By J.D. Hellman

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as the saying goes.

In NASCAR, that translates into who race fans or the media believe will be the next Dale Earnhardt Jr., the next Jeff Gordon, the next Tony Stewart, the next Kyle Busch, and so forth.

We here at FloRacing thought we'd have a little fun with these comparisons by picking five established drivers -- either recently retired, soon to be retired, or with questions marks over their heads -- and then finding their successors among five young, up-and-coming drivers who we believe best match the qualities, talent, personalities, and character of their predecessors.

So, who will be the next Dale Jr. or Kyle Busch?

Check it out:


 

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Obviously, we need to find someone who will be cut from a similar mold, a driver who will become a big fan favorite, has a loyal army of supporters who believe in his ability 100 percent, and is willing to put up with long periods of little success. Junior has changed a lot over the years, going from someone who could be a self-centered smart-ass to a guy who likely will go on to be a great husband and father. So who replaces him or does their best to do so?

Answer: If he gets a few breaks -- as in sponsorship and a team committed to him -- Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. has many of the attributes to become a Junior-like fan favorite.



 

Kyle Busch

This is a tough one. True, Busch is not on his way out, but he is going to take some time to replace, so we'd better start looking now. The potential candidate has to be someone who knows how to win -- a lot. This driver also has to be aggressive and fearless and have just enough of an edge to not take any crap from fellow drivers. But first and foremost, this driver has to be talented, incredibly talent at that.

Answer: I may be going out on a limb on this one, but this driver does display some Busch-like qualities in that he is a winner and can be fiery when he needs to be on the track. But alas, he is still too nice a guy. Even so, from a talent level, I'm going with Christopher Bell to potentially someday fill Busch's shoes.

Jeff Gordon

This is an easy one. Anyone who has the potential to replace Gordon has to be an easy-going, talented wonder-boy type like Gordon was in his prime. You need to have incredible talent and the potential to become not only one of the winningest drivers in NASCAR history but also a genuinely nice person. You also have to be competitive and make sure your peers know all too well that you won't take any guff or crap from them. Looking at all the young drivers out there, many people have already made the comparison of Chase Elliott to Gordon. But we disagree. Chase is more like his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, than Gordon. And we are not the only ones to draw this inference with this week's announcement that Hendrick Motorsports secured the No. 9 made famous by his for Elliott to run beginning 2018.

Answer: None other than the man who will inherit the No. 24 from Elliott next season in his rookie campaign in the NASCAR Cup Series, William Byron.



 

Tony Stewart

This person has to be differentiated from someone like a replacement for Kyle Busch. Stewart and Busch are cut from the same cloth in many ways, including their talent, fiery personalities, ability to intimidate, and championship credentials. But the driver we have in mind as the next Smoke has many of those attributes, but he's also too nice. He's the kind of guy you want your daughter to bring home to meet the parents. He's excellent with media, admits when he makes mistakes, is extremely easy-going, and has strong values.

Answer: Ben Rhodes. Once he makes the climb to the Xfinity Series, and especially if he gets with a strong team, Rhodes has the potential to really break through. He's currently fifth in the Truck standings and will make the playoffs this year. It almost seems like he's lying in wait, poised to strike during the playoffs. A few breaks here or there and he could be a surprise Truck Series champion when this season is over.

Danica Patrick

This is the hardest pick of all, because there's no likely replacement. Sure, there are some promising female drivers on the horizon, including Kenzie Ruston (who is married to Xfinity driver Daniel Hemric). She's shown some great potential in the K&N Pro Series but is nowhere near Patrick when it comes to fiery personality or attitude. Ruston has worked her butt off to showcase her talent in a male-dominated world and is very good with the media, unlike Patrick. Unfortunately, Ruston's career may have come to an end far too soon. She did not race in 2016 due to lack of sponsorship, and that has continued on in 2017. Also keep an eye on talented teenager Ahnna Parkhurst, who currently races Late Models as a developmental driver for Richard Childress Racing -- but it will be at least a half-decade before she's ready to hold a wheel in NASCAR's senior series.

Answer: None. Once she's gone, the media and her non-fans are not going to have anyone like Patrick to kick around.

Exclusive Content

Weekly Columns by JD Hellman

Sponsorship Dollars Will Determine Where Kasey Kahne Lands in 2018 
Dale Jr Snaps Winless Streaks At Michigan 
Ryan Blaney Moves From One Iconic Ride To Another With Penske Announcement 
The Iconic Brickyard 400 Needs A Boost 
It's Time For NASCAR To Get Dirty 

Weekly Columns by Jonathon Masters

How The Dirt Track World Get Sponsorship Wrong: Teams | Tracks/Series
Drivers Weigh In About The Scales 
Finding Help For Modified Racing 
The Cost Of Racing A National Modified Tour 
How Dirt Modifieds Conquered The World