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In the early 1980s, Tim Richmond hit the NASCAR circuit and most immediately noticed that he was an outsider. He wasn't your typical good-old-boy driver. Richmond came from money, and he showed it off with his fancy clothes and Hollywood friendships. Richmond—and his crazy antics—brought loads of publicity to NASCAR, which they loved. But when Richmond got a stunning diagnosis, the folks at NASCAR could not get far enough away from their golden boy driver.

Ayrton Senna carries a special mystique with him—and his history of scandals were no match for his utterly tragic end.

Bobby Allison was a NASCAR star from the early 60s through the late 80s—until a series of accidents brought a career wrought with scandal to an end. After his passing in November 2024, we took a look back at the not-so-mundane life of this racing legend.

In 1976, Niki Lauda was infamously trapped in a flaming car and read his last rites. When he returned only weeks later, it seemed like a miracle.

Jeff Gordon may be one of the fastest drivers to ever hit a racetrack, but his life wasn’t always as golden as it seems. He had to overcome the kind of challenges that would’ve probably stopped anyone in their right mind—both before and after becoming one of the biggest winners in NASCAR history.

James Hunt made a name for himself in two places: on the race track and in the bedroom. He lived a hedonistic life that many people would love to replicate. But when middle age came creeping in, Hunt needed a nudge. Advice came from the most unlikely source—but it may have been too late.

“The Intimidator”. “Ironhead”. “The Man in Black”. Those are just a few of the nicknames that NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt earned over the course of his career—along with a staggering 100 cup wins. But his aggressive moves on the track often placed him and his fellow racers in grave danger. Forget victory laps and champagne showers. This cursed rough racer was all about cars and carnage.