Richie Evans vs David Pearson: NASCAR’s 64 Greatest Drivers Match Up

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

16 Responses to “Richie Evans vs David Pearson: NASCAR’s 64 Greatest Drivers Match Up”

1. okla21fan on March 25th, 2009 1:03 pm

   no brainer

   Pearson

2. Marc on March 25th, 2009 3:42 pm

   David Pearson

3. Charlie Turner on March 25th, 2009 4:31 pm

   Pearson. Barely.

4. 4ever3 on March 25th, 2009 8:53 pm

   Pearson.

5. Steve Wronkowicz on March 25th, 2009 11:17 pm

   Pearson had it all. He still might.

6. Spaceman on March 26th, 2009 7:26 am

   The Silver Fox (Pearson)

7. Matt Mercer on March 27th, 2009 11:35 pm

   David Pearson.

8. Jason on April 2nd, 2009 4:29 pm

   Anyone voting for David Pearson clearly never saw Richie race. Richie could beat anyone anywhere in any car. Period, so yes it is a no brainer. Evans.

9. John Douglas Jr. on July 2nd, 2009 9:21 pm

   as jason said Richie Evans could beat anyone any where. my father helped build his first car the green #109 (google image). Induct Evans into the NASCAR Hall of Fame!!!!! better than petty or pearson. “The Rapid Roamn” all the way

10. Chris Lacey on July 3rd, 2009 1:45 pm

    Yes I have an opinion but what are the facts? What is Pearson’s short track record? Most of what I’ve heard of him is on super speedways and most of Richie’s career was on short tracks. Although he did win at Daytona two years in a row. Being from NY and watching the orange 61 in the mid 70s as a 8 year old I’m going with Richie….he either broke or won. He didn’t break often.

11. gary wilson on August 17th, 2009 11:42 am

    richie was the best ever richie no brainer

12. Joe Hart on August 21st, 2009 6:16 am

    Richie Evans…but close. Pearson was great when he was in the best equipment, but a bit less in lesser equipment. Evans was the best modified driver in history, his win at Martinsville over G.Bodine was the greatest driving exhibition I’ve ever seen in 40 years.

13. thomas j. flynn on October 16th, 2009 6:11 am

    richie without any doubt at all. the greatest driver in all of motorsports.although this is not a popularity contest, nascar fails to recognize modified stock cars. this really annoys me because modifieds are nascars oldest division. shame on you nascar.

14. thomas j. flynn on October 16th, 2009 6:23 am

    also i completely agree with chris lacey & john douglas jr. i was fortunate to talk to ritchie and watched him race in ct. pa. n.y. & n.j. on numerous occaisions. he would get his car out there and set a blistering pace. you had to see it to believe it. he ran a long and grueling schedule. he was a tough act to follow. very sadly missed.

15. Robert Wilson on October 25th, 2009 2:26 pm

    For 25 years I worked on a modified own by Carl Zeh his drivers included Jim Malone, Don Howe, Frank Curtis, Charile J. and Richie Evans. During his life time many want Richie to go south and race Cup. The problem was that Richie would have had to take a cut in pay, he was mking more money on the short tracks than the cup driver were making. The super speedway modified Richie and Billy design and built with Tom Piston was the forerunner of the current Cup chassie, that car was never beaten. Richie was the person that came up with the idea of shifting at Pocono, Richie and Billy were the first to hand fabrocate bodies. In the early seventies when torshone bars were being use in all forms of stockcar racing it was Richie who told Richard Petty about Bud Wiggens. Richie beat all of the cup driver on a regular bases. Billy after Richies death was the crew chief for 3 Bush Championships. It was Billy and Richie that tought Ray Everham about setting up race cars. Russ Walaces said that he meassured weather Rusty was ready to become a pro race driver by how well he proformed when racing Richie in Daga. Richie did it all and contrubuted more to cup racing than any cup driver. I love David Pearson but who but Richie won a race with no wheels left on the car at Martinvillie? Richie is the greates driver in NASCAR history and was the first drive Rick Hendrick approuched when starting his team.

16. Jim Caruso on February 9th, 2010 10:32 am

    Richie Evans was the greatest driver in NASCAR history. Maybe the best mechanic too. I would put Foyt up there and Bentley Warren too.

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