Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
A fearless wheelman who captured NASCAR's biggest prize, the Daytona 500, with a last-lap pass in a chaotic 2023 finish.
Born 1987 (age 39)·American racing driver·Birthday: October 2·Millennials
Biography
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. emerged from the dirt tracks of Mississippi with a pedal-down style that announced his presence long before his Daytona 500 victory. His path to the top tier of NASCAR was paved with dominance in what is now the Xfinity Series, where he secured consecutive championships in 2011 and 2012, a feat that signaled a major talent had arrived. For years in the Cup Series, he was known as a driver who could wrestle speed from a car on superspeedways, often finding himself in the middle of the pack's most dramatic moments. That reputation for aggressive, no-lift racing culminated in the 2023 Daytona 500, where he executed a bold pass on the final lap to win, cementing his legacy not as a consistent points finisher, but as a driver capable of seizing the sport's most elusive crown. His career embodies the high-risk, high-reward spirit of stock car racing.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Ricky was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ricky Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Ricky's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2023 Daytona 500 with a last-lap pass in overtime.
- Captured back-to-back NASCAR Nationwide (now Xfinity) Series championships in 2011 and 2012.
- Named the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year.
- Earned the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year award.
Did You Know?
He began racing go-karts at the age of six.
His father, Ricky Stenhouse Sr., was also a sprint car racer.
He is an avid hunter and outdoorsman.
He drove for the famed Jack Roush for the majority of his early NASCAR career.
“You race the track, not the other drivers.”
