NASCAR’s Daytona 500 is one of the biggest racing events of the entire year behind the Indianapolis 500. Originating in 1959, the Daytona 500 has been labeled “The Great American Race” due to how the race used to have all American manufacturers and drivers.
The drivers start off the year trying to win their version of the “Super Bowl.” It’s the most important race of the year and has the most hype surrounding it. A driver adding their name to the list as a Daytona 500 winner solidifies their name in racing history.
Here’s a complete list of Daytona 500 winners since the event began in 1959.
1959 Daytona 500, winner – Lee Petty
Lee Petty won the inaugural Daytona 500 three days after the event due to a photo finish at the line. Petty drove the No. 42 Oldsmobile with Petty Enterprises and led 38 out of 200 laps, defeating Johnny Beauchamp.
1960 Daytona 500, winner – Junior Johnson
Junior Johnson won the second annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 27 Chevrolet for John Masoni. Johnson led the 67 laps, which was the most of the 200-lap event, and beat the likes of Lee Petty and Richard Petty.
1961 Daytona 500, winner – Marvin Panch
Marvin Panch won the third annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 20 Pontiac for Smokey Yunick. Panch led 13 laps and came away victorious, despite Fireball Roberts leading 170 laps and an engine issue that ended his day.
1962 Daytona 500, winner – Fireball Roberts
Fireball Roberts won the fourth annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 22 Pontiac for Smokey Yunick. Roberts dominated the race for a second straight year, but this time came home victorious after leading 144 out of 200 laps.
1963 Daytona 500, winner – Tiny Lund
Tiny Lund won the fifth annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing. Lund had replaced Marvin Panch, the team’s original driver after he saved him from a burning sports car earlier in the month. Lund led 17 out of 200 laps and beat Fred Lorenzen, who led a race-high 77 laps.
1964 Daytona 500, winner – Richard Petty
Richard Petty won the sixth annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 43 Plymouth for Petty Enterprises. Petty dominated the race by leading 184 out of 200 laps en route to his first of many victories in the event.
1965 Daytona 500, winner – Fred Lorenzen
Fred Lorenzen won the seventh annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 28 Ford for Holman-Moody. Lorenzen led 25 of the 133 laps, which was the first Daytona 500 shortened by rain in the event’s history.
1966 Daytona 500, winner – Richard Petty
Richard Petty won the eighth annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 43 Plymouth for Petty Enterprises. Petty led the field with 108 out of 200 laps led and beat Cale Yarborough, who led 33 laps during the race.
1967 Daytona 500, winner – Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti won the ninth annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 11 Ford for Holman-Moody. Andretti led 112 out of 200 laps in his only recorded victory in NASCAR’s top series.
1968 Daytona 500, winner – Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough won the 10th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 21 Mercury for Wood Brothers Racing. Yarborough led a race-high 76 laps and beat LeeRoy Yarbrough, who led 62 laps.
1969 Daytona 500, winner – LeeRoy Yarbrough
LeeRoy Yarbrough won the 11th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 98 Ford for Junior Johnson & Associates. Yarbrough only led 18 laps but beat Charlie Glotzbach and Donnie Allison, who combined to lead 138 laps.
1970 Daytona 500, winner – Pete Hamilton
Pete Hamilton won the 12th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 40 Plymouth for Petty Enterprises. Hamilton led 13 laps and beat David Pearson, who led a race-high 82 laps.
1971 Daytona 500, winner – Richard Petty
Richard Petty won the 13th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 43 Plymouth for Petty Enterprises. Petty led 69 out of 200 laps and beat teammate Buddy Baker to win a third time in the race’s history.
1972 Daytona 500, winner – A.J. Foyt
A.J. Foyt won the 14th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 21 Mercury for Wood Brothers Racing. Foyt dominated the event by leading 167 laps in his final NASCAR victory and only victory in the Great American Race.
