start a handful of NASCAR races in 1994. A ride for the Daytona 500 failed to materialize and he failed to qualify at Rockingham and Atlanta at the beginning of the year. At Indianapolis, however, Sullivan made the field, qualifying 26th. He was able to take the checkered flag, but in a rather lackluster run, eight laps down.
Odds of a second start: Sullivan's career ended in 1995 and he has since been busy in the business world while also being the guest steward for many Formula One races over the last decade.
Row 3
6. Peter Gregg
Claim to Fame: Four-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona. 1973 12 Hours of Sebring winner. 41 IMSA victories. Six-time IMSA champion. Two-time Trans-Am champion. Gregg had won 152 of 340 races he started in his career.
Only Start: May 27, 1973, World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Result: 37th
What happened: Gregg ended up starting the final race for Cotton Owens as a car owner in NASCAR. Owens had won 38 races in 24 seasons as a car owner and won the 1966 championship with David Pearson. Gregg qualified seventh on debut, next to eventual champion Benny Parsons. Gregg's race only lasted 34 laps when he had a spun off of turn two and had heavy contact with the inside barrier before sliding back across the back straightaway and hit the outside barrier.
Odds of a second start: Gregg committed suicide on December 15, 1980. He was 40 years old.
5. Sam Ard
Claim to Fame: Two-time NASCAR Grand National Series champion and winner of 22 races in the series.
Only Start: September 23, 1984, Goody's 500 at Martinsville Speedway
Result: 31st
What happened: Ard was on his way to winning his second consecutive Grand National Series championship when he stepped into the #02 Chevrolet for Emanuel Zervakis at the Martinsville Cup race. He qualified 27th out of 30 cars and a steering issue on the first lap ended his race immediately.
Odds of a second start: Sadly, one month after his start at Martinsville, Ard had a career-ending accident at Rockingham in the penultimate round of the Grand National Series season. He had led the first 14 laps before spinning due to oil from an engine failure of another car. He had already locked up the 1984 championship prior to the Rockingham race. Ard's later life saw him battle Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. He died in 2017 at the age of 78.
Row 2
4. Joe Leonard
Claim to Fame: Three-time AMA Grand National champion. Two-time Daytona 200 winner. Two-time USAC national champion. Six IndyCar race victories. Nine-time Indianapolis 500 starter and 1968 Indianapolis 500 pole-sitter.
Only Start: July 4, 1969, Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway
Result: 31st
What happened: After driving for Smokey Yunick in the Indianapolis 500 that May and finishing sixth, Leonard stepped into Yunick's #13 Ford for the July race at Daytona. He qualified next to Buddy Barker on the sixth row, but he was the tenth car out of the race after a crash on lap 47.
Odds of a second start: Leonard passed away in 2017 at the age of 84.
3. Bobby Rahal
Claim to Fame: Three-time CART champion. 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner. 24 IndyCar victories. 1981 24 Hours of Daytona winner. 1987 12 Hours of Sebring winner. Started two Formula One grand prix. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winning car owner.
Only Start: November 18, 1984, Winston Western 500 at Riverside International Raceway
Result: 40th
What happened: One week after finishing third in the CART championship, Rahal drove for the Wood Brothers in its famed #21 Ford for the NASCAR season finale at Riverside. Rahal had won at Riverside the year before in IndyCar. He qualified 20th, a position ahead of teammate Kyle Petty. The first eight laps of Rahal's NASCAR career were run under caution due to a light rain shower. The race went green on lap nine, but he would only complete 44 laps before a transmission failure ended his day. Attrition had been low in the first third of the race and this meant Rahal was only the second car out of the race.
Odds of a second start: I think that time has passed as Rahal has been out of racing for over 20 years, but he has been enjoying success as a car owner in IndyCar and sports car racing.
