NASCAR’s Biggest Rivalries

A Familiar Face In The Rearview Mirror

It’s not hard to develop a grudge when you go against the same drivers every week for eight months. All the best NASCAR drivers have had rivalries with opponents—and sometimes their own teammates! While some of these rivalries consisted only of great racing, many of them ended with cars turned into the wall, brawls, and the settling of scores. We look at NASCAR’s biggest and best rivalries.

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A Wild Rivalry: Carl Edwards Vs Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski bumped Carl Edwards’ car from behind while approaching the finish line at Talladega in 2009, launching Edwards into the air. Edwards then collided with an onrushing Ryan Newman and the two cars hit the catch fence before coming to rest. Edwards would even the score, and then some, the following year.

Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Claritin Ford and Brad Keselowski, driver of the #09 Miccosukee Chevrolet Jason Smith, Getty Images

Carl Edwards Vs Brad Keselowski II

The 2010 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway was a major escalation in the Edwards-Keselowski battle. Keselowski knocked out Edwards on lap 40 but Edwards would return to the race after repairs. Edwards got payback with three laps left in the race, launching Keselowski’s car airborne upside down before the car rolled back onto its wheels.

Brad Keselowski wearing a green cap TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Carl Edwards Vs Brad Keselowski III

Edwards and Keselowski wrecked each other back and forth over the 2009 and 2010 seasons, until the 2010 Gateway Race in the Nationwide series. There, Edwards spun out Keselowski, causing an 11-car wreck. Keselowski sustained a rib injury, and Edwards was showered with a chorus of booing from the crowd. NASCAR officials warned the two that any further incidents would cost them indefinite suspensions.

Carl Edwards at the 2012 Kobalt Tools 400 Brian Neudorff, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Dale Earnhardt Vs Jeff Gordon: Generational Rivals

The best driver of his generation, Dale Earnhardt wasn’t about to give an inch to Jeff Gordon’s 1990s dominance. Though the two didn’t really mix it up on the track, the crusty older champion Earnhardt rarely hesitated to hurl a choice remark at Gordon, especially in the early days. The end of the 1995 Brickyard 400 was a prime example.

NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt in the No. 3 car Darryl Moran, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Earnhardt Vs Gordon: A Fine Troll Job

After Earnhardt claimed the win at the 1995 Brickyard 400, he gloated about being the race’s inaugural winner. The problem was that the race’s inaugural winner was Jeff Gordon the previous year. Upon being reminded of this fact, Earnhardt went on replying that he was the very first Brickyard 400 winner, a fine troll of the younger driver.

Screenshot of the video 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Brickyard 400 At Indianapolis Motor Speedway 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Brickyard 400 At Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michael McIntyre

Earnhardt Vs Gordon: The Kid Responds

The 1995 NASCAR Awards ceremony saw Winston Cup winner Gordon toast Earnhardt with a glass of milk. The move was a response to Earnhardt’s constant remarks about Gordon’s age. Earnhardt returned the toast with good humor.

Jeff Gordon wearing a pair of sunglasses Darryl W. Moran, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Richard Petty Vs David Pearson

The two NASCAR drivers with the most wins, the rivalry between Richard Petty and David Pearson was marked by the mutual respect they had for each other. But their on-track competition was fierce, with the two finishing in the top two spots in an incredible 63 races. Of all their races, perhaps none was more memorable than the 1976 Daytona 500.

David Pearson explains in victory lane how he managed to get his thoroughly crashed Mercury across the finish line to win the 1976 Daytona 500 RacingOne, Getty Images

Petty Vs Pearson: The 1976 Daytona 500

Petty and Pearson were running neck and neck through the final turn at the Daytona 500 when they collided. With both cars badly damaged on the grass short of the finish line, Pearson was able to slowly roll to the checkered flag in a high point of his rivalry with Petty.

Screenshot of the video Petty VS Pearson: The 1976 Daytona 500 Petty VS Pearson: The 1976 Daytona 500, NascarAllOut

Jimmy Spencer Vs Kurt Busch I

Jimmy Spencer was a modestly successful older driver on the NASCAR circuit when he clashed with the talented rookie Kurt Busch in the early 2000s. It started in the October 2001 race at Phoenix when Spencer turned Busch into the wall, putting a dent in the rookie’s fine season. But it was only the opening move in the feud.

