Some NASCAR drivers began their careers in other sports, which may surprise casual spectators. Formula 1 and Motocross are two examples. In light of this, we examine the top seven drivers that switched from another sport to NASCAR.
Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 Formula 1 World Champion, moved to NASCAR under Project91, a Trackhouse Racing endeavor. Driving the TM91 Chevrolet Camaro, he participated in his debut NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International in August 2022. He started the race in the front group and even made it to the top 10, however a crash terminated his race and he finished in 37th place.
2011 saw Räikkönen compete in two NASCAR races: the Nationwide Series event at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Texas race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He came in fifteenth and twenty-seventh, respectively. Räikkönen is the first driver in Project91, which aims to draw in more racers from around the globe to NASCAR competitions.
The legendary motocross racer Travis Pastrana made the decision to try something different in his racing career and move to NASCAR. 2011 saw him participate in NASCAR following his partnership with Michael Waltrip to launch the Pastrana-Waltrip Racing. In 2012, Pastrana made his debut in stock car racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Despite facing challenges during the season, he managed to finish in the top ten.
In 2023, Pastrana returned to the NASCAR spotlight as he attempted to earn a spot in the Daytona 500 with the 23XI Racing team, which Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan co-owned.