In every sport, there are the people who lead it, and have influenced it. And There are also place that influence sports. For a special mid-week article, I thought I’d list my top-10 most influential people and places in Nascar history, for both good and bad.

10: The Busch’s: Why start here? About five years ago, some would say the Busch’s were the worst thing that happened to Nascar. But they have brought something to the sport which few have: pure skill and no fear of consequences. Kurt Busch is the elder, and he has always been one of Nascar’s most fiery drivers. But he’s shown that no matter the car, he can run it up front. While his influence on Nascar isn’t the best, he has helped keep the bad boys in Nascar. Brother Kyle is undoubtedly the better of the two. Kyle is quite literally one of the best racers in Nascar. At 30, he has well over 100 wins in Nascar, and in various cars. He is well on track to breaking the record for the most Nascar wins: 200. Both Busch’s have left and are still leaving their mark on Nascar, and they are going to continue to do so.

9: Cale Yarborough: Cale Yarborough has to be one of the best things that happened to Nascar. He proved that an open wheel driver can win in Nascar, something which led to many open wheel drivers trying stock car racing, and putting the eyes of America on Nascar. And in the first televised Daytona 500, his last lap battle and wreck while racing for the win drew much attention to Nascar. And the fight that occurred between him and the Allison gang afterwards led to even more attention. Cale was definitely a great influence on the sport.

8: Darlington: Darlington. The lady in black. The track that is known as to tough to tame. Darlington has been in Nascar since the beginning, and has always been a track that drivers circle on their list. Whether you love the track or hate it, Darlington is the track that you want to win at, not just because it’s old, but because of the history there. Standing in victory lane, you are standing where the greats, like Richard Petty, Darrel Waltrip, and Jeff Gordon to name a few, have all stood before. It is truly one of Nascar’s greatest locations. Also, it is one of the last connections to the original form of Nascar.

7: Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie Johnson is one of the greatest racers in Nascar. 6 championships, 77 wins, and 2 Daytona 500s. But while those are great achievements, they are not why he is on this list. It is actually the negative affect he had on Nascar that helped him make this list. His constant winning between 2006 and 2013 was impressive, but his methods of winning did not appeal to fans. Johnson was so dominate, week in week out, that fans began to leave the sport. Every year fans would dream of a new champion, only to see Johnson win again, usually by an unbearable margin. So yes, he is a great racer, but his effect on the sport has not actually been a positive one.

6: Tony Stewart: Tony Stewart is retiring at the end of this year, but he will remain in the sport as a team owner at Stewart-Hass Racing, which has become one of Nascar’s best teams. Stewart started in Indy Car, but in 1999 Joe Gibbs Racing lured him to Nascar. Then Stewart changed Nascar. He, as a rookie, won 3 races, a record for rookies. and he became one of the few open wheel drivers to succeed in Nascar. This not only changed how fans looked at rookies, but it showed that open wheel drivers could still make it in Nascar. Also, Stewart’s pure skill and willingness to use his bumper brought plenty of excitement to the sport.

5: The Earnhardt’s: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Sr. will always be two of Nascar’s biggest figures. Earnhardt Sr. was one of only two drivers to win 7 championships, and his aggressive driving style earned him the nickname ‘The Intimidator.’ Also, his tragic death in a last lap accident in the 2001 Daytona 500 led to some serious attempts at improving safety. As for the younger Earnhardt, his influence has been more on the popularity front. He has won Nascar’s most popular driver award for over a decade straight, and just about anything Jr. says is important to fans. These two have definitely had a huge effect on the sport.

4: The Petty’s: I say the Petty’s but really I’m focused on two in particular. The first is Lee Petty, the father of this racing family. Lee was a moonshiner, and one heck of a driver. He was Nascar’s first three time champion, and he was the first to reach 50 wins. Few drivers have driven like him. Unfortunately, his career was shortened due to an accident at Daytona, which thankfully wasn’t fatal. But his son, Richard, was the family’s true star. Richard won 200 races, seven championships, and 7 Daytona 500s. No one else even comes close. Petty was truly the King of Nascar, and he was nicknamed just that. No one ever will accomplish what Petty did, and that in and of itself is mind blowing.

3: Jeff Gordon: The Wonder Boy. That’s what Dale Earnhardt Sr. called him. Gordon was without a doubt the most modern driver who raced in the older era. Gordon started out in 1993, a time when Nascar was slowly changing. Gordon was the one who guided Nascar into the modern world. He not only was an amazing driver, (with 93 wins and 4 championships), but he also always made sure to connect with the outside world, aiding those in need and gradually gaining Nascar popularity. Also, he brought Jimmie Johnson to the sport, which certainly affected the sport. Some would say Rick Hendrick deserves this spot, but without Gordon, Hendrick would have been no one.

2: Daytona International Speedway: Ah Daytona. Daytona is to Nascar what Indianapolis Motor Speedway is to all racing. The pinnacle. The ultimate goal. The white whale. Daytona is Nascar’s crown jewel, and a win in the season opening Daytona 500 it is the ultimate accomplishment. More than one driver would choose winning the Daytona 500 over a championship. I would. To have my name forever engraved on that trophy, and to see it alongside the names of so many legends, is just beyond anything else. Daytona will forever be Nascar’s Indy. It is a track where tragedy, success, and elation have all been glimpsed. So many have left here with defeat, while so few walk away with victory. But for the select few to claim that victory, it’s pure joy. NO other race processes such worth.

1: Bill ‘Big Bill’ France Sr.: No sport can exist without it’s founder. And that man for Nascar is Bill France Sr. He was a racer himself, and a smart man. He saw potential in the little group of men racing out in cornfields. With a little organization and a few short tracks, why not make it a regular thing. And after lots of work, France formed the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. Nascar. France was tough, and took no nonsence as he slowly grew his sport. He built Daytona to give Nascar some extra excitement. He built Talladega and gave Nascar it’s wildest track. Without Big Bill, Nascar would not exist. Sadly, France is one of the few people on this list who is no longer with us. But he will always be remembered. To this day, a statue of him and his wife sits outside Daytona International Speedway. The two stand there, smiling at fans. An ideal look, as the sport he formed still thrives, and continues to change lives, both on and off the track, through the art of motor racing.