Kurt Busch wearing a black cap Zach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Jimmy Spencer Vs Kurt Busch II

The Bristol race in the spring of 2002 saw Jimmy Spencer in the lead with 50 laps to go, when suddenly he was bumped aside. As Kurt Busch streaked by, Spencer saw red. Though Spencer was able to finish the race, he vowed to get even with Busch.

Jimmy Spencer while he was an American NASCAR driver. Darryl Moran, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Jimmy Spencer Vs Kurt Busch III

Spencer found his opportunity for revenge and deliberately wrecked Busch during the 2002 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. While Busch made no threats of retaliation, he had choice words for the press after the wipeout, referring to the “has-beens and never-weres” of racing! But that still wasn’t the end of the grudge.

Nascar racer Jimmy Spencer had the Air Force logo painted on both sides of his #12 Zippo William M. Plate Jr., Wikimedia Commons

Jimmy Spencer Vs Kurt Busch IV

Just the sight of Kurt Busch was enough to push Jimmy Spencer over the edge, and this was the case in 2003 after a race in Michigan when Busch ran out of fuel on his way to the garage, blocking the path of Spencer’s hauler. Spencer ran over to Busch’s car and punched Busch in the nose through the open window. Spencer was suspended for a week and Busch put on probation by NASCAR after he mused about flattening Spencer’s fender.

Kurt Busch wearing a pair of glasses NASA/George Shelton, Wikimedia Commons

Tony Stewart Vs Kurt Busch

Kurt Busch also locked horns with Tony Stewart several times over the years, most notably at the Daytona 500. The two wrecked each other in the 2007 race leading to an altercation in pit road afterward. Then in 2008, Busch nudged Penske teammate Ryan Newman ahead of Stewart on the final lap, denying Stewart his best chance to win NASCAR’s flagship race.

Tony Stewart in a white jacket Zach Catanzareti, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Brad Keselowski Vs Kyle Busch

These two stubborn competitors have clashed on the track and in the press repeatedly since 2010 when Keselowski attracted attention from the NASCAR world for his aggressive driving. The two have had numerous bumps and turns into the wall over the years, and nine 1–2 finishes between them, with Keselowski holding a 7–2 advantage.

Driver Kyle Busch at the Battle at the Grove Ted Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Jimmie Johnson Vs Jeff Gordon

The rivalry between these two Hendrick Motorsports teammates was defined by mutual respect and great racing. The pair finished 1–2 in an amazing 11 races between 2003–2011. Highlights include Johnson’s 2007 close win over Gordon at Martinsville, and Gordon’s milestone win over Johnson at Atlanta in 2011 for his 85th career victory.

Jimmie Johnson wearing a black jumpsuit at Bristol Motor Speedway Zach Catanzareti, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Jimmie Johnson Vs Kevin Harvick

Johnson and Harvick had many close struggles on the racetrack as their careers paralleled each other. But the on-track rivalry spilled into the pit area after Johnson collided with Harvick at the 2015 Chicagoland race. As Johnson approached Harvick to talk things over, Harvick punched Johnson. A tense moment, but the hostility between the two never reached that level again.

Kevin Harvick at the FireKeepers Casino 400 Zach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Denny Hamlin Vs Joey Logano

Denny Hamlin has long been a thorn in the side of his fellow NASCAR competitors. Joey Logano is no slouch in that respect either. The two clashed most famously at the 2013 Auto Club 400 when they had a collision on the last lap. Later on in 2019, the two exchanged words after a race at Martinsville.

Denny Hamlin at Talladega Superspeedway Zach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Denny Hamlin Vs Chase Elliott

The popular Chase Elliott first ran afoul of the mercurial Denny Hamlin when Hamlin wrecked Elliott in the closing laps at Martinsville in 2017 to ruin the young driver’s bid for a first win. Elliott got even the following week at the Phoenix race. In 2023, Elliott was suspended for a week when he spun Hamlin out of the Coca-Cola 600 after Hamlin squeezed him to the wall. We probably haven’t heard the last of this rivalry.

Chase Elliott wearing a pair of sunglasses and a cap Zach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Richard Petty Vs Bobby Allison

When Bobby Allison first appeared on the Grand National scene in 1966, Richard Petty was already an established winner with one of the best organized teams in NASCAR. Allison relished his role as underdog, and first got Petty’s notice by beating him in a dirt track race at Savannah, Georgia in 1967. The competition got even more fierce in the early 70s.

