Can You Name These '80s NASCAR Racers From a Photo?

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Name These '80s NASCAR Racers From a Photo?
Image: avid_creative / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Can you tell the difference between NASCAR legends like Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, or Tim Richmond and Bobby Allison from a single image? if you consider yourself an expert on all things racing, take our quiz to show off your '80s NASCAR driver IQ!

The '80s was a coming of age period for NASCAR -- a time when this sport grew to the behemoth it is today, on par with other pro sports like football, baseball and basketball. Not only did the fanbase increase substantially during the decade, but the '80s also brought an increased wave of interest from big-name sponsors, resulting in a sport that was flush with money. 

The cars themselves also went through a big change; new technology meant that smaller cars could travel just as fast and incorporate just as much power as the larger rides of the '70s.

And while old favorites like Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough still got in plenty of laps, the '80s also brought fresh faces like the legendary Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace, along with countless others. The introduction of the iconic Winston series in 1985 meant even more shots at a win for these drivers, and more excitement for fans.

Think you can recognize the biggest stars of the era from a single picture? Prove it with this quiz!

1 FOX Dale Earnhardt
FOX / YouTube
Who is this '80s NASCAR star?
Dale Earnhardt
Buddy Arrington
Tighe Scott
A.J. Foyt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dale Earnhardt made his NASCAR debut at the World 600 in 1975. The '80s found him winning the Winston Cup Series Champsionship three times, and famously swapping his blue and yellow car for the black paint job that became his trademark. The legendary #3 was killed in an accident on the track in 2001 at Daytona.

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2 CBS Tim Richmond
CBS / YouTube
Name this NASCAR legend.
Al Unser
Kyle Petty
Darrell Waltrip
Tim Richmond
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tim Richmond started the '80s winning the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Award. He won countless races throughout the decade, and even appeared in a pair of films before passing away in 1989.

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3 TNT Rusty Wallace
TNT / YouTube
Which '80s NASCAR driver is shown here?
Bobby Allison
Rusty Wallace
Richard Petty
Mario Andretti
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rusty Wallace finished 2nd in his NASCAR debut at the 1980 Atlanta 500. The charismatic driver also raced his way to the 1989 Winston Cup Series championship title at the end of the decade.

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4 ABC Cale Yarborough
ABC / YouTube
Who is the NASCAR icon shown in the image?
Cale Yarborough
David Pearson
Terry Labonte
Emerson Fittipaldi
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cale Yarborough has the honor of being only the second race car driver in history to appear on the cover of "Sports Illustrated." He won four Daytona 500 races, including back-to-back in 1983 and 1984, then retired in 1986.

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5 NASCAR Terry Labonte
NASCAR / YouTube
Can you name this NASCAR driver from a single image?
Jimmy Mears
Richard Petty
Terry Labonte
Bobby Allison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1984, Terry Labonte was the Winston Cup Series champ. That same year, he guest starred as a member of a pit crew on "The Dukes of Hazzard." He went on to win the Winston in 1988 and the IROC championship in 1989.

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6 Buddy Arrington
nutty.archives / YouTube
Think you know the name of this NASCAR driver?
A.J. Foyt
Kyle Petty
Cale Yarborough
Buddy Arrington
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chrysler-devotee Buddy Arrington ran more than 500 races during a 25-year career -- but never won a single event. His best finish came in 1979, when he finished third at Talladega. He retired from the sport in 1988.

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8 TNN Buddy Baker
TNN / YouTube
Remember the name of this driver?
Richard Petty
David Pearson
Dale Earnhardt
Buddy Baker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Buddy Baker's racing career spanned four decades, from the late '50s to early '80s. He won both the 1980 Daytona 500 and Winston 500, and was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1995.

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9 Kyle Petty
Tyler Crouch / YouTube
Know the name of the NASCAR icon?
Bobby Allison
Kevin Cogan
Kyle Petty
Terry Labonte
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kyle Petty competed in more than 800 races in his 30-year career, which lasted from 1979 to 2008. He won the 1986 Miller High Life 400 at Richmond, and had more than 170 top tens over his career.

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10 TNN Jimmy Means
TNN / YouTube
Try to name this NASCAR driver.
Cale Yarborough
Jimmy Means
Al Unser
Bobby Allison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jimmy Means had 17 top tens during a racing career than lasted from 1976 to 1993. After retiring, he founded Means racing and spent time as a NASCAR crew chief.

