Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

This will be the biggest, longest, most in depth NASCAR timeline you will ever see. In this TL any driver from any era from any series who died in NASCAR will survive. Dale Earnhardt will not crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. Alan Kulwicki and Davey Allison will not die in their plane crashes. No drivers will die, and no team (that we cover, anyway) will shut down. How will their lives and careers play out? There's only one way to find out. Gentlemen, Start Your Engines! 
If you love NASCAR, you can help make this TL possible. It is open to public editing that is not vandalism. We need help!!!
== 1948 ==
William Davis goes on to finish 11th in the modified series race at Greensboro. Davis would later go on to compete in other minor NASCAR series. He'd retire from modified racing in 1961.
== 1950s ==
=== Rex Stansell ===
Stansell would go on to become a 3-time Modified champion. He'd compete part time in the Grand National series from 1953-1956. He'd retire from modified racing in 1965. He died in 1998 of natural causes.
=== Larry Mann ===
Setting out in his Hudson, Larry Mann started the 1952 race at Langhorne near the back. His Hudson had the power to get him up towards the front, however, and he finished 10th. Mann would later go on to have a semi-successful Grand National career, winning the 1959 championship and retiring at the end of the 1975 season. He died in 2011.
=== Frank Arford ===
Frank Arford went on to go into NASCAR's Sportsman division, winning 11 races throughout his career and retiring in 1971. He held the Sportsman championship in 1965. He died in 1975 in a plane crash.
=== Bill Blevins and Jesse Midkiff ===
Bill Blevins went on to compete in both the Sportsman and in his later years in the Grand National series. He never won a race in the Grand National series, but won several times in the Sportsman division. He died in 2012 of natural causes. Jesse Midkiff retired from modified racing in 1968.
=== Dick Kaufman ===
Dick Kaufman moved up to the Sportsman division in 1962, and retired in 1976.
=== Lou Figaro ===
Lou won at North Wilkesboro and would go on to move on to be a 2 time champion of the Grand National series, in 1963 and 1966 respectively. He retired in 1981.
=== Al Briggs ===
Al finished 4th at Daytona Beach, and for the rest of his career would never finish as well. He stopped racing and retired in 1960.
=== Otis Eaton ===
Otis Eaton wouldn't finish at Fonda as his engine blew out, but he'd go on to keep racing locally well into the 1960's.
=== Jimmy Knowlan ===
Knowlan would go on to finish 2nd at Islip, and would compete in the midget division and even in the sportsman series a couple of times, before retiring from racing in 1966.
=== John McVitty ===
John won at Langhorne and went on to have a highly successful sportsman series career until his retirement from racing in 1967.
=== Dickey Reynolds ===
Dickey Reynolds would go on to retire in 1969 after a successful career in the sportsman division, the busch division, and even a couple of attempts at the Grand National cup series.
=== Clint McHugh ===
Clint would dabble in the Grand Nationals and would only win one race at Buffalo in 1958, before retiring in 1962.
=== Cotton Priddy ===
Cotton would become a series regular and win 12 races till his retirement in 1975.
== 1960s ==
=== Lee Petty ===
Now, Lee Petty didn't die in his wreck in real life, but he did retire. Lee Petty would place 2nd in the 1961 Daytona 500. Lee would win 1 time in 1962. Lee won 5 times in 1963, he also won the championship. Lee won 17 more times in 1964, winning the championship. He retired after that. He would live to see Adam Petty, his great-grandson, race. Lee died in 2005.
=== Fireball Roberts ===
Fireball Roberts retired after the 1964 World 600 at Charlotte, although returning in 1967. Fireball had a son in 1966 nicknamed Strike Roberts. Strike entered the Cup Series in 1988, winning 5 races, and the championship. Fireball watched his son win the 1990 Daytona 500. Strike made a team with his father in 1991 named "Roberts Racing". In 1992, Strike got the first win for his team. In practice for the 1993 Daytona 500, Strike got loose on the backstretch and went airborne right into the catchfence. Strike's car landed on all four tires, but barrelrolled several times. Strike was injured pretty badly, and he retired. Fireball died in 1999 due to a heart attack.
=== Don MacTavish ===
Don MacTavish drove in the NASCAR Cup Series from 1971 until 1978 and again from 1988 until 1995. Don won 2 times, one coming in 1975 and another one coming in 1991 at Talladega. He also ran Xfinity from 1988 until 1998, and Trucks from 1995 until 2000. 