NASCAR driver Bobby Allison Robert Alexander, Getty Images

1971: Petty Vs Allison: A Contested Win

While Richard Petty ran away with the season on the track, he also made sure to make the most of every advantage. This became apparent after the race at Bowman Gray that saw Bobby Allison’s win not get recognized in the standings after Petty and others objected to his car. The decision was only reversed 53 years later, shortly before Allison’s passing.

Ona Speedway in 1971 Jgarrett71, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

1972: Petty Vs Allison: A Yearlong Battle

Petty and Allison finished 1–2 in the standings for the year as Allison’s 10 wins and 11 poles fell shy of Petty’s consistent performance. The high point came at North Wilkesboro on October 1, when Allison crashed into Petty and another car to take all three of their cars into the wall, after which Petty crashed into Allison on the last lap to take the win.

Richard Petty in 1973 State Archives of North Carolina Raleigh, Wikimedia Commons

Bobby Allison Vs Darrell Waltrip I

These two raced each other more than 400 times over their careers, and their rivalry dominated NASCAR in the early 80s. An early highlight includes Allison running Waltrip into the wall at the 1979 Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro. Things heated up even more when Waltrip signed with Junior Johnson in 1981 and Allison replaced Waltrip at DiGard racing.

NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip Ted Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Bobby Allison Vs Darrell Waltrip II

Each race of the 1981 Winston Cup season ended up being a confrontation between Allison and Waltrip, who established themselves as the clear frontrunners early on in the year. By the time it was all over, Waltrip had taken the Winston Cup by a margin of only 53 points over Allison, one of the closest margins of victory of all time.

Bobby Allison's 1983 championship NASCAR car Darren, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Bobby Allison Vs Darrell Waltrip III

The 1982 season went very much like the previous year. Bobby Allison had crafted a slim lead for most of the year, but a late-season win at Martinsville brought Darrell Waltrip his 11th win and another close victory over Allison and his amazing eight victories on the year.

Darrell Waltrip, after his 5th place finish in the Atlanta 500 Billferguson, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Bobby Allison Vs Darrell Waltrip IV

Bobby Allison won only six races in 1983, but his more consistent performance finally brought him a win by the amazingly slim margin of 47 points over nemesis Waltrip. Allison was, and remains the oldest driver to win the NASCAR season cup.

Bobby Allison #22 car us44mt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Teammate Rivalries: Mario Andretti Vs Fred Lorenzen

Indy car champ Mario Andretti joined the Holman Moody team in 1966 as a second to team star Fred Lorenzen. At one point, the lack of team support forced Andretti to ask rookie Donnie Allison for help setting up his car! Andretti got the last word, running away with the 1967 Daytona 500, even after pit crews held his car back to give teammate Lorenzen a chance to catch up.

A replica or possibly the original 1965 NASCAR Ford Galaxie Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Teammate Rivalries: Sheldon Creed Vs Austin Hill

Teammates Creed and Hill of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) were both determined to reach the Championship Four round of the 2023 Xfinity series at Martinsville. But when Hill moved ahead of Creed in the late stages, Creed bumped him off the track in an attempt to take first. Creed finished second, meaning that both drivers were eliminated. After a round of recriminations and insults in the media, Creed left RCR.

Sheldon Creed wearing a white cap Zach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Teammate Rivalries: Kyle Busch Vs Denny Hamlin

It’s no surprise that two of NASCAR’s most polarizing figures would end up clashing, even as teammates! The flashpoint was at the 2010 All-Star Race when Denny Hamlin turned Kyle Busch into the wall, ruining what had been a promising race for him. An enraged Busch parked on Hamlin’s space in the pit and waited for him, but Joe Gibbs Racing crews managed to keep the two drivers apart.

Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota FullmentalFic, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Teammate Rivalries: Kevin Harvick Vs Ty Dillon

An age gap between Harvick and Dillon added to the conflict between the two Richard Childress teammates during the 2013 Craftsman Truck season. The tension exploded when Dillon turned Harvick in the late stages at Martinsville. Harvick tried—unsuccessfully—to confront Dillon afterwards, but settled for some choice words to reporters afterwards about Dillon (Richard Childress’ grandson) having “everything fed to him with a spoon!!”

