While Dale Earnhardt Jr and Chase Elliott might be the popular faces of NASCAR today, the first decade of NASCAR fans will have a different name to call a legend.
Considered to be NASCAR’s first superstar, what is even more surprising is that Roberts Jr never won the Cup Series.
“One of the first guys—maybe the first—to become a big winner by using brains and discipline as well as bravery and extra skill levels. When asphalt tracks arrived, Fireball [Roberts Jr.] recognized the technique was different and adapted to it in a very thoughtful and calculated way, as well as using the skills that take you far in dirt track racing.”
Roberts Jr’s moniker came as a result of his baseball pitches in childhood. As the story goes, Roberts pitched to his friend, and as soon as his friend caught it – he exclaimed “Fireball!”. That stuck.