7 NASCAR driver nicknames with wild stories behind them ft. Ryan Newman as Rocket Man

NASCAR drivers have seen multiple colorful nicknames, especially during the late 1990s. Dale Earnhardt Sr., as "The Intimidator," and Richard "The King" Petty perhaps rank among the best and most popular ones. Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon as "Wonder Boy," Mark Martin as the "Kid," and Kevin "Happy" Harvick's ironic name due to his frequent temper outbursts are other noteworthy ones.

But here are seven NASCAR driver nicknames that are backed up with wild stories on track.

#1 Ryan "Rocket Man" Newman

Ryan Newman earned the nickname "Rocket Man" due to his exceptional qualifying speed. In his rookie season (2002), he set a record with six pole positions, and his rapid rise through the NASCAR ranks.

#2 Tony Stewart (Smoke)

Tony Stewart was dubbed "Smoke" early in his career due to his tendency to blow engines frequently. The nickname stuck as he went on to win three NASCAR Cup series titles and more as a team owner.

#3 Kurt Busch (The Outlaw)

Kurt Busch was dubbed "The Outlaw" after a New York City TV producer overheard crew members using the term in the garage. The producer adopted it for a short documentary, and the nickname stuck.

Busch also featured it on his car until a 2015 NASCAR suspension over domestic assault allegations.

#4 Kyle Busch (Rowdy)

Kurt's younger brother, Kyle Busch's "Rowdy" nickname, also comes from his aggressive driving style.

The two-time NASCAR Cup champion ran his No. 51 truck with a Days of Thunder tribute scheme in a 2007 Truck Series race, which ended up giving him the movies' supporting character's name, Rowdy Burns.

#5 Joe Weatherly (The Clown Prince of Racing)

Joe Weatherly, who competed in NASCAR between the 1950s-60s, was called "The Clown Prince of Racing" for his outrageous behavior and penchant for partying. He once took practice laps in a Peter Pan suit.

#6 Ross Chastain (The Melon Man)

Ross Chastain is an eighth-generation watermelon farmer from Florida, and his nickname came out of his smashing watermelon tradition that began after his first Xfinity Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2018. Chastain explained that a media member suggested filming the celebration, which led to a viral moment.

# 7 Alex Bowman (The Showman)

Alex Bowman got the nickname "The Showman" during his ARCA Racing Series days in 2011 and 2012, after winning six of 21 races. However, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was not particularly fond of it. In a 2018 interview, he said:

"I'm not the biggest fan of it, but [it] kind of is what it is at this point. ... I think at this point I've just got to own it."

The rhyming nickname has remained, but Bowman has also collected interesting ones over the years, including "The Grim Reaper" or "Track Killer." The name comes from the curse that has affected the tracks at which he often won, in terms of closing down or losing race dates.