Ty Dillon wearing a pair of sunglasses and a cap Zach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Teammate Rivalries: Chase Elliott Vs Kyle Larson

These two already had a long history of battles when Larson was with Chip Ganassi Racing. When Larson joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2022, they battled just as much as teammates. The highlights included Larson putting Elliott into the wall at the Fontana race, and pushing Elliott wide at Watkins Glen. The two also bumped each other on pit road at the 2023 Kansas City race.

Kyle Larson competing in the 2022 M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 Caleb Spicer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Rusty Wallace Vs Darrell Waltrip

The All-Star race, once known as the Winston, carried a $200,000 prize for the winner. Maybe that explains Rusty Wallace’s decision to spin out leader Darrell Waltrip heading into the final lap of the 1989 race. After the two crews fought in pit lane, Wallace was greeted with a chorus of booing. Wallace later apologized to Waltrip, but he would remain unpopular that year even as he ended up winning the Winston Cup.

Rusty Wallace wearing a pair of sunglasses Darryl Moran, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Rusty Wallace Vs Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon’s dominant run in the 90s didn’t come without making some enemies on-track, and Rusty Wallace fit the bill perfectly. Gordon nudged Wallace to overtake him for a win at Bristol in 1997. Wallace returned the favor at Richmond the following year by knocking Gordon into the wall. Gordon got the last word by grabbing a late win from Wallace at the Bristol Night Race in 2002.

NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace Miller Lite car in 1997 us44mt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Peak Rivalry: Earnhardt Vs Bodine

Dale Earnhardt angered almost every other driver on the grid during his rise to NASCAR greatness, but nobody got into it more with Earnhardt than the original Hendrick driver, Geoff Bodine. It heated up after Bodine won the 1986 Daytona 500, a prize that would elude Earnhardt for many more years. But the rivalry really began in 1987 at the Winston All-Star Race.

NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine waving Darryl Moran, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Earnhardt Pushes Bodine Aside

The $200,000 prize of the Winston All-Star Race always brought aggressive competition, and the 1987 race was no exception. Earnhardt pushed Bodine and Bill Elliott aside to take the win; Bodine was fined $1,000 and placed on a three-week probation. But three weeks was too long for Bodine to wait to get even!

NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine racing in 1985 Ted Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Bodine Wrecks Earnhardt

Ignoring his probation, Bodine wrecked Earnhardt at the Busch series race at Charlotte just a week later. Though he and his Hendrick teammates insisted it was an accident, Bodine was fined $15,000 and was placed on probation for the rest of the season.

Dale Earnhardt looking down, outside his car Darryl Moran, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Earnhardt Vs Bodine: The Conflict Escalates Further

The 1988 NASCAR season brought further escalation of the Earnhardt-Bodine feud, with Earnhardt wrecking Bodine in races on two consecutive days at Charlotte. NASCAR gave Earnhardt a five-lap penalty which his team disputed, but officials had seen enough and brought the two together to mediate an end to the conflict.

Geoff Bodine racing car Ted Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Earnhardt Vs Bodine: The Rivalry That Inspired A Hollywood Classic

Rick Hendrick put Tom Cruise into an Xfinity car during testing at Daytona while the actor was in town for the filming of The Color of Money (1986). Cruise immediately decided that a movie needed to be made, and settled on the Earnhardt-Bodine rivalry as a compelling background theme for Days of Thunder (1990). Though Earnhardt and Bodine never raced their wheelchairs down a hospital corridor, the crazy scene caught the spirit of the rivalry perfectly!

Screenshot of the movie Days of Thunder Paramount, Days of Thunder (1990)

1979: Bobby And Donnie Allison Vs Cale Yarborough

No story of NASCAR rivalries is complete without mentioning the crash and ensuing fistfight on the infield grass featuring Bobby Allison and his brother Donnie against an enraged Cale Yarborough. The fight happened on the last lap at the Daytona 500 in front of national TV cameras, bringing NASCAR a much bigger audience.

Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison RacingOne, Getty Images

What Makes The NASCAR World Go Round

With NASCAR drivers racing side-to-side at 190 mph week after week, rivalries and feuds are inevitable. This list offers only a beginner’s helping of the biggest rivalries in the sport’s history. This year’s NASCAR action is already shaping up to be one of the most closely contested of all time, so grab some popcorn and watch the drama unfold!