1973 Daytona 500, winner – Richard Petty
Richard Petty won the 15th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 43 Dodge for Petty Enterprises. Petty only led 17 laps during the race and ended up as the beneficiary to Buddy Baker having an engine issue, who led 156 laps.
1974 Daytona 500, winner – Richard Petty
Richard Petty won the 16th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 43 Dodge for Petty Enterprises. Petty led a race-high 74 laps en route to his fifth career victory in the 500.
1975 Daytona 500, winner – Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons won the 17th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 72 Chevrolet for L.G. DeWitt. Parsons only led four laps during the race and beat David Pearson, who led a race-high 74 laps.
1976 Daytona 500, winner – David Pearson
David Pearson won the 18th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 21 Mercury for Wood Brothers Racing. Pearson led 37 laps during the race and beat out Richard Petty who finished in second place.
1977 Daytona 500, winner – Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough won the 19th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for Junior Johnson & Associates. Yarborough led 137 of the 200 laps and beat Benny Parsons who finished in second place.
1978 Daytona 500, winner – Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison won the 20th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 15 Ford for Bud Moore Engineering. Allison led 28 laps and beat out Buddy Baker who led a race-high 76 laps before suffering another engine issue.
1979 Daytona 500, winner – Richard Petty
Richard Petty won the 21st annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 43 Oldsmobile for Petty Enterprises. Petty only led 12 laps while passing both Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough with one lap to go. This is the year of the famous brawl on the backstretch between Allison and Yarborough.
1980 Daytona 500, winner – Buddy Baker
Buddy Baker won the 22nd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 28 Oldsmobile for Rainer-Lundy. Baker led a race-high 143 laps en route to his first and only Daytona 500 victory after countless heartbreaks in previous years.
1981 Daytona 500, winner – Richard Petty
Richard Petty won the 23rd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 43 Buick for Petty Enterprises. Petty led 27 laps and beat Benny Parsons, who led a race-high 117 laps. This was Petty’s seventh and final Daytona 500 victory of his illustrious career.
1982 Daytona 500, winner – Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison won the 24th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 88 Buick for DiGard Motorsports. Allison dominated by leading 147 out of 200 laps and beat out Cale Yarborough for his second victory in the race’s history.
1983 Daytona 500, winner – Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough won the 25th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 28 Pontiac for Rainer-Lundy. Yarborough led 23 laps during the race and beat out Bill Elliott for his third victory at the Great American Race.
1984 Daytona 500, winner – Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough won the 26th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 28 Chevrolet for Rainer-Lundy. Yarborough led 89 laps and beat out Dale Earnhardt, Sr. for his fourth and final Daytona 500 victory of his career.
1985 Daytona 500, winner – Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott won the 27th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 9 Ford for Melling Racing. Elliott led a race-high 136 laps and beat out Lake Speed for his first career Daytona 500 win.
1986 Daytona 500, winner – Geoffrey Bodine
Geoffrey Bodine won the 28th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Bodine led 101 laps and gave Hendrick Motorsports its first win in the Daytona 500 by beating Terry Labonte.
1987 Daytona 500, winner – Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott won the 29th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 9 Ford for Melling Racing. Elliott led 102 laps en route to his second and final Daytona 500 victory by beating Benny Parsons.
1988 Daytona 500, winner – Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison won the 30th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 12 Buick for Stavola Brothers Racing. Allison led a race-high 70 laps and beat his son Davey Allison for his final victory in NASCAR’s top series.
1989 Daytona 500, winner – Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip won the 31st annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 17 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Waltrip led 25 laps and defeated Hendrick Motorsports teammate Ken Schrader, who led 114 laps.
1990 Daytona 500, winner – Derrike Cope
Derrike Cope won the 32nd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 10 Chevrolet for Whitcomb Racing. Cope only led five laps and beat out Dale Earnhardt, Sr., who led a total of 155 laps during the race.
