Who is the greatest race car driver of all time?

Who is the greatest race car driver of all time? Speedway Report columnist Paul Blaufuss writes ...    

http://speedwayreport.com/who-is-the-greatest-driver-of-all-time/

Ok, I'll go read the article, but I'd like to see this discussed right here by our members. This is where the experts hang out. To begin with....what is the criteria? Is it personal opinion? Reputation? Record?

Anybody?

So, this should get some conversation. Is it Jimmy Johnson?

It's definitely not Jimmie Johnson.  Or Dale Earnhardt.  Or Richard Petty.  A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, and Jacky Ickx don't make the cut either.  Michael Schumacher and Jackie Stewart are nice, but it's not them.  Even David Pearson and Ayrton Senna can't lay that claim.

It's all a matter of opinion.  And while certain criteria demand certain drivers, the opinion is in the choice of criteria.  What's the criteria?  Wins, titles, personality, quality of car, etc.?

So, Alex....you gonna keep us in suspense? Whats your opinion?

For me, it's Mario Andretti purely for the versatility aspect. I'm sure there are many others with more pure, raw talent but I feel that switching across disciplines is a tougher challenge as there is a mental aspect to that and Mario seamlessly switched disciplines and did it in championship winning form. Foyt is also the same but Mario clinches it for me because of winning the F1 world title.

Sandeep could have written my response. Mario Andretti. I believe versatility ranks high on criteria. To respond to Jeff, the criteria is subjective to each person and there is no correct answer. Andretti's wins in the Daytona 500, Indy 500, F1 World Championship and short track dirt racing make him stand above. Foyt comes close. He has a Le Mans 24 hour win where Andretti does not. Andretti has the F1 title where Foyt does not. In my opinion the F1 championship outweighs the Le Mans victory. 

I'd have to side with Patrick on this one.  Mario competed in and was an all-time great in IndyCar, Formula 1, sports cars, and dirt open-wheelers.  He also had moderate success in stock cars (he didn't run those much).  And his IndyCar success came in several different eras with championships in 1965, 1966, 1969, and 1984.

Most of today's drivers embarrass themselves whenever they step into another kind of car unless it's an IndyCar or F1 driver hopping to sports cars, which I haven't yet been able to figure why it's been that way throughout racing history.  But yesteryear's NASCAR drivers (e.g. Allison, Earnhardt, Labonte, etc.) did hop into the sports cars with success, while today's drivers are often the reason why the team doesn't win.  And I only bring up the sports cars because it's the one series where drivers almost all the others (minus U.S. short tracks) are all together in one place.  I'd say it's the downforce and steering wheel differences; NASCAR drivers are the only ones with real steering wheels and stick shifts (albeit they often don't use the clutch anymore) still.

Mario Andretti was also one of the best race car drivers in the world even when he was in his 50s, being the oldest driver to win a closed circuit IndyCar race.  So he had longevity, success in various disciplines, and all while being someone admirable out of the car as well.  And he's so amazing he still drives the Indy two-seater.

In response to Sandeep's post, it's difficult to assess a Kevin Harvick or Carl Edwards because he has never run anything but stock cars.

Recently completed reading a really good book: Foyt Andretti Petty - America's Racing Trinity. Solid read about how the careers of 3 of the greatest traveled separate but equally successful paths as well as the overlaps between the 3 of them. Recommended.