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11 bill elliot
NASCAR / YouTube
Can you name the NASCAR star shown here?
Bill Elliott
John Anderson
Tighe Scott
Neil Bonnett
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bill Elliott set qualifying records at both Daytona and Talladega in 1987. The next year, he was the Winston Cup champion. He also came out on top at the Daytona 500 in 1985 and again in 1987.

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12 TNN Darrell Waltrip
TNN / YouTube
Pick the name of the driver shown in this image.
Bobby Allison
A.J. Foyt
Darrell Waltrip
Kyle Petty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Darrell Waltrip won a whopping three NASCAR cup series in 1981, 1982 and 1985. He was also the winner at the 1989 Daytona 500 -- and the runner-up in 1983 and 1986.

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13 NASCAR Bobby Allison
NASCAR / YouTube
Who is this '80s racer?
Mario Andretti
Bobby Allison
Terry Labonte
Neil Bonnett
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bobby Allison was the Daytona 500 winer in 1978, 1982 and 1988. He also won the WInston Cup championship in 1983. Allison was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992.

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14 Richard Petty
Donut Media / YouTube
Name this NASCAR legend.
Emerson Fittipaldi
Slick Johnson
Richard Petty
Bobby Allison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Richard Petty -- the King -- won more than 200 races in a career that spanned 1958 to 1992. He won the Daytona 500 a whopping seven times, including in 1981.

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15 ESPN Harry Gant
ESPN / YouTube
Guess who this NASCAR driver is.
Cale Yarborough
Rusty Wallace
A.J. Foyt
Harry Gant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Harry Gant, nicknamed Handsome Harry, drove the #33 Skoal Bandit car in the '80s. He was the 1984 and 1991 Southern 500 winner, as well as the 1985 IROC champ.

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16 Johnny Rutherford
MAVTV / YouTube
What is the name of this driver from '80s NASCAR?
David Pearson
Darrell Waltrip
Johnny Rutherford
Dale Earnhardt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Johnny Rutherford started off the '80s with a victory at the 1980 Indy 500 -- his third at the event. He was also the 1980 Indycar World Series Champ, and won the 1986 Michigan 500.

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17 ESPN bobby unser
ESPN / YouTube
Choose the correct name for this NASCAR driver.
Terry Labonte
Bobby Unser
John Anderson
Richard Petty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bobby Unser came from a big family of race car drivers. He won the Indy 500 three times, in 1968, 1975 and 1981 -- though a major controversy over his '81 win led him to retire soon after the event.

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18 Gordan Johncock
MotorsportsHistoryTV / YouTube
Match this driver to the correct name.
Gordan Johncock
Kevin Cogan
Slick Johnson
Cale Yarborough
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Known to fans as Gordy, Gordon Johncock raced to victory at the 1973 and 1982 Indy 500. In 1999, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

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19 Geoff_Bodine_on_USS_Nimitz
Wiki Commons by United States Navy, Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kristen Allen
Remember the name of this '80s NASCAR driver?
Kyle Petty
Al Unser
Geoffrey Bodine
Bobby Allison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Geoffrey Bodine had great success in the '80s. He was named 1982 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year. He won the 1986 Daytona 500, then became the IROC champ in 1987.

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20 TomSneva
Wiki Commons by Ted Van Pelt
Can you name this NASCAR star?
Tom Sneva
Rusty Wallace
Dale Earnhardt
Geoffrey Bodine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nicknamed The Gas Man, Tom Sneva was a math teacher before moving into racing. He is famous for a fiery crash at the 1975 Indy 500. The crash didn't stop Sneva, who went on to win the race in 1983.

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21 Jody Ridley
NASCAR / YouTube
Match this NASCAR driver to his name.
Terry Labonte
Richard Petty
Jody Ridley
Mario Andretti
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jofy Ridley raced in 140 events between 1973 and 1989, achieving more than 50 top ten finishes. He was named the Winston Cup Rookie of the Year in 1980.

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22 Cecil Gordan
nutty.archives / YouTube
Remember the name of this '80s NASCAR driver?
David Pearson
Tighe Scott
Darrell Waltrip
Cecil Gordon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cecil Gordon participated in around 450 NASCAR events between 1968 and 1985. Though he never won a major race -- he had an average finish of around 17th place - he did score more than 110 top ten finishes.

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23 ESPN Danny Sullivan
ESPN / YouTube
Match this NASCAR driver to his name.
Cale Yarborough
Danny Sullivan
Buddy Arrington
Bobby Allison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Danny Sullivan came in 29th place at the 1984 Indy 500 -- then came back to win the event the next year. He later competed in the Winston Cup Series in the '90s.