1991 Daytona 500, winner – Ernie Irvan
Ernie Irvan won the 33rd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 4 Chevrolet for Morgan-McClure Motorsports. Irvan led 29 laps and beat Kyle Petty, who led a race-high 51 laps before crashing.
1992 Daytona 500, winner – Davey Allison
Davey Allison won the 34th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 28 Ford for Robert Yates Racing. Allison led 127 laps en route to his only Daytona 500 victory by beating Morgan Shepard.
1993 Daytona 500, winner – Dale Jarrett
Dale Jarrett won the 35th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 18 Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing. Jarrett only led eight laps during the race and beat Dale Earnhardt Sr., who led a race-high 107 laps.
1994 Daytona 500, winner – Sterling Marlin
Sterling Marlin won the 36th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 4 for Morgan-McClure Motorsports. Marlin led 30 laps and won his first career race in his 279th career start at NASCAR’s top level.
1995 Daytona 500, winner – Sterling Marlin
Sterling Marlin won the 37th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 4 for Morgan-McClure Motorsports. Marlin led a race-high 105 laps and won his second career race, plus his second-straight victory in the event.
1996 Daytona 500, winner – Dale Jarrett
Dale Jarrett won the 38th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 88 Ford for Robert Yates Racing. Jarrett led 40 laps during the race and beat Dale Earnhardt Sr. who finished second and led 32 laps.
1997 Daytona 500, winner – Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon won the 39th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon led 40 laps and finished ahead of his teammates for a 1-2-3 Hendrick Motorsports finish.
1998 Daytona 500, winner – Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. won the 40th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Earnhardt led 107 laps and won his career Daytona 500 by beating Bobby Labonte. This was one of the most famous wins in NASCAR history.
1999 Daytona 500, winner – Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon won the 41st annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon only led 17 laps and beat Rusty Wallace, who led a race-high 104 laps.
2000 Daytona 500, winner – Dale Jarrett
Dale Jarrett won the 42nd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 88 Ford for Robert Yates Racing. Jarrett led 89 laps and beat out Jeff Burton en route to his final victory in the Great American Race.
2001 Daytona 500, winner – Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip won the 43rd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 15 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Waltrip led 27 laps and beat out Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his career win in his 463rd start. Dale Earnhardt Sr. passed away on the final lap of the race while keeping Waltrip and his son in the front of the field.
2002 Daytona 500, winner – Ward Burton
Ward Burton won the 44th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 22 Dodge for Bill Davis Racing. Burton led only five laps during the race and beat out Elliott Sadler for his first Daytona 500 victory.
2003 Daytona 500, winner – Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip won the 45th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 15 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Waltrip led 68 out of 109 laps and won his second Daytona 500 in a rain-shortened race.
2004 Daytona 500, winner – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 46th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Earnhardt led 58 laps and beat Tony Stewart, who led a race-high 98 laps. It was the most emotional win since the 2001 Pepsi 400, which was the first race at Daytona since his father’s death.
2005 Daytona 500, winner – Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon won the 47th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon led 29 laps and beat out Tony Stewart, who led a race-high 107 laps, for his third and final Daytona 500 victory.
2006 Daytona 500, winner – Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson won the 48th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson led 24 laps and beat out Casey Mears for his first Daytona 500 victory. Darian Grubb was Johnson’s crew chief due to Chad Knaus’ suspension.
2007 Daytona 500, winner – Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick won the 49th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 29 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Harvick only led four laps and beat out Mark Martin, who led 26 laps, in one of the best finishes in the race’s history.
2008 Daytona 500, winner – Ryan Newman
Ryan Newman won the 50th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 12 Ford for Team Penske. Newman led eight laps and won on a push by his teammate Kurt Busch for his first career Daytona 500 win.
2009 Daytona 500, winner – Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth won the 51st annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. Kenseth led seven laps and beat out Kevin Harvick for his first career Daytona 500 victory.
