Daytona 500 Tidbits

• The 2013 edition will be the 55th running of the Daytona 500.
• Although the first Daytona 500 was held in 1959, it has been the season-opener only since 1982.
• 521 drivers have competed in at least one Daytona 500; 309 in more than one.
• 35 drivers have won a Daytona 500.
• Youngest Daytona 500 winner: Trevor Bayne (02/20/2011 - 20 years, 0 months, 1 days)
• Oldest Daytona 500 winner: Bobby Allison (02/14/1988 - 50 years, 2 months, 11 days)
• Nine drivers have won more than one Daytona 500, led by Richard Petty with seven victories.

·         The nine drivers who have won the Daytona 500 more than once: Richard Petty (seven), Cale Yarborough (four), Bobby Allison (three), Dale Jarrett (three), Jeff Gordon (three), Bill Elliott (two), Matt Kenseth (two), Sterling Marlin (two) and Michael Waltrip (two).

• Dale Earnhardt leads the series in runner-up finishes in the Daytona 500 with five; Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Terry Labonte lead all active drivers in Daytona 500 second-place finishes with three.
• Dale Earnhardt finished in the top 10 in 16 of his 23 Daytona 500s.
• Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty each had 16 top 10s in the Daytona 500, more than any other driver. Terry Labonte leads all active drivers in Daytona 500 top-10 finishes with 12; followed by Mark Martin with 11.
• Dale Earnhardt had 12 top fives in the Daytona 500, more than any other driver. Terry Labonte leads all active drivers in Daytona 500 top-five finishes with six; followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with five.
• Only 12 drivers have an average finish of 10th or better in the Daytona 500, five of those competed in the Daytona 500 only once.
• Clint Bowyer has a 12.0 average finish in eight appearances, the best of the active drivers who have competed in more than one Daytona 500.

·         Lee Petty, who won the inaugural Daytona 500, and Trevor Bayne, 2011 Daytona 500 champion, are the only two drivers to win the Daytona 500 in their first appearance.

·         28 of the 35 drivers who have won, participated in at least two Daytona 500s before visiting Victory Lane.

·         Dale Earnhardt competed 19 times before winning his only Daytona 500 (1998), the longest span of any of the 35 race winners.

·         Six drivers made 10 or more attempts before their first Daytona 500 victory: Dale Earnhardt (19), Buddy Baker (18), Darrell Waltrip (16), Bobby Allison (14), Michael Waltrip (14) and Sterling Marlin (12).

• The most Daytona 500s all-time without a victory was Dave Marcis (33 races).

·         Seven drivers posted their career-first victory with a win in the Daytona 500: Tiny Lund (1963), Mario Andretti (1967), Pete Hamilton (1970), Derrike Cope (1990), Sterling Marlin (1994), Michael Waltrip (2001) and Trevor Bayne (2011).

·         Three other drivers posted their career-first victory in (point-paying) qualifying races: Johnny Rutherford (1963), Bobby Isaac (1964) and Earl Balmer (1966).

·         A driver has won back-to-back Daytona 500s three times. Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84) and Sterling Marlin (1994-95).

·         Kevin Harvick’s 0.020-second margin of victory over Mark Martin in the 2007 Daytona 500 is the 12th-closest overall since the advent of electronic timing in 1993, and the closest in a Daytona 500.

• 27 of the 54 Daytona 500s have been won from a top-five starting position.
• Matt Kenseth won the Daytona 500 from the 39th starting position in 2009, the deepest a race winner has started.
• Nine have been won from the pole. The last to do so was Dale Jarrett in 2000.
• 16 Daytona 500s have been won from the front row.
• Five reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions have gone on to win the Daytona 500 the following season: Lee Petty (1959), Richard Petty (1973), Cale Yarborough (1977), Jeff Gordon (1999) and Dale Jarrett (2000).
• Five drivers have won the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same season, Richard Petty has done it four times: Jimmie Johnson (2006), Jeff Gordon (1997), Richard Petty (1964, 1971, 1974, 1979), Cale Yarborough (1977) and Lee Petty (1959).
• Danica Patrick on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2013 became the first female in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history to win a Coors Light pole for the Daytona 500 posting a speed of 196.434 mph.
• Janet Guthrie previously held the record for top starting position by a female NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, twice starting ninth in 1977. She started ninth at Talladega Superspeedway on Aug. 7, 1977 and at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 28, 1977.
• In 2012, Danica Patrick became the third female driver to compete in a Daytona 500 joining Janet Guthrie and Shawna Robinson. Below are the previous female driver performances in the Daytona 500.

