Not every NASCAR legend started their Cup career with a flashy Rookie of the Year trophy, but that didn’t stop them from leaving their tire marks all over the history books. Even Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the sport’s biggest stars, didn’t claim the rookie crown. So, who else went from missing out on that early honor to becoming an all-time great? Buckle up—we’re counting down 10 legends who never won Rookie of the Year!

Ranked: 16 Most Handsome and Charming NASCAR Drivers of the Past Ft. Bill Elliott

10 Biggest Legends Who Never Won the Rookie of the Year Ft. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

When your nickname is "Leadfoot," you know you’re bringing the heat. But in 1959, Buddy Baker didn’t snag Rookie of the Year honors—because he had a legend standing in his way. Running just 12 of 44 races, Baker finished 26th in points. Meanwhile, a young upstart named Richard Petty made 21 starts and racked up six top-fives, taking the ROTY crown. Petty went on to win 200 races and seven championships, but Baker still became a superspeedway ace in his own right!

9. Buddy Baker

1. Buddy Baker, 1959

Wendell Scott made history as the first Black driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race, but in 1961, he somehow lost ROTY to Woodie Wilson—a guy who ran just five races that year! Meanwhile, Scott ground out 23 starts and finished 32nd in points. Wilson? He only made 10 career starts, while Scott became a Hall of Famer and a true NASCAR trailblazer.

2. Wendell Scott, 1961

Cale Yarborough didn’t need a rookie trophy to prove he was a future legend. He lost the 1962 ROTY battle to Tom Cox, who ran 42 races that season—only to disappear from NASCAR a year later. Meanwhile, Yarborough went on to win 83 races and three straight championships, making him one of the sport’s all-time greats. That’s what you call playing the long game.

3. Cale Yarborough, 1962

Bobby Isaac had speed to burn, but ROTY wasn’t in the cards for him in 1963. He put up solid numbers—three top-fives and seven top-10s in 27 starts—but lost out to Billy Wade, who had four top-fives and 14 top-10s. Wade’s career was short-lived, while Isaac went on to win 37 races and the 1970 championship. Not bad for a guy who missed out on the rookie prize!

4. Bobby Isaac, 1963

ROTY might be the only thing Darrell Waltrip didn’t win. In 1973, he lost out to Lennie Pond, who ran four more races than him and finished 23rd in points. Waltrip? He went on to rack up 84 wins, three championships, and a whole lot of mic time as a broadcaster. No rookie trophy, but plenty of hardware in the long run!

5. Darrell Waltrip, 1973

Before he became "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville," Elliott was just a rookie getting edged out by Skip Manning. Manning ran 27 races, finished 18th in points, and claimed ROTY. Meanwhile, Elliott only ran eight races in ’76, but he went on to win 44 races, a championship, and set the fastest lap in NASCAR history (212.809 mph at Talladega). Who’s the real winner here?

6. Bill Elliott, 1976

Losing ROTY to Dale Earnhardt isn’t exactly a bad look. That’s what happened to Terry Labonte in 1979, when The Intimidator took home the top rookie honors. But Labonte went on to carve out his own Hall of Fame career, winning two championships (1984, 1996) and becoming one of the most consistent drivers of his era.

12) Terry Labonte (Late HMS Career)

7. Terry Labonte, 1979

Mark Martin put together a strong rookie campaign in 1982—30 starts, two top-fives, and eight top-10s—but the ROTY trophy went to Geoffrey Bodine, who had slightly better numbers. Still, Martin didn’t need it—he went on to become one of the greatest drivers to never win a Cup title, racking up 40 wins and five runner-up points finishes.

8. Mark Martin, 1982

ROTY in 1987 belonged to Davey Allison, but Dale Jarrett didn’t let that slow him down. He might not have taken home the rookie prize, but he built a Hall of Fame career that included 32 wins, the 1999 championship, and three Daytona 500 victories. Not bad for a guy who started out racing for a sewing thread company!

9. Dale Jarrett, 1987

Dale Jr. lost ROTY in 2000 to his good buddy Matt Kenseth, who had a rock-solid season and won the Coca-Cola 600. But Junior had plenty of highlights of his own—two wins, an All-Star Race victory, and a 16th-place points finish. And while Kenseth went on to win a Cup title, Junior became one of NASCAR’s biggest stars ever, thanks to 15 Most Popular Driver awards and two Daytona 500 wins. Rookie trophy? Who needs it when you’re that big of a deal?