2010 Daytona 500, winner – Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray won the 52nd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 1 Chevrolet for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. McMurray led only two laps and beat out Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his only win in the Great American Race.
2011 Daytona 500, winner – Trevor Bayne
Trevor Bayne won the 53rd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 21 Chevrolet for Wood Brothers Racing. Bayne led six laps and beat out Carl Edwards for his only career win in NASCAR and Wood Brothers Racing’s first Daytona 500 since 1976 with David Pearson.
2012 Daytona 500, winner – Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth won the 54th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. Kenseth led 50 laps and beat out Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his final Daytona 500 victory.
2013 Daytona 500, winner – Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson won the 55th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson led 17 laps and beat out teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his final Daytona 500 victory.
2014 Daytona 500, winner – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 56th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Earnhardt led 54 laps and beat Denny Hamlin for his final victory in the Great American Race.
2015 Daytona 500, winner – Joey Logano
Joey Logano won the 57th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske. Logano led 31 laps and beat out Kevin Harvick for his first victory in the Daytona 500.
2016 Daytona 500, winner – Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin won the 58th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin led a race-high 95 laps and beat out Martin Truex Jr. in the closest finish in the race’s history.
2017 Daytona 500, winner – Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch won the 59th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 41 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. Busch only led one lap and passed Kyle Larson when he ran out of fuel for his first victory in the Great American Race.
2018 Daytona 500, winner – Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon won the 60th annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Dillon only led one lap and beat Bubba Wallace after Aric Almirola crashed on the backstretch.
2019 Daytona 500, winner – Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin won the 61st annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin led 30 laps and beat out teammate Kyle Busch, who led 37 laps, for his second victory in the event.
2020 Daytona 500, winner – Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin won the 62nd annual Daytona 500 driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin led 79 laps, which is the most by a winner in the race since Dale Jarrett in 2000, and beat Ryan Blaney after a scary crash involving Ryan Newman on the final lap.
2021 Daytona 500, winner – Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell won the 63rd annual Daytona 500 in 2021 after a crash on the final lap of the race. Joey Logano was leading and teammate Brad Keselowski tried to pass him on the backstretch. While attempting the pass, Logano came down and the two of them crashed.
2022 Daytona 500, winner – Austin Cindric
Austin Cindric won the 64th annual Daytona 500 in 2022 after holding off Bubba Wallace at the line on the final lap. Cindric led 21 laps out of the 201-lap race and started NASCAR overtime in the lead spot. The 23-year-old blocked Ryan Blaney and almost let Wallace win in a photo finish.
2023 Daytona 500, winner – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the 65th annual Daytona 500 in 2023 after holding off Joey Logano as the caution flew on the final lap. Cindric led 10 laps out of the 212-lap race and started NASCAR overtime in the lead spot. The 35-year-old received a great push from Christopher Bell and pulled ahead.
Stenhouse is in his fourth season with JTG Daugherty Racing in the No. 47 Kroger Chevrolet as a noted superspeedway ace. This also marks Cindric’s third career Cup Series victory.
2024 Daytona 500, winner – William Byron
William Byron won the 66th annual Daytona 500 under a caution flag after Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric crashed behind him. The field was thinned immensely because of a 22-car crash with less than nine laps to go. It started when Byron tagged Brad Keselowski as both drivers were in the top five. The crash took out a bunch of contenders.
When does the next Daytona 500 take place?
The next Daytona 500 is scheduled to take place on February 16, 2025. The duels will take place on Thursday of NASCAR’s illustrious speedweeks.
Fun Facts about the Daytona 500
Who has the most Daytona 500 victories? – Richard Petty won the event on seven different occasions.
How many laps is the Daytona 500? – 200 laps around the 2.5-mile oval.
How long is the Daytona 500? – The race takes around 3.5 hours to complete each year.
What is the longest Daytona 500? – The race in 2023 lasted 213 laps, which equals 530 miles.