Below is a statistical look at some of the top performers at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida going into the Daytona 500 on February 14 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90). The stats include both the Daytona 500 and the annual summer race and are among active drivers (listed in alphabetical order).
Daytona International Speedway Data
Race #: 1 of 36 (2-14-21)
Track Size: 2.5 miles
Banking/Corners: 31 degrees
Banking/Straights: 3 degrees
Banking/Tri-Oval: 18 degrees
Total Race Length: 500 miles (200 laps)
Stage 1 Length: 162.5 miles (65 laps)
Stage 2 Length: 162.5 miles (65 laps)
Final Stage Length: 175 miles (70 laps)
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Daytona
Kyle Busch 91.1
Denny Hamlin 88.7
Joey Logano 87.5
Ryan Blaney 87.4
Kurt Busch 86.6
William Byron 83.4
Kevin Harvick 81.9
Brad Keselowski 78.5
Jamie McMurray 78.1
Alex Bowman 78.0
Note: Driver Ratings are compiled from 2005-2020 races (32 total) at Daytona International Speedway (active drivers only).
Daytona International Speedway
Qualifying / Race Data
Daytona 500 Qualifying record:
Bill Elliott, Ford Thunderbird
Melling Racing
Crew Chief: Ernie Elliott
(210.364 mph, 42.783 secs., 02-09-1987)
2020 pole winner:
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet Camaro
JTG Daugherty Racing
Crew Chief: Brian Pattie
(194.582 mph, 46.253 secs., 02-09-2020)
2019 pole winner:
William Byron, Chevrolet Camaro
Hendrick Motorsports
Crew Chief: Chad Knaus
(194.305 mph, 46.319 secs., 02-10-2019)
Daytona 500 Race record:
Buddy Baker, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
Ranier Racing
Crew Chief: Waddell Wilson
(177.602 mph, 02:48:55, 02-17-1980)
2020 race winner:
Denny Hamlin, Toyota Camry
Joe Gibbs Racing
Crew Chief: Chris Gabehart
(141.110 mph, 03:42:10, 02-17-2020)
2019 race winner:
Denny Hamlin, Toyota Camry
Joe Gibbs Racing
Crew Chief: Chris Gabehart
(137.440 mph, 03:45:55, 02-17-2019)
DAYTONA-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
Ryan Blaney (No.12 Team Penske Ford)
- Two top fives, four top 10s
- Average finish of 20.1828, 15th-best
- Average Running Position of 13.849, series-best
- Driver Rating of 87.4, fourth-best
- 35 Fastest Laps Run, 19th-best
- 1,357 Laps in the Top 15 (67.5%), 11th-most
- 2,088 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Alex Bowman (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
- Two top 10s
- Average finish of 16.667, fourth-best
- Average Running Position of 16.685, sixth-best
- Driver Rating of 78.0, 10th-best
- 33 Fastest Laps Run, 22nd-best
- 798 Laps in the Top 15 (51.3%), 18th-most
- 922 Quality Passes, 19th-most
Kyle Busch (No.18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
- One win, eight top fives, nine top 10s
- Average finish of 19.419, 10th-best
- Average Running Position of 14.112, second-best
- Driver Rating of 91.1, series-best
- 117 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best
- 3,551 Laps in the Top 15 (64.4%), series-most
- 4,104 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Kurt Busch (No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet)
- One win, 13 top fives, 18 top 10s
- Average finish of 18.513, eighth-best
- Average Running Position of 16.235, fifth-best
- Driver Rating of 86.6, fifth-best
- 121 Fastest Laps Run, third-best
- 3,219 Laps in the Top 15 (58.4%), second-most
- 4,512 Quality Passes, series-most
William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
- One win, two top fives, two top 10s; one pole
- Average finish of 19.833, 12th-best
- Average Running Position of 18.034, 14th-best
- Driver Rating of 83.4, sixth-best
- 22 Fastest Laps Run, 23rd-best
- 481 Laps in the Top 15 (44.5%), 24th-most
- 567 Quality Passes, 25th-most
Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
- One win, two top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
- Average finish of 15.533, series-best
- Average Running Position of 17.842, 10th-best
- Driver Rating of 76.7, 13th-best
- 67 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best
- 1193 Laps in the Top 15 (44.5), 12th-most
- 1634 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
- Three wins, ten top fives, 11 top 10s
- Average finish of 16.333, second-best
- Average Running Position of 14.760, third-best
- Driver Rating of 88.7, second-best
- 118 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best
- 3174 Laps in the Top 15 (59.3), fourth-most
- 4173 Quality Passes, third-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford)
- Two wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
- Average finish of 18.188, sixth-best
- Average Running Position of 18.840, 13th-best
- Driver Rating of 81.9, seventh-best
- 122 Fastest Laps Run, second-best
- 2,836 Laps in the Top 15 (49.6%), fourth-most
- 3,810 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Ford)
- One win, three top fives, five top 10s
- Average finish of 23.217, 13th-best
- Average Running Position of 17.762, ninth-best
- Driver Rating of 78.5, eighth-best
- 78 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best
- 2,089 Laps in the Top 15 (50.7%), ninth-most
- 3,194 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford)
- One win, six top fives, nine top 10s
- Average finish of 18.167, fifth-best
- Average Running Position of 15.712, fourth-best
- Driver Rating of 87.5, third-best
- 91 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best
- 2,540 Laps in the Top 15 (59.5%), seventh-most
- 3,826 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Jamie McMurray (No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet)
- Two wins, three top fives, five top 10s
- Average finish of 21.621, 11th-best
- Average Running Position of 17.959, 11th-best
- Driver Rating of 78.1, ninth-best
- 87 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best
- 2,581 Laps in the Top 15 (49.5%), sixth-most
- 4,277 Quality Passes, second-most
Ricky Stenhouse Jr (No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet)
- One win, two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
- Average finish of 19.588, eighth-best
- Average Running Position of 17.504, seventh-best
- Driver Rating of 77.4, 11th-best
- 72 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best
- 1,353 Laps in the Top 15 (44.4%), 12th-most
- 2,223 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Martin Truex Jr (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
- Three top fives, five top 10s; one pole
- Average finish of 21.871, 12th-best
- Average Running Position of 17.591, eighth-best
- Driver Rating of 77.2, 12th-best
- 114 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best
- 2806 Laps in the Top 15 (50.5), fifth-most
- 3724 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Daytona 500 – Stats & Tidbits
- The 2021 edition will be the 64th running of the Daytona 500 (1959-2021).