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25 NeilBonnett1985
Wiki Commons by Ted Van Pelt
Remember the name of this driver?
Neil Bonnett
Dale Earnhardt
Kevin Cogan
Terry Labonte
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Neil Bonnett took part in NASCAR from the mid-'70s to the mid-'90s, coming in within the top 10 more than 150 times. He won the 1988 Goodyear NASCAR 500 in Australia, and had a role in the 1990 flick "Days of Thunder."

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26 TNT Benny Parsons
TNT / YouTube
Can you ID this '80s NASCAR star?
Benny Parsons
John Anderson
Al Unser
Geoffrey Bodine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Benny Parsons was the 1973 Winston Cup winner, and also won the 1980 Daytona 600. In 2017, Parsons was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

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27 Fittipaldi_-_El_Gráfico_2834_2
Wiki Commons
Match this driver to the correct name.
Terry Labonte
Emerson Fittipaldi
Bobby Allison
Richard Petty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi started his career racing motorcycles as a teen. He won the Indy 500 in 1989 and again in 1993, and was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2001.

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28 Michael Andretti
inglewood63 / YouTube
Who is this '80s NASCAR star?
Slick Johnson
David Pearson
Darrell Waltrip
Michael Andretti
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The son of legend Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti had a successful racing career of his own. He was named the 1984 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, and came in second at the event in 1991.

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29 Bobby Rahaal
ABC / YouTube
Can you name this NASCAR star?
Cale Yarborough
Mario Andretti
Bobby Rahal
Buddy Arrington
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Robby Rahal won the 1986 Indy 500 as a driver, then won the event again as a team owner when driver Buddy Rice brought his car across the finish line ahead of the pack in 2004.

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30 ESPN Roberto Guerrero
ESPN / YouTube
Try to name this NASCAR driver.
Roberto Guerrero
Rusty Wallace
Kyle Petty
Bobby Allison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Colombia native Roberto Guerrero was named 1984 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. Despite a 1987 racing wreck that put him into a 17-day long coma, he came back to finish second at the Indy 500 twice during the '90s.

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31 ESPN Rick Mears
ESPN / YouTube
Can you name this NASCAR driver from a single image?
Geoffrey Bodine
Kevin Cogan
Tighe Scott
Rick Mears
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nicknamed Rocket Rick, RIck Mears won the Indy 500 four times -- in 1979, 1984, 1988 and 1991. He was also the Indycar World Series Champ in 1979, 1981 and 1982. Mears retired from racing in 1992.

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33 John Anderson
NascarAllOut / YouTube
Choose the correct name for this NASCAR driver.
Rusty Wallace
John Anderson
Darrell Waltrip
Richard Petty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Anderson drove in 32 races over a five-year period between 1979 and 1983, with a top finish of fifth place. Sadly, he was killed in an auto accident on a North Carolina highway in 1986.

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34 Dick May
racersreunion / YouTube
Think you know the name of this NASCAR driver?
Geoffrey Bodine
Bobby Allison
Dick May
Buddy Arrington
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dick May drove in more than 185 races between 1967 and 1985, but also spent many years racing on dirt tracks, rather than asphalt. He was inducted into the Dirt Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007.

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35 Al Unser
Wiki Commons
Know the name of the NASCAR icon?
Al Unser
Dale Earnhardt
Terry Labonte
Richard Petty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Al Unser comes from a family of racers, so it's no surprise he won the Indy 500 an incredible four times -- in 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987. Between 1965 and 1993, he drove in more than 300 events.

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37 Donnie Allison
nutty.archives / YouTube
Pick the name of the driver shown in this image.
Donnie Allison
Bobby Allison
Darrell Waltrip
Geoffrey Bodine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The brother of NASCAR legend Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison was the 1970 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. After a career that spanned three separate decades, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2009.

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39 AJ Foyt
champcar4ever / YouTube
Who is this '80s racer?
A.J. Foyt
Tighe Scott
David Pearson
Darrell Waltrip
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A.J. Foyt won the Indy 500 in 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977. He also came in first at the Daytona 500. Foyt was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2000.

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40 MarioAndretti
Stuart Seeger / YouTube
What is the name of this driver from '80s NASCAR?
Cale Yarborough
Richard Petty
Mario Andretti
Bobby Allison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Italian Mario Andretti was a midget and sprint racer, with lots of success in Formula One and Indycar before moving into NASCAR. He won the Daytona 500 in 1967, and scored a victory at the Indy 500 two years later.

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avid_creative / E+ / Getty Images