The Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s biggest race and grabs the attention of many racing fans worldwide. It’s on par with the Indianapolis 500 for the NTT IndyCar Series in terms of prestige and viewership.
There are some drivers that have excelled in the Great American Race more than others. Find out below who is among the five best drivers in the history of the Daytona 500.
5. Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500 on three occasions in 1978, 1982, and 1988. The Daytona 500 finish in 1988 was particularly special for Allison since his son, Davey Allison, finished in second place behind him.
Allison’s victory in the 1988 Daytona 500 was the last victory of his career at NASCAR’s top level. He is a member of an exclusive club to win the Great American Race three times, which is shared with three other drivers.
Sadly, Allison does not remember the finish with his son due to a terrible crash at Pocono Raceway that ended his racing career. Allison is still among the elites when it comes to the Daytona 500 and will remain locked in history.
Daytona 500 winners, results, and facts
4. Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin has been the best driver in the Daytona 500 since 2016 and has quickly climbed the list of the race’s greatest drivers. Hamlin has won the Great American Race on three separate occasions in 2016, 2019, and 2020.
Hamlin’s victory in the 2016 Daytona 500 is the closest finish in the event’s history. Hamlin beat Martin Truex Jr. by 0.010 seconds at the line for his first of three victories. It’s tied for the 12th-closest NASCAR finish ever.
The 42-year-old driver also won the event in 2020 that has been remembered as the race where Ryan Newman had a terrible crash on the last lap. Can Hamlin add another prestigious victory to his resume in the 2023 Daytona 500?
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3. Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon’s emergence onto the NASCAR scene is a significant reason why the sport is where it is today. It’s only right for one of NASCAR’s most well-known drivers to have a spot on the list with his three Daytona 500 victories in 1997, 1999, and 2005.
The 2019 Hall-of-Famer’s first victory in the Daytona 500 came one year before Dale Earnhardt Sr’s first victory in the race and he had to beat Earnhardt, who finished in second place, to win the event. The Gordon-Earnhardt rivalry is what gave NASCAR its legs.
Gordon’s final victory came in the 2005 Daytona 500, which put him in an exclusive group of drivers to win the event three times. Much of Gordon’s success in the race came in the first half of his racing career, but he still has a place in history.
Related: Ryan Blaney remains the favorite to win the 2023 Daytona 500
2. Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough has won the Daytona 500 a second-best four times in 1968, 1977, 1983, and 1984. Yarborough had to go up against one of the best drivers ever with Richard Petty at the wheel so he could’ve been more successful if not for him.
Yarborough could have been a five-time Daytona 500 winner, but an accident in 1979 took away any opportunity for him to win the race. The accident caused the famous brawl on the backstretch between him and Donnie Allison.
The 2012 Hall-of-Famer tried to win a record-setting third Daytona 500 in a row during the 1985 event but an engine issue took him out of contention after only completing 62 of 200 laps. Yarborough is also considered one of the best drivers in NASCAR history.
1. Richard Petty
Richard Petty won the Daytona 500 an outstanding seven times, which is by far the most by any driver in NASCAR history. Petty succeeded in 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, and 1981.
The most historic finish came in the 1979 Daytona 500 when he passed Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough on the final lap after the two crashed. If not for that victory, the gap between him and second place would be less than it is right now.
Many of his victories came at a time when cars were less competitive than they are now, but the quantity of wins that he has in the event is staggering. No other driver has more than five victories and Petty has three more than any other driver.
Petty holds the mantle as the best driver to ever run the Daytona 500. He is regarded as one of the most famous NASCAR drivers ever, and for the seven-time champion to win the Great American Race seven times is fitting.