Photos show what NASCAR's biggest stars looked like when their careers started

  • Many of NASCAR's best drivers started racing as kids and grew up right before our eyes.

  • Some of the stars look entirely different now than they did when their careers began.

  • Below we take a look at what the stars looked like when their careers began.

  • We excluded anybody currently under the age of 29, with a couple of notable exceptions. We also included a couple of retired stars who are still in the sport.

Kyle Busch today (age 37)

Kyle Busch
Logan Riely/Getty Images

Busch in 2004 (age 19)

Kyle Busch
Kevin Kane/WireImage

Bubba Wallace today (age 28)

Bubba Wallace
Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Wallace in 2010 (age 16)

Bubba Wallace
Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

Joey Logano today (age 32)

Joey Logano
William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Logano in 2007 (age 17)

Joey Logano
Darrell Ingham/Getty Images for NASCAR

Denny Hamlin today (age 41)

Denny Hamlin
Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Hamlin in 2006 (age 25)

Denny Hamlin
Gregg Ellman/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Kevin Harvick today (age 46)

Kevin Harvick
Logan Riely/Getty Images

Harvick in 1997 (age 21)

Kevin Harvick
ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images

Kurt Busch today (age 44)

Kurt Busch
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Busch in 2000 (age 21)

Kurt Busch
ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

Dale Earnhardt Jr. today (age 47)

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Earnhardt in 1998 (age 23)

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images

Brad Keselowski today (age 38)

Brad Keselowski
David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Keselowski in 2008 (age 24)

Brad Keselowski
Gregg Ellman/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Martin Truex Jr. today (age 42)

Martin Truex Jr.
Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Truex in 2004 (age 24)

Martin Truex Jr.
ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

Jimmie Johnson today (age 47)

Jimmie Johnson
James Gilbert/Getty Images

Johnson in 1999 (age 24)

Jimmie Johnson
ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images

Daniel Suarez today (age 30)

Daniel Suarez
Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

Suarez in 2011 (age 19)

Daniel Suarez
Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

Jeff Gordon today (age 51)

Jeff Gordon
Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Gordon in 1992 (age 20)

Jeff Gordon
ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

Kyle Larson today (age 30)

Kyle Larson
Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Larson in 2012 (age 20)

Kyle Larson
Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Chase Elliott today (age 26)

Chase Elliott
Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Elliott in 2011 (age 15)

Chase Elliott
Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

Austin Dillon today (age 32)

Austin Dillon
Logan Riely/Getty Images

Dillon in 2008 (age 17)

Austin Dillon
Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

AJ Allmendinger today (age 40)

AJ Allmendinger
David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Allmendinger in 2006 (age 24)

AJ Allmendinger
Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

Ross Chastain today (age 29)

Ross Chastain
Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Chastain in 2011 (age 18)

Ross Chastain
Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

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