American Idle Trivia Quiz

Answer: Carl Edwards

Edwards was a substitute teacher after graduating from the University of Missouri while self-promoting himself in hopes of launching his racing career. He would hand out business cards to all he encountered, which simply read "If you're looking for a driver, you're looking for me".

After a few races in the Craftsman Truck Series, Jack Roush gave Edwards the big break he needed in 2004 to drive his truck, where Edwards won the first race at Daytona. By 2005 he was in the Cup Series, where he won his first race at Atlanta by two hundredths of a second over Jimmie Johnson. Edwards drove the 99 for Roush for ten seasons before moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015, and won a 2007 Busch Series championship in the process. Edwards shockingly announced his retirement from the sport in January 2017, after coming close to a Sprint Cup for the third time.

Answer: Kurt Busch

Just like Edwards, Kurt Busch got his break from Jack Roush when he was given the chance to drive in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2000. Along with recording wins in all three of NASCAR's national touring season, Busch also attempted "The Double" in 2014, where he competed in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, finishing 5th in Indianapolis and 40th in Charlotte after blowing an engine late. Busch has been suspended multiple times over his career after drunk driving charges, comments to the media, and after being accused of domestic violence. All charges against Busch were eventually dropped.

Answer: Kevin Harvick

Harvick not only has won races in each of NASCAR's top series, but has won a Championship in the top two Series with a 2014 Sprint Cup to go along with Busch Series championships in 2001 and 2006. Harvick won his first race in what was the Winston Cup Series just three weeks after Earnhardt's death by six thousandths of a second over Jeff Gordon.

It was just his third race, which at the time was the fastest time any driver had won a race (since broken by Trevor Bayne). He would go on to win Rookie of the Year that season.

After the 2013 season, Harvick left Richard Childress Racing for Stewart-Haas Racing and immediately won the championship, an honour that had eluded him at RCR.

Answer: Matt Kenseth

Originally from Cambridge, Wisconsin, Kenseth was a standout short track star that got the chance to drive for Robby Reiser in the Busch Series. Jack Roush was so impressed with the team that he bought it outright and put Kenseth in the Cup Series. In 2003 Kenseth took home the final Winston Cup despite winning only one race yet leading the points standings for 33 and clinching the season title before the final race. With new incoming title sponsor Nextel, the Chase was later created in order to prevent the same from happening again. Kenseth won a rain-shortened Daytona 500 for Jack Roush in 2009 and a full length race in 2012.

The yellow and black paint scheme and firesuits by longtime sponsor DeWalt led to the nickname of "The Killer Bees" to describe Kenseth and the team's pit crew.

Answer: Juan Pablo Montoya

Montoya came to NASCAR in 2006 already a champion of the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix after stints in both IndyCar and Formula 1. Montoya took home the checkered flag on road courses, where his previous experience became apparent, but was frequently caught by bad luck that prevented him from winning an oval race. During his time at Chip Ganassi Racing, he did win the Rolex 24 at Daytona three times and qualified for the Chase once. Montoya returned to the IndyCar Series with Roger Penske in 2014 after his contract was not renewed.

Answer: Trevor Bayne

The most prestigious race of them all, Bayne won the Daytona 500 just one day after his 20th birthday as the driver of the #21 for the famed Wood Brothers team, which dates back to 1953. His win came in the first Daytona 500 after the track had been repaved, allowing for the two-car tandem draft to dominate the race. Bayne continued to run a part-time schedule for the Wood Brothers while running full time for Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series before going full time in the Sprint Cup Series in 2013.

Answer: Jimmie Johnson

Jeff Gordon lobbied his owner Rick Hendrick to field a car for Jimmie Johnson in the Winston Cup Series. Johnson won the pole for the Daytona 500, his first race, and won three races in his rookie season. Johnson won the Daytona 500 in 2006 and 2013, and finished both of those seasons with the championship trophy. 12 years after the creation of the Chase playoffs system, Johnson remained the only driver to qualify every year, and scoring 7 championships in those 12 years. Johnson's wins have piled up, including five of six straight races at Martinsville Speedway between 2004 and 2006, and at Charlotte Motor Speedway (at the time sponsored by his own sponsor Lowe's) between 2003 and 2005.

The native of El Cajon, California raced extensively off road and motorcycles before transitioning to stock cars.

Answer: Ryan Newman

Newman beat out Jimmie Johnson for the Rookie of the Year award in 2002 by scoring six poles, a NASCAR rookie record, and winning the all-star race, while driving for Roger Penske. His sophomore season included eight wins, 11 poles but memorably a tumble down the front stretch during the Daytona 500. Newman won the 2008 Daytona 500 with Roger Penske, before moving on to Stewart-Haas Racing and later Richard Childress Racing, adding a win in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis to his resume.

Answer: Austin Dillon

Dillon's grandfather is Richard Childress, long time NASCAR team owner and the boss for which Dale Earnhardt drove for. Childress was hesitant to see the 3 back in the Cup Series, but reintroduced it for his grandson in 2014 with the blessing of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dillon drove the No. 3 in both the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series, where he won the 2011 Truck championship and 2013 Nationwide trophy.

In his first race in the No. 3, Dillon scored his first career pole in the Daytona 500. Austin's brother Ty also competes in NASCAR's top series.

Answer: Tony Stewart

Stewart won the 1997 championship in what was then called the Indy Racing League, but never could claim victory in the Indianapolis 500. Stewart made the transition to stock cars in 2000 with a bang, winning six races. Stewart won the penultimate Winston Cup in 2002, his final season driving a Pontiac in 2002. Now in a Chevrolet, Stewart won the 2005 title in the renamed Nextel Cup Series, winning the Brickyard 400 at his hometown Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time as well. Stewart united with team owner Gene Haas in 2009 to form Stewart-Haas Racing, where Stewart himself won the 2011 Sprint Cup championship by winning five of the 10 Chase playoff races.

He became the first owner-driver champion in NASCAR's top series in 19 years. Stewart retired at the conclusion of the 2016 season.