Racing Legends - The best and greatest racers

1. Dale Earnhardt (1951-2001)- The most celebrated name in North American stock car racing best known as NASCAR.  He won a total of seven championships during his lifetime tied up with Richard Petter for the top spot. The legend died in a crash during the last leg of 2001 Daytona. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the next Daytona race in 2001.

2. Richard Petty- is a reitred Nascar race driver. While his standing is much better at Nascar than Dale Earnhardt, he is not as well known. Nicknamed 'The King' he has won 200 races in his career. Richard Petty has won Daytona a record seven times and won 27 races during 1967 with 10 won consecutively. Petty is one of the few second generation drivers who has bettered their father's standings (Lee Petty). Richard Petty has been criticized for his comments against female drivers in Nascar (Danica Patrick).

3. Dan Gurney-  Winner of Indy Car, Nascar, Can-AM and Trans-AM races, Dan Gurney holds high ranks in the books of racing commuity. Gurney is the first driver to win races in Formula One (1962), NASCAR (1963), and Indy Car (1967). In 1967, after winning the 24 hours of Le Mans together with A.J. Foyt, he spontaneously sprayed champagne while celebrating on the podium. A tradition which has now become part of the racing world.

4. Ayrton Senna: Some say he was so good Formula racing limited his capabilities. A three-time Formula One world champion, he died in a crash while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. In 1988 along with Alain Prost they won a combined 15 of the 16 races with Senna eventually winning the championship. Additionally Senna also holds the record for most wins in Monaco Grand Prix (6).Where's his biography?

5. Juan Manuel Fangio:  Nicknamed 'El Maestro' when the Formula one racing was in its early stages, Juan Manuel Fangio was the name that ruled the roost. He won five Formula One World Driver's Championships — a record which stood for 46 years until eventually beaten by Michael Schumacher — with four different teams (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Maserati), a feat that has not been repeated since.

6. Michael Schumacher: The most celebrated name in kart racing Michael Schumacher has just returned to Formula one racing grid. He is a seven-time World Champion and according to the official Formula One website is "statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen. Surprisingly Schumacher hasnt won a championship since FIA was questioned for Ferrari supporting initiatives. Schumacher announced retirement soon after but has since returned with Mercedez GP achieving a best fourth position and a career low fifteenth.

7. Tommi Makinen: Known as Turbo Tommi, Makinen is one of the most sucessful driver in WRC ranking second in championships (4), tied with Juha Kankkunen and behind Sébastien Loeb (6), and fifth in wins (24). He is a four-time World Rally Champion, continuously throughout 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999, on all occasions driving the Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

 

8. Juha Kankunnen: is a Finnish former rally driver. His factory team career in the World Rally Championship lasted from 1983 to 2002. He won 23 world rallies and four drivers' world championship titles. Kankkunen's achievements outside the WRC include winning the Dakar Rally in 1988 and the Race of Champions in 1988 and 1991. Following his retirement from active rallying, he has worked in the fields of business and politics. Since 2007, Kankkunen holds the world speed record on ice in a Bentley Continental GT.

9. Sebastian Loeb: Sebastien Loeb is a French rally driver currently driving for the Citroen World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship. He is a six-time world champion and holds the record for most wins in the series and most - and tied second most - consecutive wins in a rally season with 6 & 5 (multiple times) respectively.

10. Valentino Rossi:  Rossi is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with 9 Grand Prix World Championships to his name. Rossi is first in all time 500 cc/MotoGP race wins standings, with 78 victories, and second in all time overall wins standings with 104 race wins (behind Giacomo Agostini with 122). Needs a racing game in his name.

11. Giacomo Agostini: Giacomo Agostini is an Italian multi-time world champion Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. Nicknamed Ago, he is the all-time leader in victories in motorcycle Grand Prix history, with 122 Grand Prix wins and 15 World Championships titles

12. Carl Fogarty: Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty is the most successful World Superbike racer of all time in terms of the number of championships and number of race wins. Now retired, he is renowned for his high corner speed riding style, combined with an aggressive competitiveness, which netted him 59 victories and four World Superbike Championships (1994, 1995, 1998 and 1999).

13. Kenny Roberts: Kenneth Roberts is a former motorcycle racer and the first American to win the 500cc Road Racing World Championship.Roberts won two AMA Grand National Championships in 1973 and 1974, three consecutive 500 cc World Championships in 1978, 1979 and 1980 along with three victories at the Daytona 200. He is the father of the 2000 500cc World Champion, Kenny Roberts, Jr., the only father and son duo to have won the title. Roberts is regarded as being one of the first riders to use his knee to balance the bike on the track in corners.

14. N Leelakrishnan: six time INRC champion N Leelakrishnan is one of the drivers with a varied victory record.

15. Naren Kumar: V. R. Naren Kumar is a six-time INRC Rally Champion and Two time runner-up from Coimbatore, India. Currently driving (re-appeared after 4 years) in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship as a privateer (Team Rally India), he is again set to attack the WRC championship (in Groun N Category) driving a factory supported works Subaru Impreza World Rally Car for Team Sidvin India (supported by Four time WRC Rally Champion Tommi Makinen.

Information taken from http://www.wikipedia.com/ and other sources.