15 NASCAR Drivers with a Background in Dirt RacingBefore the bright lights and packed grandstands of NASCAR, some of the sport's biggest names were slinging dirt on short tracks across America. From Midgets to Modifieds, Sprint Cars to Late Models, these drivers learned car control where grip is a guess and every corner is a controlled slide. Here's a breakdown of the NASCAR stars who built their foundation on clay.Kyle LarsonLarson never stopped racing dirt when he reached NASCAR. He won two Knoxville Nationals, two Chili Bowls, and the Kings Royal while capturing the 2021 Cup Series championship. He co-owns the High Limit Sprint Car Series with Brad Sweet and still races Sprint Cars, Midgets, and Late Models whenever the schedule allows.Christopher BellBell won the Chili Bowl three straight years and claimed a World of Outlaws victory as both driver and car owner. The Oklahoma native grew up in Micro Sprints and Midgets before reaching NASCAR. He won the Bristol Dirt Race but has focused exclusively on Cup Series duties recently, stepping away from dirt competition.Chase BriscoeBriscoe's family built their reputation racing Sprint Cars across Indiana. He owns a team and competes at the Chilli Bowl every January. In 2023, he returned to Sprint Car competition in New England and won at the Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, proving his dirt skills remain sharp.Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Stenhouse grew up racing on dirt in Mississippi and co-owns Stenhouse Jr Marshall Racing, which fields a World of Outlaws car for Sheldon Haudenschild. He still races 360 Sprint Cars when his NASCAR schedule permits and makes annual appearances at the Chili Bowl, keeping his dirt roots alive while competing at the Cup level.Alex BowmanBowman started in Midgets on pavement before transitioning to dirt and back to pavement on his way to NASCAR. He owns a team that fields Midget and Sprint Car entries at the Chilli Bowl Nationals. A Sprint Car crash in April 2023 left him injured, and he hasn't raced dirt himself since.Kyle BuschBusch embraced dirt racing later in his career, competing in winged and non-winged Micro Sprints. He made headlines at his first Tulsa Shootout and won several events. He made his dirt Late Model debut at the Kyle Larson Late Model Shootout at Volunteer Speedway and won the 2022 Bristol Dirt Race.Joey LoganoThe two-time Cup Series champion uses Modified racing as a training tool for dirt track preparation. Logano made several Modified starts leading up to the Bristol Dirt Races, and the practice paid immediate dividends when he won the first Bristol Dirt Race in 2021, beating the field on an unfamiliar surface.Ross ChastainChastain is a dirt newcomer who made his first Late Model laps in a late-night test session at Cherokee Speedway in South Carolina. He's since made starts in dirt Late Models with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and in Big Block Modifieds with the Short Track Super Series this year.Tyler ReddickReddick won a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race at East Bay Raceway Park in 2011 at just 15 years old. The California native also has a Hell Tour Summer Nationals victory under his belt from his dirt Late Model days. He hasn't raced on dirt recently while his NASCAR career blossomed.Austin DillonAustin Dillon grew up racing UMP Modifieds and scored wins at the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park. His brother Ty also came up through UMP Modifieds in their family's racing program. Neither has raced much on dirt recently aside from the Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.Ty DillonTy Dillon won the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship after starting his career in UMP Modifieds. He and brother Austin both competed in dirt Late Models in Virginia before reaching NASCAR. Like his brother, Ty hasn't returned to dirt racing much while focusing on his stock car career.Chase ElliottThe 2020 Cup Series champion surprised many by racing outdoor Midget events and competing at the Chili Bowl a couple years ago. Elliott's dirt racing appearances have been sporadic but genuine, showing his willingness to step outside his comfort zone and test himself on an unfamiliar surface with different car control demands.Carson HocevarHocevar built his foundation in Michigan, winning 15 national USAC quarter midget titles before moving up to Late Models. He reached the Truck Series Championship 4 in 2023 but was collected in a late-race incident and finished fourth in points. He's carried that short-track background into a full-time Cup Series ride with Spire Motorsports.Ty GibbsGibbs won the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship after racing dirt karts and Late Models around Mooresville, North Carolina, as a teenager. The grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs brought that early dirt experience into the family operation. He's since returned to dirt in the off-season, running Midgets and Sprint Cars.Shane van GisbergenVan Gisbergen won his NASCAR debut at the 2023 Chicago Street Course but his background differs from most on this list. The New Zealand native has off-road and rally experience but little traditional American dirt oval racing. His car control comes from different disciplines, not the Sprint Car and Late Model ladder most NASCAR dirt racers climbed.