== 1970s ==
=== Raymond "Friday" Hassler ===
Raymond Hassler would continue to race in the Winston Cup Series until his retirement in 1984. Friday would pass away due to natural causes in 2019.
=== Larry Smith ===
Larry Smith would continue to race until his retirement in 1988. During that time, Smith would collect three victories along with multiple top 5 and 10 finishes. Smith would pass away in 2017 due to complications to a fall in his home.
=== Tiny Lund ===
Tiny Lund ran the 1976 Daytona 500, finishing 32nd. He retired after that. In 1982, he opened up a team named "Tiny's Motorsports". Tommy Ellis drove the car from 1982 until 1984, when the team shut down. Tiny died in 1990, due to a heart attack.
== 1980s ==
=== Ricky Knotts ===
Ricky Knotts would continue to attempt Winston Cup races until his retirement in 1992. Knotts would continue to race for the American Speed Association until his official racing retirement in 1998.
=== Bruce Jacobi ===
Bruce Jacobi would retire from stock car racing at the end of the 1984 Winston Cup season. Jacobi would pass away due to natural causes in 2018. 
=== Terry Schoonover ===
Terry Schoonover would continue to attempt to make Winston Cup races until his retirement in 1994. During that time, Schoonover would also attempt races in the Busch Grand National Series, where he would find more success.
=== Stuart Lyndon ===
Stuart Lyndon would continue to race in the ACRA Series until his retirement in 1999. Lyndon would become the first New Zealand born NASCAR driver in 1987 when he qualified 39th in that years Daytona 500.
=== Richie Evans ===
Richie Evans would continue to race in the NASCAR Modified Tour and Winston Racing Series until his retirement in 1991, taking pride in his influence on the series to the point NASCAR mandated that all teams copy his car design. On January 20, 2012, Evans was inducted into the NASCAR Hall Of Fame, during which Darrell Waltrip said to the Evans and his family amidst his acceptance speech: "You know, Richie Evans, I want to congratulate the Richie Evans family; great job tonight. I watched Richie win race after race after race at Martinsville, and in my world is what I call a wheel man, and Richie Evans was the best wheel man I ever saw when he raced at Martinsville." Evans would pass away of natural causes in 2015.
=== Charles Ogle ===
Charles Ogle was a two time NASCAR Goody's Dash Champion, winning it in 1986 and 1988. He retired in 1989. He sadly died in 2000 due to a car crash.
=== Rick Baldwin ===
Rick Baldwin would continue to try in race in the NASCAR Cup Series to minimal success until 1989 when he started working as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series. Baldwin would continue to work as a crew chief in all of NASCAR's big 3 divisions until his retirement in 2004. Baldwin now works as a member of NASCAR's management division.
=== Joe Young ===
Joe Young would continue to race in the Goody's Dash Series until his retirement in 1994.
=== Charlie Jarzombek ===
Charlie Jarzombek would continue to race in the NASCAR Modified Series until his retirement in 1994. Jarzombek would pass away in 2018 due to complications from a fall in his home. 
=== Tracy Read ===
Tracy Read would continue to race in ACRA until 1989 when he would race in the Xfinity Series and then move to Cup in 1994. Read would leave the Cup Series in 1999 for the NASCAR Truck Series. Read would retire from NASCAR in 2009, but still race in ARCA until 2014.
=== Tommy Druar ===
Tommy Druar would continue to race in the NASCAR Modifieds series until his retirement in 1999.
=== Donald Pratt ===
Donald Pratt would continue to race NASCAR Modifieds until his retirement in 1994. Pratt would pass away in 2020 of natural causes. 
=== Grant Adcox ===
Grant Adcox ran from 1974 until 1990 in the Cup Series. He had a son named Grant Adcox Jr. He returned in 1991, and left the Cup Series in 1997. He ran in the NASCAR Busch Series from 1998 until 2002. In 2003, he became a crew chief for Coy Gibbs in the Busch Series. In 2004, he became a crew chief for RIchard Childress Racing, switching between the two cars. He was with them until 2011, when he moved down to the Camping World Truck Series. He was the crew chief for the #18 truck until 2020, when he retired.
=== Butch Lindley ===
Butch Lindley would continue to race in the NASCAR All Pro, NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series his retirement in 1998. Following his retirement, Lindley would open "Butch Lindley Racing" which would field Cup and Xfinity cars until 2009. Lindley's team last fielded a ACRA car in 2017 at "Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200" at Salem Speedway.
== 1990s ==
=== Julius "Slick" Johnson ===
Slick Johnson would race in the ARCA Series and make limited starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series until his retirement 1997.