Race	Season	Driver	Start	Finish
Daytona 500	1977	Janet Guthrie	39	12
Daytona 500	1980	Janet Guthrie	18	11
Daytona 500	2002	Shawna Robinson	36	24
Daytona 500	2012	Danica Patrick	29	38

 

• Driver Ratings for Winners – Pre-Race Daytona 500 Driver Ratings heading into 2012 for past Daytona 500 winners (past 6 years)

Driver – Year – Driver Rating

• Matt Kenseth – 2012 – 89.0
• Trevor Bayne – 2011 – 68.9
• Jamie McMurray – 2010 – 80.2
• Matt Kenseth – 2009 – 89.0
• Ryan Newman – 2008 – 82.9
• Kevin Harvick – 2007 – 86.3
• Jimmie Johnson – 2006 – 87.5

 

• Drivers who have won the Daytona 500 in more than one car manufacturer:

Driver – Manufacturer (Number of wins in that manufacturer)

• Richard Petty – Plymouth (3), Dodge (2), Oldsmobile (1) and Buick (1)
• Cale Yarborough – Chevrolet (2), Mercury (1) and Pontiac (1)
• Bobby Allison – Buick (2) and Ford (1)
• Dale Jarrett – Ford (2) and Chevrolet (1)

 

• Drivers who have won The Sprint Unlimited and the Daytona 500 in the same season:

Driver – (Year)

• Bobby Allison (1982)
• Bill Elliott (1987)
• Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)
• Jeff Gordon (1997)

 

• Car Numbers that have produced three or more Daytona 500 victories:

Car Number – Drivers – (Years)

• No. 43 – Richard Petty (1964, ’66, ’71, ’73, ’74, ’79, ‘81)
• No. 21 – Tiny Lund (1963), Cale Yarborough (1968), A.J. Foyt (1972), David Pearson (1976) and Trevor Bayne (2011)
• No. 28 – Fred Lorenzen (1965), Buddy Baker (1980), Cale Yarborough (1983 and 1984) and Davey Allison (1992).
• No. 4 – Ernie Irvan (1991), Sterling Marlin (1994 and 1995)
• No. 15 – Bobby Allison (1978), Michael Waltrip (2001 and 2003)
• No. 17 – Darrell Waltrip (1989), Matt Kenseth (2009 and 2012)
• No. 24 – Jeff Gordon (1997, 1999 and 2005)
• No. 88 – Bobby Allison (1982), Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)

 

At Daytona International Speedway

History

• Groundbreaking for Daytona International Speedway was Nov. 25, 1957. The soil underneath the banked corners was dug from the infield of the track and the hole filled with water. It is now known as Lake Lloyd.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona was a 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20, 1959.
• Richard Petty won his 200th career race on July 4, 1984 at Daytona.

·         Lights were installed in the spring of 1998. However, the July race was delayed until October that year due to thick smoke from wildfires. The second Daytona race has been held under the lights ever since.

·         The track underwent a repave in 2010.

