It may surprise casual fans, but some NASCAR drivers started their careers in other sports. Including Motocross and Formula 1. With that in mind, we take a look at the seven best drivers who made the jump to NASCAR from a different sport.
7. Kimi Räikkönen
Previous Sport: Formula 1
2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen, switched to NASCAR through the Trackhouse Racing’s Project91 initiative. His first NASCAR Cup Series race was at Watkins Glen International in August 2022 driving the №91 Chevrolet Camaro. While he was in the leading pack in the first half of the race and even reached the top 10, his race ended after a crash and finished in 37th position.
Räikkönen also raced in NASCAR previously in 2011 with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series joining the Texas race and the Nationwide Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His results were 15th and 27th respectively. Project91 is designed to attract other racers from around the world to participate in NASCAR events and Räikkönen is the first driver in the program.
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6. Travis Pastrana
Previous Sport: Motocross
Travis Pastrana, the motocross legend, decided to switch to NASCAR to try something new in his racing career. He was enlisted in NASCAR in 2011 after joining hands with Michael Waltrip and starting the Pastrana-Waltrip Racing. It was in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2012 that Pastrana took his first steps on stock car racing and though it was a tough season, he was able to complete the season with a top-10 finish.
Pastrana was back in the NASCAR limelight in 2023 as he tried to qualify for the Daytona 500 with the 23XI Racing team, co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan.
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5. J.J. Yeley
Previous Sport: USAC
J.J. Yeley switched from USAC (United States Auto Club) to NASCAR and met varying levels of success there. Before joining NASCAR in 2004, Yeley had a very successful career in USAC where he won the ‘Triple Crown’ of National Sprint, Silver Crown, and National Midget Series in 2003.
He first drove for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Busch Series and the Nextel Cup Series. However, Yeley faced some challenges in his career such as inconsistent performance and changes in the team. But, he did not lose his spirit and he continued to race in different NASCAR series such as the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series for different teams.
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4. Danica Patrick
Previous Sport: IndyCar
One of the biggest turning points in Danica Patrick’s racing career was her move from IndyCar to NASCAR. In 2008, Danica Patrick set a record for being the first woman to win the Indy Japan 300 in an Indy car race. After that, she shifted to the NASCAR series in 2010. She began racing with the ARCA Series and then went on to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
In 2012, Patrick signed with Stewart-Haas Racing to run a partial schedule in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and went full schedule the following year. Patrick made history by being the first woman in history to take the pole position and lead the Daytona 500. Overall she record seven top-ten finishes.
3. A.J. Allmendinger
Previous Sport: Champ Car
A. J. Allmendinger switched from Champ Car to NASCAR after gaining success in open-wheelers with five victories and a third-place result in the 2006 Champ Car standings. He joined Red Bull Racing in NASCAR in 2007 and had some difficulties at the beginning but got gradually better.
Allmendinger entered full-time Cup Series racing with Richard Petty Motorsports in 2009, and he finished in the top five at the Daytona 500. His hard work paid off and in 2014, he secured his first Cup Series race win at Watkins Glen and got himself qualified for the NASCAR Playoffs.
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2. Juan Pablo Montoya
Previous Sport: Formula 1
Juan Pablo Montoya raced in Formula 1 before moving to NASCAR in 2006. Racing in F1, he had seven wins to his name and had placed third twice in the championship. But Montoya decided to switch to NASCAR in 2006.
Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, he started to make an impression by winning on-road circuits, which he mastered due to his F1 road racing background. He had some great performances like the win in Sonoma Raceway in 2007 and Watkins Glen in 2010. Nevertheless, Montoya had problems with the results and, in general, had more DNFs than others. But he remained in the series and drove until he decided to step out of the series in 2014.
1. Tony Stewart
Previous Sport: IndyCar
Tony Stewart’s switching from IndyCar racing to NASCAR was due to his desire for more racing opportunities. Stewart won the IRL championship in 1997 and began his NASCAR career in 1999 driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. It was not long before his adaptability and talent manifested themselves.
Indeed, in his debut year, Stewart won three races and was the ‘Rookie of the Year’ winner. He later was able to achieve three NASCAR Cup Series titles in 2002, 2005, and 2011. That made him the only driver in history to win championships in both IndyCar and NASCAR.