=== Tony "The Rocket" Jankowiak ===
Tony Jankowiak would continue to race Modifieds until moving up to ARCA in 1993 and the Xfinity Series in 1998. The Rocket was a journeyman bouncing from team to team until his retirement in 2008. Jankowiak would open his own Whelen Modified team in 2010 which his son Andy currently drives for today. 
=== Gary Neice ===
Gary Neice would take 5 years off from racing after a heart attack scare, but would return in 1996 and race for five more years in NASCAR big 3 leagues until his retirement in 2001. Neice would pass away due to a heart attack in 2020.
=== Chris Gehrke ===
Chris Gehrke would continue to race in the ACRA Series until his retirement in 2013. Gehrke would also race part time in the Xfinity Series and Truck Series with his best finish being a top 10 at Atlanta.
=== J.D. McDuffie ===
J.D. McDuffie would retire after 1991, although coming back in 1996 to qualify for the Daytona 500. He ran in other lower series until 2000. He died in 2017 due to natural causes.
=== Alan Kulwicki ===
Alan Kulwicki would win 5 races in 1993, finishing 6th in the standings. He won the 1994 Daytona 500 and captured 9 other wins. He won the 1994 championship. Alan won 4 races in 1995, finishing 9th in the standings. In 1996, he picked Shane Hall to drive the #027 Bojangles Ford on a part-time schedule. Alan was involved in a big crash in the 1996 Daytona 500. He slammed into Shane Hall's car in the infield, setting Alan's car on fire. Both of the drivers were okay, and Alan won 5 races, winning his 3rd championship. In 1997, he shut down the #027 team. He got 3 wins in 1997. In 1998, he would get his final win at Talladega, winning the Winston 500. Alan would run until 2002, when he retired. Brian Vickers drove the #7 car until 2007, he won 1 race at Darlington. Brad Keselowski drove the 7 until 2022, when he moved to Roush. Josh Berry now drives the car. 
Because Kulwicki never died, Robby Gordon's #7 was instead the #07, and the Tommy Baldwin #7 was the #70. 
=== Gary Batson ===
Gary Batson would continue to race in the NASCAR Sportsman Series and NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division until his retirement in 2005.
=== Clifford Allison ===
Clifford Allison would win the 1994 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Championship. He would win the 1997, 2002, 2003, and 2010 Daytona 500s for Robert Yates Racing. He retired in 2011, and his son Clifford Allison Jr. runs in Cup for Robert Yates too. Clifford was a commentator for NASCAR on Fox from 2013 until 2019. 
=== Joe Booher ===
Joe Booher would race until 1994, helping other drivers. Joe now lives in Indiana, and he is a frequent guest to every Brickyard 400 and every Indy 500.
=== Neil Bonnett ===
Neil Bonnett would race until 1999, he won 10 races between 1994 and 1999. He raced in a couple of lower series races until 2007, when he retired after the 2007 Orbitz 300 at Daytona. Now, Neil owns a car dealer shop in Hueytown, Alabama with friends and family, and continues working as a color commentator for NBC.
=== Rodney Orr ===
Rodney Orr would go on to win two more NASCAR Goody's Dash Series champions in 1994 and 1997. Orr would attempt to run a Cup schedule under his own team "Orr Motorsports" in both 1994 and 1995, but would only qualify for 7 races and have 5 DNFs; many of the races he failed to qualify for saw him using a 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass (by this time, Olds had cut all factory support). Orr would move to the NASCAR Truck Series in 1998 and the Xfinity Series in 2004. Until his retirement in 2010, Orr would pick up multiple wins across both series. Orr would race part-time in the ARCA Series until 2019 when he hung up his helmet for good.
=== Ayrton Senna (F1) ===
Ayrton Senna had a decline in 1994 and 1995. However, he rebounded in 1996, placing 2nd in the standings. He'd retire in 1997, but return in the Prost #23 car in 2001, he only ran one race with them. He now works for McLaren F1 Team.
=== Russell Phillips ===
Russell Phillips would continue to race in the NASCAR Limited Sportsman Division until 1996, when the Sportsman Division was shut down over safety concerns (namely, having short track drivers race at bigger tracks with no prior experience, a factor in a scary crash Phillips had at Charlotte in 1995), and he would move to ARCA Series and then the NASCAR Truck Series in 2001. Phillips would retire in 2009 and now works as a preacher at a church in his hometown of Mint Hill, North Carolina.
