In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select the "50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time". It was inspired in part by the
NBA's decision to select the
50 Greatest Players in NBA History on its 50th anniversary in 1996. An independent group of 51 individuals representing various NASCAR roles were asked to give their objective and educated opinions on who the 50 greatest drivers in NASCAR history were. The living members of this group were honored on February 15, 1998 during pre-race festivities for the
1998 Daytona 500 at
Daytona International Speedway. In 2023, as part of its 75th anniversary celebration, NASCAR announced it would add 25 names to the list, bringing the total to 75. == NASCAR's Greatest Drivers ==