10 most impressive sports streaks of all time

9. Richard Petty’s 10-Race Winning Streak (1967)

Those unfamiliar with stock car racing might not look at winning 10 races in a row as anything impressive. In fact, there’s a good chance that those unfamiliar with it aren’t so because they don’t even consider it a sport. Putting that aside, though, winning any kind of multiple races in a row is a noteworthy feat for a driver. So when Richard Petty crossed the finished line first in 10 consecutive races in 1967, it was a streak that’ll never be touched again.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of Petty’s winning streak is the simple fact that parity has always been paramount when it comes to racing. For the most part, all of the crews and engineers that are used to build these cars and their engines are working on a level playing field. Yes, there might be a leg up here and there, but it’s always slight, to say the least. What’s more, there are always external factors at play in a sport where a blown tire can cost you a race and ultimately be out of the driver and crew’s control.

With that being said, the only difference really comes down to a driver’s ability behind the wheel. That’s where the great ones set themselves apart from the rest of the field. Clearly Petty is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers in history, but even that doesn’t make winning 10-straight races seem entirely possible. Yet he did it, which is why he’s so revered in the racing world and why his streak cracks the top 10.