=== John Nemechek ===
John Nemeckek would win the 2002 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, he would win 5 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, his career in Cup spanning from 2003 until 2016. John Nemechek now owns a driver academy, named Nemechek Racing Academy, which have produced drivers like Hunter Nemechek, Ben Rhodes, and Ty Gibbs.
=== Chad Coleman ===
Chad Coleman would continue to race in ACRA until 2002 when he would move up to the NASCAR Truck Series until his retirement in 2015. Coleman would also race in the Xfinity Series on a part time schedule during the 2006 and 2009 seasons.
== 2000s ==
=== Adam Petty ===
Adam Petty raced in a number #45 car in 2001 part-time in the Cup Series. His best finish was 7th in the Daytona 500. He ran full-time in Xfinity, winning 1 race at Daytona. In 2002, he was rushed up to the Cup Series after John Andretti got injured in a wreck at Atlanta. He surprisingly won the Coca-Cola 600. After John Andretti returned at Phoenix, he came back down to Xfinity for the final two races. In 2003, he raced in the #43 car in Cup. In 2005, he won at Infineon. In 2006, he won at Las Vegas, Atlanta, Lowe's, Michigan, Kansas, Martinsville, and Phoenix. He won the championship. He won 15 more races between 2007 and 2013, nearly winning the 2009 championship. In 2014, he got injured at the Coca-Cola 600. Ryan Blaney ran all of the races until New Hampshire, when Adam returned. Adam won 6 more times between 2014 and 2020. In 2021, he announced that he would run in the Xfinity Series to help out smaller teams. 
=== Scott Baker ===
Scott Baker would continue to race in the ARCA Series until his retirement in 2010.
=== Kenny Irwin Jr. ===
Kenny Irwin Jr would race full time in Cup in 2001. He won the 2003 Daytona 500, the 2004, 2006, and 2012 Brickyard 400s, and the 2007 Cup Championship. He retired from NASCAR in 2020, and now races in the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
=== Tony Roper ===
Tony Roper would race full time in the Busch/Nationwide Series along with the Truck Series until his retirement in 2008. During that time Roper would have several top 5 finishes in Busch/Nationwide Series and 4 wins in the Truck Series. Roper worked as a Crew Chief for MB Motorsports until its closure in 2018.
=== Dale Earnhardt ===
Dale Earnhardt won 3 races in 2001, finishing 7th in the standings. In 2002, Dale Earnhardt sold 10% of DEI to Dale Earnhardt Jr and 55% to Richard Childress. In 2003, Dale announced that 2004 would be his final year. He won the 2003 Brickyard 400 and finished 11th in the standings. In 2004, he won 7 races, winning the championship. Dale drove for 20 races in 2005 in ARCA. He retired from ARCA in 2006. In 2007, he brought 75% of SPEED Channel. He ran in the 50th Daytona 500 in a #03 DEI car, placing 14th. In 2010, a documentary named 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story was created. Dale won the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona race. Dale now owns multiple car dealerships around the country, and runs in the SRX in the #3 car. 
Earnhardt's survival has innumerable knock-on effects for the entirety of NASCAR: 
* The Car of Tomorrow is never developed, and the Gen-4 car is used until the end of 2012, at which point the Gen-5 car (the OTL Nationwide/Xfinity CoT) is introduced, though it is built on the Gen-4 chassis (Dodge also manages to stay) 
* Because Earnhardt has a lot of clout within NASCAR, Brian France doesn't get away with as much in this timeline; key differences include: 
** No Chase/playoffs; Earnhardt told Brian "we are NOT the NFL" 
** No stage racing 
** NASCAR moves for the Ferko lawsuit to be declared a mistrial, and succeeds, meaning Rockingham and Darlington keep both of their dates 
** No gear limits 
** No changing the rules on a whim in favor of a certain driver 
=== Dean Roper ===
After a close call with a heart attack in that year, Dean Roper would announce his retirement in 2001. Roper would continue to field ARCA cars until his passing in 2016.
=== Blaise Alexander ===
Blaise Alexander would continue to race in all of NASCAR's big 3 divisions until his retirement in 2019. Alexander would finish a career best 2nd in the Cup Series at Talladega in 2013. Along with multiple wins in both the the Xfinity Series and Truck Series Championship, Alexander is also the 2007 ARCA Series Champion. Blaise still makes limited starts in the ARCA Series.
=== Eric Martin ===
Eric Martin would continue to race in the ARCA Series along with a part time starts in both Xfinity & Truck Series until his retirement in 2019. Martin still makes limited starts in the ARCA Series today.