Row 1
2. Al Unser, Jr.
Claim to Fame: 1982 Can-Am champion. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner. Two-time CART champion. Two-time IROC champion. 34 IndyCar victories, ninth all-time. 1983 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winner. Two-time 24 Hours of Daytona winner. Six-time winner of the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Only Start: February 14, 1993, Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway
Result: 36th
What happened: A year after winning his first Indianapolis 500, Unser, Jr. got an opportunity to run the Daytona 500 with help from sponsor Valvoline, driving the #46 Valvoline Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. After getting caught up in an accident in his 125-mile qualifying race, Unser, Jr. was the final car to make the field on qualifying time, starting 40th out of 41 cars. Despite his starting position, Unser, Jr. found his way to the front and was running with the leaders. Approaching the final 100 miles of the race, Kyle Petty was taken out after contact with Bobby Hillin, Jr. Attempting to avoid the accident, Unser, Jr. got into Dale Earnhardt, and Unser, Jr's race was over after 157 laps.
Odds of a second start: Unser, Jr. has been out of racing for over a decade. At one point, he might have been a respectable stock car driver when taking into account this race and his IROC success, which included a victory at Daytona in 1997 from last on the grid.
1. Jim Clark
Claim to Fame: Two-time World Drivers' champion, scoring 100% of the possible points in each of those seasons. 25 Formula One grand prix victories and 33 pole positions in 72 starts. Most grand slams in Formula One history. Still holds the single season record for highest percentage of laps led in a season at 71.47%. 1965 Indianapolis 500 winner. 1964 Indianapolis 500 pole-sitter. Three-time Tasman Series champion. 1964 British Saloon Car champion. Third overall in the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Only Start: October 29, 1967, American 500 at North Carolina Motor Speedway
Result: 30th
What happened: On October 22, 1967, Clark won the Mexican Grand Prix, his 24th Formula One victory, tying Juan Manuel Fangio's record. As Mexico was the final round of the 1967 Formula One season, Clark, Jochen Rindt and Jackie Stewart headed to the Bahamas for a postseason vacation. While on the islands, Clark received a telegram from Bill France and an invitation to compete at Rockingham. Clark accepted and Holman-Moody entered Clark in the #66 Ford. Rindt followed to act as a potential relief driver in the 500-mile race.
In an unusual qualifying format, Clark spun on his first qualifying attempt on the third qualifying day, which was held on Friday. The accident caused significant damage to the car. It was repaired in time for qualifying on Saturday and Clark was the fastest qualifier that day, giving him 25th on the grid. Clark would move up to 24th after Ludovico Scarfiotti's qualifying time was disallowed for his car being too low. Scarfiotti, the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and 1966 Italian Grand Prix winner, would not attempt another NASCAR race.
Rindt had run just under two-dozen practice laps as he prepared for a potential relief appearance, but Clark's strong run shelved any plans to switch drivers mid-race. Clark had worked his way up to 13th, only two laps down, when he lost his engine on lap 146. Clark ended up 30th as his teammate Bobby Allison took the victory. A.J. Foyt was fourth, two laps down.
Odds of a second start: Clark lost his life just over six months later in a Formula Two race at Hockenheim. It was his penultimate race in the United States. He would run the 1967 IndyCar season finale at Riverside one month later, starting second next to Dan Gurney in a year-old car before retiring after 25 laps. He would win one more grand prix, the South African Grand Prix held on New Year's Day 1968.
In Summation...
This field combines for two World Drivers' Championship...
Six Indianapolis 500 victories...
Nine 24 Hours of Daytona overall winners for a combined 17 overall victories...
Seven 12 Hours of Sebring overall winners for a combined eight overall victories...
One 24 Hours of Le Mans overall winners and another combined ten Le Mans class victories...
11 drivers started a combined 221 Formula One races...
A world champion on snowmobiles...
A national champion on two-wheels...
A two-time Daytona 200 winner...
A Knoxville Nationals winner...
A Little 500 winner...
A Chili Bowl winner...
A Turkey Night Grand Prix winner...
Two British Saloon Car champions....
A Formula E champion....
Nine different nationalities are represented...
And all 40 of these drivers combined for 40 NASCAR Cup Series starts.
