Not Your Typical NASCAR Rides: Drivers Who Own Surprising Beaters Off The Track
Do you ever wonder what the world's greatest NASCAR drivers drive when they're not behind the wheel of a race car? Joey Logano and Tony Stewart are renowned for their speed and skill on the track, so you'd expect them to cruise around in flashy sports cars or sleek luxury vehicles. But would you guess that Logano drives a Ford Econoline Van off-track? It's time to put your car-guessing skills to the test and see which unexpected rides these adrenaline junkies come home to!
Keep reading to take an exciting peek at what type of cars some of NASCAR's most talented racers prefer when they're not on the track!
Kyle Petty Knows How To Save Money On Gas
Kyle Petty, one of the greatest NASCAR drivers ever, has retired from racing but his love for cars still remains.
He now drives a Toyota Prius which may not have the power and elegance associated with a legend like him, but it does save him lots of money on gas! His retirement is spent admiring his bank account statement rather than racing to the finish line.
Michael Schumacher Takes Pride In His Fiat Croma
Michael Schumacher is regarded as the greatest Formula One driver of all time, beloved by fans and fellow drivers alike. His impressive car collection includes several Ferraris, but he also owns a less flashy Fiat Croma with a 1.9-liter engine and 150 horsepower.
He enjoys taking it out around town when he isn't keen on using his other cars.
Ken Block Loves His Truck
Ken Block is a professional rally driver for Hoonigan Racing Division and co-founder of DC shoes. He also enjoys snowboarding, skateboarding, and motocross.
His Ford F-150 Raptor is perfect for his active lifestyle as it can get him to wherever he needs to go no matter the weather or road conditions. It's ideal!
Ayrton Senna Liked To Show Off His Mercedes
The Brazilian driver was a legend in the racing community, having won three Formula One World Championships while driving for McLaren. Tragically, he and Roland Ratzenberger lost their lives in an accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
Before this unfortunate event, he loved to show off his 1984 Mercedes Benz 190 E. This car performed well in Europe but sales were low when it reached U.S markets.
Carl Edwards Commutes In A Ford Fusion Hybrid
Carl Edwards is well aware of how much fuel a race car needs. To make up for it, he drives a very efficient Ford Fusion Hybrid in his everyday life. Surprisingly, he also drove the same model on the track for some time.
His most impressive feat didn't happen during a race though - he made front page news when he drove 1445.7 miles on one tank of gas with his beloved hybrid!
Clint Bowyer Is A True Vintage Fan
Clint Bowyer loves his 1934 Chevy Sedan. We don't know what modifications he has done under the hood, but if he is a vintage enthusiast, then likely the original parts are still intact!
It's clear that for Bowyer, old cars can be just as exciting as new ones.
Jarno Trulli Likes To Keep It Small
Hailing from Italy, it's no surprise that former Formula One driver Jarno Trulli drives a Fiat 500 around town. Trulli drove as a Formula One racer from 1997 until 2011. Over the course of his career, he was known for racing for Jordan, Renault, Toyota, Lotus Racing, among others.
Trulli was known for his talent driving, beating other racers with much faster cars than himself. However, these days, the perfect car for him is his Fiat 500, helping him navigate the side streets of Italy.
Nico Rosberg Keeps It Classy In His Benz
Still a young man in his early 30s, Finnish driver Nico Rosberg won the Formula One World Championship in 2016. Then, to the surprise of many fans, he announced his retirement from the sport just days after winning the title.
Luckily for Rosberg, even though he retired, he still kept his relationship with Mercedes, even becoming an ambassador for the company. Because of this relationship, Rosberg can be seen driving around town in his C63 AMG. The car has a 4-liter engine with 469 horsepower.
Jenson Button Enjoyed His Time With His Ferrari 512BB
Formula One driver Jenson Button could have any car that he wanted after winning the Formula World Championship in 2009 while driving for Brawn GP. However, he prefers old cars that are just as fast as some of the new vehicles on the market.
Because of this, he is the proud owner of a 1978 Ferrari 512BB. Only 2,000 units made, the car was designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, as was the first mid-engine road-car made by Ferrari.
Sebastian Vettel Cruises In A Crossover
Sebastian Vettel is a German driver who has won the Formula One World Championship on four separate occasions. Currently, he races for Scuderia Ferrari and has a contract with the company until 2020.
