I was at work, and we were discussing classic NASCAR drivers. What we were debating, was whether or or not some of these guys would win as many races today. With NASCAR building such even cars, would Petty, Yarborough, Junior Johnson, Yunick's creations, do as well.
This is not a bash thread to these legends, just food for thought.
I actually said no, but you never know.
i believe these legends were supirior drivers and they would be at the top no matter what year it is, probly not as many wins but definitly what u would expect from such great drivers!!!!!
I agree. The top guys would be the top regardless. I gotta go I think I can smell Methanol.
Back then the rules were different, cars were allot different or Petty wouldn't have won so many races with 5 lap + margins. You need to listen to Buddy Baker he tells it like it was. The mondern era is just as it implies, the old days were not the same. Richard Petty raced almost every day of the week and every win went to the record, even from the small tracks because they were sanctioned.
Cale Yarborough could win driving a school bus!! Bobby Allison, Davey Allison, Niel Bonnett, Alan Kolwicki, These are the legends of the Modern era forward. When the rules were about paridy. Things change and do they ever! Kyle Busch is fixing to be the most winningest driver without a championship.
I don't think these guy's could do it today, after all these cars are not Dealer prepped or driven to the speedway. And how do you light a cigarrette with out a role down window to throw the butt out
Sure...this will be a fun discussion.
The short answer is yes, and no. Decisive huh?
They'd be winning races today no doubt. As redneck-ish as these guys came off as, they were all pretty smart cookies. Iin 1959, it took them about 5 practice laps on the brand new high banks of Daytona Speedway to figure out that there was something to be gained by tucking your car in behind the guy in front of you.
Given the same tools and knowledge that our current stars have at their disposal, there's no doubt the old-schoolers would be standing shoulder to shoulder with the current crop. However, unlike back in those days, you wouldn't have the same 4 or 5 guys winning all the time. I don't believe Richard Petty would stand out any more than Tony Stewart does.
But if it was different....if you're talking about taking Petty or Yarborough as they were in the late 60's, time warping them forward, and plunking them down in a Car of Tomorrow, then the answer is no, they'd probably be at a loss.
The same could be said however, of time warping Jimmie Johnson or Kevin Harvick back to 1967 and putting him in one of Smokey Yunick's Chevelles. I think they'd also be at a loss. The two eras were too different.
Just as an aside, wouldn't it just be great to be a fly on the wall in the race shop if Smokey and Chad Knaus ever teamed up to build something? (I'm quite sure that Chad must have a portable Altar-to-the-church-of-Smokey that he prays at often.)