Everybody likes a good video. In the spirit of this year’s NASCAR Playoffs, we’ve assembled and ranked the greatest random videos from YouTube starring each of the 16 championship contenders for your viewing pleasure.
16: Ryan Blaney
Watch Ryan Blaney attempt to provide a commercial voiceover for Blaney’s Balloons on NASCAR.com’s Glass Case of Emotion podcast. He does have that dreamy radio voice, after all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZzYDpkUV9E
15: Joey Logano
While Joey Logano looked like a solid bet to win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2014, lapped car Morgan Shepherd had other plans, accidentally sliding up into Logano and ending his race. You don’t see that every day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH3T-m6ArjU
14: Martin Truex Jr.
In this old NASCAR commercial, we learn Martin Truex Jr.’s true identity once he removes his … uhh, mask?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i98loi3oRcQ
13: Clint Bowyer
Clint Bowyer gets some mid-race advice from a fan during this NASCAR Fantasy Live commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8461WtvyIw
12: Aric Almirola
Many forget Aric Almirola held a longstanding rivalry against his eventual teammate, now-retired Brian Scott.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOjMD6o8Po8
11: Erik Jones
Woo! How about this video, boys and girls? Even though it occurred just months ago, Erik Jones’ post-win interview at Daytona was a memorable one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QckOQMl2DAQ
10: Kyle Larson
When Kyle Larson scored his first NASCAR national series victory in the Camping World Truck Series at Rockingham in 2013, he performed an impressive burnout – holding his steering wheel out the window as his car burned donuts into the frontstretch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DLW-wIa_z4
9: Kevin Harvick
Did you know Kevin Harvick was in a commercial that featured Stephen Colbert? Yep – in 2003, then-future The Late Show with Stephen Colbert star sought the elusive Mr. Goodwrench, back when Harvick raced for Richard Childress Racing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSBaCbfuNr4
8: Austin Dillon
After Austin Dillon won a Camping World Truck Series race at Nashville, his attempt to slide across the infield grass on his stomach didn’t go precisely as planned – but, hey, when you win a race, it’s hard to look bad, no matter how you celebrate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJieoTmy5fM
7: Chase Elliott
2007 might not seem like a long time ago (well, for some of us), but in this interview, budding racer Chase Elliott expresses his bandolero racing success at age 11 – and you might feel old now knowing he’s racing for a Monster Energy Cup Series championship today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo4wRjiyqXc
6: Kurt Busch
“Dip? I’m racing neck-and-neck and that’s all you can think about is dip?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXPZsU2If8Y
5: Jimmie Johnson
The Lowe’s “Boom! Confetti!” commercial has reached iconic levels of meme fame.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rVsvVub05Q
4: Denny Hamlin
During driver introductions in the 2012 Bristol Night Race, Denny Hamlin showed off his dance moves. Denny delivered quite a wobble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYBcNnKvqUc
3: Brad Keselowski
In a series of commercials for sponsor Miller Lite, Brad Keselowski answered fan questions. In this one, geared around racing superstitions, Brad showed off a very special voodoo doll resembling a certain competitor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2rqdoJZMR0
2: Kyle Busch
In this commercial for Toyota’s promotion giving fans carte blanche to design their drivers’ paint schemes, Kyle Busch put aside his usual tough-guy persona to ask us all, “Who doesn’t like kittens, bunnies, and little baby seals?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYXiwlDBCZc
1: Alex Bowman
It’s hard to watch this video just once. When Alex Bowman’s car erupted in flames at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2015 (long before he’d become a rookie competing for the championship, of course), his afternoon quickly soured even further when the track safety crew experienced a slight mishap when extinguishing the fire. Bowman’s reactions as he watches his car burn are priceless every time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J1L4Xm8VYc