His skills on the track earned him numerous "youngest" records as well as holding the third-most wins in Formula One. However, when he isn't speeding around the track, he prefers to drive his Infiniti FX50, a perfect blend of size and performance.
Ryan Newman Has A Farm Truck
When Ryan Newman needs to get away from everyday life he hops in his Chevy C10 and hits the gas. The car isn't pretty, but it's great for Newman's needs: "It's a farm truck. It’s not perfect. It’s got rust and a gun rack in the back. I call it a beater even though it’s not. I like it just the way it is."
That doesn't mean Newman hasn't upgraded certain parts of the truck. One major upgrade he has admitted to was installing a Turbo 350 transmission.
Bubba Wallace Goes Everywhere With His Ford F-150
It makes sense that Bubba Wallace would drive a truck when he's not zipping around the track in his team sponsored Chevy. Before joining the elite ranks of NASCAR, he drove in the Xfinity Truck Series.
In his spare time, he still drives a Ford F-150, and he can take it anywhere. It might not be as fast as the one he raced in, but it's just as reliable and durable. Since getting behind the wheel of a Chevy, though, we can't help but wonder if a Silverado might be in his future.
Michael Schumacher Owns One Of 38 Ferraris
Driving for Ferrari, Michael Schumacher has earned the car manufacturer several Formula One World Championships. Because of this, it's only appropriate that Schumacher would own a Ferrari 38 FXX himself. The model was built by Ferrari as a track-only prototype and took some of the technology used on the Ferrari Enzo.
Including Schumacher, there are only 38 people who own a Ferrari FXX, with everyone except Schumacher paying $2.6 million for one of them. The vehicle can travel 217 MPH and reaches 60 MPH in just 2.8 seconds.
Chase Elliot Is A Silverado Man
After making history by becoming the first rookie to win a National Series Championship, Chase Elliot didn't splurge on a luxury vehicle. Instead, he bought a 2015 Chevy Silverado and hasn't looked back.
Elliot's Silverado might not be fancy, but is reliable. It's also perfect for any adventure Elliot decides might want to get into. Maybe one day, Bubba Wallace will ask Elliot what he thinks about his Silverado when he starts thinking about buying one of his own.
Jimmie Johnson Saves On Gas In His Chevy Volt
Don't talk bad about the Chevy Volt in front of Jimmie Johnson. He owns one of these electric cars and loves them, "It's a great car to drive and uses a better alternative of power source."
Johnson's love for Chevy goes beyond the Volt. He drives a Chevy during races and has become one of the sports winningest drivers. The car company has treated Johnson incredibly well, so why wouldn't return the favor with amazing brand loyalty?
David Coulthard Cruises Around In A 1971 Mercedes Benz 280
David Coulthard first began racing go-karts before eventually racing in the British Formula Ford Championships. In 2001, while driving for McLaren, he was the runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championships, and after retiring, he worked for Red Bull as a consultant and later an at BBC as a commentator for Formula One.
To get around after his driving days, Coulthard doesn't resort to anything too fancy. Instead, he cruises around in his 1971 Mercedes Benz 280.
Jeff Gordon Has Room For The Whole Family
The former driver turned announcer for NASCAR of Fox, Jeff Gordon is still remembered as one of the greatest race car drivers to ever get behind the wheel. During his career, he was a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion as well as a three-time Daytona 500 winner.
Of course, Gordon has many vehicles in his garage, yet the one he drives the most is his Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV. Not only is it a good car to get around, but he also has a partnership with Chevrolet which helps.
Joey Logano Isn't Winning Fans Over With His Thunderbird
At the start of the century, retro looking cars were all the rage. Ford jumped on the bandwagon and re-introduced the Thunderbird to the world. Joey Logano became a huge fan of the 'old is new again' look. Other consumers didn't.
Another reason Logano loves his Thunderbird is because he proposed to his wife in it, so it must be good luck. This would definitely be the right choice for him to show up at the Daytona 500 in!
Danica Patrick Decided To Treat Herself
The first female racer to in the history of driving to ever win an Indy car race, Danica Patrick has solidified herself as a pioneer in the racing. When she's not speeding through laps on the track, you can catch her zipping around Scottsdale, Arizona in her Lamborghini Gallardo.
However, it turns out that Danica Patrick may have gotten ahead of herself and was caught doing 57 MPH in a 40 zone, resulting in her having to attend traffic school.