 

Notebook

• There have been 131 NASCAR Sprint Cup races since the track hosted its first race in 1959: 54 have been 500 miles, 50 were 400 miles and four 250 miles. There were also 23 qualifier races that were point races.
• Fireball Roberts won the inaugural pole at Daytona.
• Bob Welborn won the first race at Daytona, the 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500.
• Lee Petty won the inaugural Daytona 500 on Feb. 22, 1959; he led 38 laps and won by 2 feet.
• Fireball Roberts won the first 400-mile race at Daytona, the 1963 Firecracker 400.
• 55 drivers have posted poles at Daytona.
• Cale Yarborough leads all drivers with 12 poles at Daytona.
• Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin lead all active drivers with three poles at Daytona.
• 56 drivers have won at Daytona.
• Richard Petty leads all drivers in victories at Daytona with 10.
• Jeff Gordon has six victories at Daytona, more than any other active driver.
• The Wood Brothers have won 15 races at Daytona, more than any other car owner.
• 17 full-length races at Daytona have been won from the pole; the last to do it was Kevin Harvick in the 2011 Coke Zero 400.
• A driver has swept both races at Daytona only four times, most recently by Bobby Allison in 1982.

 

NASCAR in Florida

• There have been 171 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Florida.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Daytona International Speedway	Daytona Beach	131
Homestead-Miami Speedway	Homestead	14
Daytona Beach & Road Course	Daytona Beach	10
Five Flags Speedway	Pensacola	1
Golden Gate Speedway	Tampa	1
Palm Beach Speedway	W. Palm Beach	7
Speedway Park	Jacksonville	6
Titusville-Cocoa Speedway	Titusville	1

• 168 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series have their home state recorded as Florida.
• There have been 10 race winners whose home state is Florida in NASCAR’s three national series:

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Fireball Roberts	33	0	0
LeeRoy Yarbrough	14	0	0
Marshall Teague	7	0	0
Joe Nemechek	4	16	0
Bobby Johns	2	0	0
David Reutimann	2	1	1
Shorty Rollins	1	0	0
Rick Wilson	0	2	0
Aric Almirola	0	1	2
Joey Coulter	0	0	1

 

 

 

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota)

·         Two top fives, six top 10s

·         Average finish of 15.8

·         Average Running Position of 16.5, 11th-best

·         Driver Rating of 85.3, eighth-best

·         65 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

·         2,949 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.144 mph, seventh-fastest

 

Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

·         One win, nine top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 17.1

·         Average Running Position of 16.0, eighth-best

·         Driver Rating of 85.5, seventh-best

·         63 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

·         3,400 Green Flag Passes, third-most

·         Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 188.312 mph

·         1,582 Laps in the Top 15 (55.0%), ninth-most

·         1,993 Quality Passes, seventh-most

 

Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet)

·         10 top fives, 12 top 10s

·         Average finish of 18.0

·         Average Running Position of 15.9, seventh-best

·         Driver Rating of 89.7, fourth-best

·         59 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

·         2,973 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most

·         1,776 Laps in the Top 15 (61.8%), fifth-most

·         2,127 Quality Passes, fifth-most

 

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)

·         One win, five top fives, six top 10s

·         Average finish of 18.0

·         Series-best Average Running Position of 12.1

·         Series-best Driver Rating of 97.6

·         72 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

·         3,058 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.184 mph, fourth-fastest

·         Series-high 2,081 Laps in the Top 15 (72.4%)

·         Series-high 2,300 Quality Passes

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet)

·         Two wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 14.5

·         Average Running Position of 14.7, fourth-best

·         Driver Rating of 88.3, fifth-best

·         69 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

·         3,190 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.155 mph, fifth-fastest

·         1,798 Laps in the Top 15 (62.5%), fourth-most

·         2,142 Quality Passes, fourth-most

 

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Fastenal Ford)

·         Four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 16.6

·         Average Running Position of 16.6, 12th-best

·         Driver Rating of 84.7, 10th-best

·         3,232 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.091 mph, 11th-fastest

·         1,641 Laps in the Top 15 (57.1%), eighth-most

·         2,201 Quality Passes, second-most

 

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet)

·         Six wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s; three poles

·         Average finish of 16.1

·         Average Running Position of 14.9, fifth-best

·         Driver Rating of 88.1, sixth-best

·         1,648 Laps in the Top 15 (57.3%), seventh-most

·         1,807 Quality Passes, 11th-most

 