=== Tom Baldwin Sr. ===
Tom Baldwin Sr would retire after 2005. Baldwin would be a mentor and a driver coach for his son's team "Tommy Baldwin Racing" until his death due to a heart attack in 2014. 
=== Ricky Hendrick ===
Ricky Hendrick would race full-time in the #5 GMAC Chevrolet for 2005. He raced with them until 2009, gaining 20 wins and 3 championships. He would race in the #09 Phoenix Racing Chevy for 2010, he gained 3 top 10s. They changed the number to #51 in 2011. He moved to the #5 in 2012. He won the Daytona 500, and finished 4th in the standings. He finished 5th in points in 2013. He finished 10th in 2014. He announced that 2016 would be his final year. He finished 2nd in the standings. And in 2016, he finished 4th. Ricky now trains up and coming drivers like Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, and Jeffrey Earnhardt.
=== Charlie Bradberry ===
Charlie Bradberry would continue to be a Xfinity Series regular, collecting several wins while also competing part-time on the Cup Series level. Bradberry still drives in Xfinity today and has shown interest in returning to the Truck Series in the future.
=== John Blewett III ===
John Blewett III would continue to race full time in the Whelen Modified Tour until 2017, when he took a step back to focus on his team "John Blewett Inc.".
=== Carlos Pardo ===
Carlos Pardo won the 2004 and 2012 NASCAR Toyota Series (now NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series) championships. He made a couple starts at road courses for Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series teams. He retired in 2020 and now works at Nemechek Driver Academy.
== 2010s ==
=== Jason Leffler ===
After Tony Stewart got injured in 2013, Jason Leffler was one of the many drivers that replaced him in the #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Car. In 2014, he announced his departure from NASCAR. He raced in some local dirt series, and he ran the 2014 Indianapolis 500, finishing 8th. He also ran the 2015 Indianapolis 500, finishing 3rd. He won some local dirt races, and in 2016, he announced that he'd run in the Daytona 500. He finished 20th. He runs in the SRX now.
=== Mike Stevens ===
Mike Stevens continues to race for the Trucks Pro Stock Tour, NASCAR Pinty's Series and as a replacement driver for the NASCAR Truck Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
=== Mike Stefanik ===
After almost dying in a plane crash, Mike Stefanik came back in 2020 as a part-time driver, driving the #16 Kaulig Racing Chevy. He'd lead a couple of laps in the car. He drove in the #53 Rick Ware Racing car part-time in the Xfinity Series in 2021, and drove the #13 in 2022. Now, he's scheduled to run with Team Hezeberg for the 2023 Daytona 500. 
== 2020s ==
more coming soon
== Teams ==
=== Bill Davis Racing ===
After Bill Davis Racing's fallout with Dodge, they would switch to Toyota. Dave Blaney and Jacques Villeneuve would drive the #22 and #23 respectively. The team would perform poorly and in 2010 would get bought by longtime driver Ward Burton. Ward Burton would be a owner-driver, and win at Kansas in 2011. Although being winless in 2012 and 2013, Ward would get his final win at Watkins Glen in 2014. He would pass the torch to Matt DiBenedetto while Jeb Burton took over the #23. Matt would finally win in 2018 at Richmond, while Jeb remains winless to this day. 
=== Bill Elliott Racing and Evernham Motorsports ===
After a disappointing 1999 season, Bill Elliott Racing would merge with Ray Evernham to create Elliott-Evernham Racing. The 94 would become the 9, and Bill Elliott would drive the car, while Casey Atwood would drive the 19. Kasey Kahne would replace Elliott after he retired in 2003, and Kahne would stay there until his own retirement in 2017. Chase Elliott would start driving the 9 in 2018, and he remains there to this day with the 2020 championship. Atwood would leave in 2001, and Jeremy Mayfield would replace him and drive until 2013. Chase Elliott would drive part-time for 2014, and became a full time driver in 2015. After getting promoted in 2018, William Byron would replace him in the 19. He still drives today.
=== BK Racing ===
BK Racing was sued by Burger King in 2019. Burger King won the settlement, and owner Ron Devine filed for bankruptcy. Burger King ironically bought the team. JJ Yeley drives the #23 full time. 
=== Blue Max Racing ===
Rusty Wallace would not leave in 1990, instead staying with Blue Max Racing. He would stay until his retirement in 2005. He won 60 races and the 1989 and 1993 championships. Blue Max changed to Fords for the 1994 season. After Rusty's retirement, Kurt Busch replaced him in the #27 and still drives today. The #2 for Penske would never exist because of Blue Max not shutting down.
Category:Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!
Category:Motor sport
Category:Timelines