Kyle Busch Is A Toyota Loyalist
If you ever see Kyle Busch driving a car not made by Toyota, there is a 100 percent chance it's not actually him. Busch is a loyalist to the company and especially loves the Camry.
Playing for Joe Gibbs Racing, Busch powers a Camry to victory every weekend. And when he leaves the track to go home at night, he gets into another Camry, his commuter Camry. When he really needs to step up his car game, Busch also owns a Lexus LFA, which is made by Toyota.
Danica Patrick Didn't Own A Car When She Was Racing
During Danica Patrick's career two things were certain. First, she would race with more passion than her male competitors. And second, she didn't own a car. For her, it was always easiest to drive whatever Ford gave her.
The most notable car she drove was a Ford Expedition. The unremarkable SUV was the perfect vehicle to get her to the race tack. Once there, she never failed to put on a show and was known as one of the NASCAR's most competitive drivers.
Kyle Busch Doesn't Just Drive Typical Toyotas
Although Kyle Busch may best be known for driving a Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, he does indeed drive other models of cars in his free time. Nicknamed Rowdy, Busch is the youngest pole winner in a Cup Series, which he wone back in 2005.
One of thee cars is the Lexus LFA which takes him around town in style. The car isn't any regular car either, with 552 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transition.
James Hunt Is A Mercedes Man
James Hunt began his career in touring car racing, although he eventually transitioned to Formula One, which he retired from in 1979 after winning the World Drivers' Championship in 1976.
Following his retirement from driving, Hunt took up a career as a media commentator and a businessman. One of the cars that he used after his retirement from Formula One was a Mercedes Benz 450 SEL. According to Auto Classics, he kept the car on bricks because he didn't have the money to maintain it.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Loves His Camaro
A third-generation race car driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is known for his car collection. However, there's a special place in his heart for the 1960s-era Camaros.
His affection for the model can be traced back to his father, who built one of these cars with his own father when growing up. Dale has continued to honor the tradition of having Camaros in the family and likes to speed around in his own 1967 model. Good luck catching him!
Felipe Massa Likes To Go Fast No Matter What
Felipe Massa is a Brazilian race car driver who started competitive racing when he was just eight years old driving go-karts. In 2003, he started his professional career as a test driver for Scuderia Ferrari although he has since left Formula 1 and started to race for Formula E.
While Massa may no longer drive for Ferrari, he definitely kept a Ferarri 599 in his garage for personal use. The car has an impressive 6-liter engine, allowing him to reach 60 MPH in just 3.3 seconds.
Daniel Suarez Gets Around Town In A Camry
When he needs to run errands or head to the track on race day, Daniel Suarez doesn't hop into his Beetle. He gets behind the wheel of his Toyota Camry and takes off for the "office."
The Camry is one of the most reliable cars on the road and nothing like the car Suarez drives on race day. On that day, he gets into his Ford Mustang and stars revving the engine getting ready to win it all for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Eddie Irvine Represents Ferrari Well
Eddie Irvine is a driver from North Ireland who competed as a Formula One driver from 1993 until 2003. He had a successful career, finding himself on the podium for the first time in 1995 and was the runner-up at the 1999 World Drivers' Championship.
For a while, he raced for Jordan before switching to Ferrari in 1996. Although Irvine doesn't drive for Ferrari anymore, he is the owner of a Ferrari 280 GTO. He is one of 271 other owners, as the car was only produced from 1984 until 1987.
Daniel Suarez Loves His Beetle
This isn't the only car that Daniel Suarez owns that you're going to see on this list, but is the oldest. It's also the car that means the most to him. When Suarez made the journey from Mexico to the United States, he was behind the wheel of his Volkswagon Beetle.
As Suarez tells it, the car came close to breaking down several times, but it never quit on him. Since becoming a star in NASCAR, he has fixed up his miracle Beetle, treating it with the same love it showed him all those years ago.
Sir Stirling Moss Has A Souped-Up Ogle Mini
Known in the world of racing driving as the best race car driver to never win a World Championship, Moss was the runner-up for the championship on four occasions and came in third three different years.
However, for his skills behind the wheel, he has been inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Yet, he still likes to be able to go fast of the track with his Ogle Mini, having it turned into an SX1000 for $751 in 1961.