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)

·         Two top fives, two top 10s

·         Average finish of 21.0

·         Average Running Position of 16.8, 13th-best

·         Driver Rating of 83.3, 11th-best

·         68 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.120 mph, eighth-fastest

 

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)

·         Two wins, five top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 15.4

·         Driver Rating of 84.7, ninth-best

·         Series-high 80 Fastest Laps Run

·         3,056 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.195 mph, third-fastest

·         1,691 Quality Passes, 13th-most

 

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)

·         Two top fives, seven top 10s

·         Average finish of 17.3

·         Average Running Position of 16.4, 10th-best

·         Driver Rating of 83.0, 13th-best

·         68 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

·         Series-high 3,520 Green Flag Passes

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.215 mph, second-fastest

·         1,489 Laps in the Top 15 (51.8%), 12th-most

·         1,997 Quality Passes, sixth-most

 

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

·         Two wins, six top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 16.2

·         Average Running Position of 14.2, third-best

·         Driver Rating of 92.5, third-best

·         71 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

·         2,775 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

·         1,809 Laps in the Top 15 (62.9%), third-most

·         1,907 Quality Passes, eighth-most

 

Ryan Newman (No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet)

·         One win, three top fives, four top 10s

·         Average finish of 21.2

·         Driver Rating of 83.2, 12th-best

·         59 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

·         2,978 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.047 mph, 13th-fastest

·         1,524 Laps in the Top 15 (53.0%), 10th-most

·         1,729 Quality Passes, 12th-most

 

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

·         Four wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 16.1

·         Average Running Position of 13.9, second-best

·         Driver Rating of 96.5, second-best

·         67 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 188.155 mph, sixth-fastest

·         1,825 Laps in the Top 15 (63.5%), second-most

 

Daytona International Speedway Data

Race #: 1 of 36 (2-24-13)

Track Size: 2.5 miles

Race Length: 500 miles (200 laps)

Banking/Corners: 31 degrees

Banking/Straights: 3 degrees

Banking/Tri-Oval: 18 degrees

 

Driver Rating at Daytona

Kyle Busch                             97.6        

Tony Stewart                           96.5

Matt Kenseth                          92.5

Kurt Busch                              89.7

Dale Earnhardt Jr.                   88.3

Jeff Gordon                            88.1

Jeff Burton                             85.5

Clint Bowyer                           85.3

Kevin Harvick                          84.7

Carl Edwards                          84.7

Denny Hamlin                         83.3

Ryan Newman                         83.2

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2012 races (16 total) at Daytona.

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2012 pole winner: Carl Edwards (194.738 mph, 46.216 seconds)

2012 race winner: Matt Kenseth (140.256 mph, 2-27-12)

Qualifying record: Bill Elliott (210.364 mph, 42.783 secs. 2-9-87)

Race record: Buddy Baker (177.602 mph, 2-17-80)

 

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final 2012 Top 12 at Daytona International Speedway

	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Brad Keselowski	7	0	0	0	1	3	24.8	67.5
2	Clint Bowyer	14	0	0	2	6	2	15.7	85.3
3	Jimmie Johnson	22	2	1	6	9	5	19.0	82.8
4	Kasey Kahne	18	0	0	2	7	3	17.2	83.0
5	Greg Biffle	20	1	1	3	5	2	20.5	77.7
6	Denny Hamlin	14	0	0	2	2	0	21.0	83.3
7	Matt Kenseth	26	1	2	6	13	4	16.1	92.5
8	Kevin Harvick	23	1	2	5	10	2	15.3	84.7
9	Tony Stewart	28	1	4	8	13	4	16.1	96.5
10	Jeff Gordon	40	3	6	12	19	5	16.0	88.1
11	Martin Truex Jr.	15	1	0	0	1	2	21.2	80.3
12	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	26	1	2	9	14	3	14.5	88.3

Note: Driver Rating from races at Daytona International Speedway from 2005-2012.