10 Most Notorious NASCAR Drivers Ever

Most Notorious NASCAR Drivers Ever

Dale Sr. and Co

10. Carl Edwards

Forever linked to his feuds with Brad Keselowski, especially the infamous Atlanta and Gateway incidents that crossed the line from hard racing to revenge.

9. Darrell Waltrip

A master trash-talker whose confidence and mouth made him one of the most disliked drivers of the 1980s — until winning changed his image.

8. Denny Hamlin

Never afraid to speak his mind, feud publicly, or embrace the villain role — especially with fans who boo him louder every season.

7. Rusty Wallace

Hyper-aggressive in his prime, Wallace earned a reputation for retaliation and fierce rivalries that defined 1990s NASCAR.

6. Kevin Harvick

Nicknamed “The Closer,” Harvick’s icy attitude and willingness to wreck rivals made him feared and respected.

5. Joey Logano

Modern NASCAR’s most polarizing driver — aggressive, unapologetic, and constantly accused of racing with zero mercy.

4. Kyle Busch

Raw emotion, public meltdowns, radio rants, and wins everywhere — Busch leaned into the villain role like no one else.

3. Kurt Busch

Explosive temper, garage confrontations, suspensions, and comebacks — chaos followed him everywhere early in his career.

2. Tony Stewart

Blunt, volatile, and unfiltered. Stewart’s on-track rage and off-track controversies made him NASCAR’s most combustible star.

1. Dale Earnhardt

“The Intimidator.” Ruthless, fearless, and unapologetic. Earnhardt made enemies weekly — and built NASCAR’s most iconic legacy doing it.