- Although the first Daytona 500 was held in 1959, it has been the season-opener only since 1982.
STARTS
- A total of 561 different drivers have competed in at least one Daytona 500; 339 have competed in more than one Daytona 500.
- Dave Marcis leads the NASCAR Cup Series all-time in Daytona 500 starts with 33; followed by NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty (32) and Terry Labonte (32).
- Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in Daytona 500 starts with 19 each.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the NASCAR Cup Series (all-time) in average starting position in the Daytona 500 with a 5.667 (18 starts).
- Alex Bowman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position in the Daytona 500 with a 8.500 (five starts).
Top 10 in Average Starting Position for the Daytona 500 (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Avg. Start | Races | Rank | Active Drivers | Avg. Start | Races |
| 1 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | 5.667 | 18 | 1 | Alex Bowman | 8.500 | 5 |
| 2 | Cotton Owens | 5.750 | 4 | 2 | Chase Elliott | 9.800 | 5 |
| 3 | Paul Goldsmith | 6.857 | 7 | 3 | Brian Keselowski | 12.000 | 2 |
| 4 | Bobby Isaac | 7.300 | 10 | 4 | William Byron | 12.667 | 3 |
| 5 | Davey Allison | 7.714 | 7 | 5 | Joey Logano | 14.000 | 12 |
| 6 | Pete Hamilton | 7.750 | 4 | 6 | Austin Dillon | 14.625 | 8 |
| 7 | Alex Bowman | 8.500 | 5 | 7 | Kyle Busch | 15.133 | 15 |
| 8 | Dale Earnhardt | 8.609 | 23 | 8 | Kevin Harvick | 15.421 | 19 |
| 9 | Joe Weatherly | 9.200 | 5 | 9 | Kurt Busch | 15.526 | 19 |
| 10 | Tony Stewart | 9.412 | 17 | 10 | Denny Hamlin | 16.200 | 15 |
POLES
| Active Daytona 500 Pole Winners | ||
| Rank | Active Pole Winners | D500 Poles |
| 1 | Chase Elliott | 2 |
| 2 | Alex Bowman | 1 |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | 1 |
| 4 | Martin Truex Jr | 1 |
| 5 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 1 |
| 6 | William Byron | 1 |
- A total of 43 different drivers have won a pole for the Daytona 500; six of the 43 drivers are active this weekend.
- Bill Elliott, Cale Yarborough and Buddy Baker lead the series in Daytona 500 poles with four each.
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr won the pole for 2020 Daytona 500 drving for JTG Daugherty Racing.
- A total of 10 drivers have posted multiple poles for the Daytona 500; Jimmie Johnson (two) and Chase Elliott (two) are the only active drivers with more than one Daytona 500 pole.
- Five drivers have won consecutive Daytona 500 poles – Fireball Roberts (1961-1963), Buddy Baker (1979-1980), Bill Elliott (1985, 1986, 1987), Ken Schrader (1988, 1989, 1990), Chase Elliott (2016, 2017).
- Chase Elliott became the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner at the age of 20 years, 2 months, 17 days with his pole in 2016.
- Hendrick Motorsports has won 13 Daytona 500 poles, the series most: Ken Schrader (1988, 1989, 1990), Jeff Gordon (1999, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2008), Mark Martin (2010), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011), Chase Elliott (2016, 2017), Alex Bowman (2018), William Byron (2019).
- Hendrick Motorsports has won a record five Daytona 500 poles in a row – (2015-2019).
- Seven different manufacturers have won the pole for the Daytona 500, led by Chevrolet with 28; followed by Ford (12), Pontiac (eight), Mercury (five), Dodge (four), Oldsmobile (three), Plymouth (two).
WINS
| Active Daytona 500 Winners | ||
| Rank | Race Winners | Wins |
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 3 |
| 2 | Austin Dillon | 1 |
| 3 | Joey Logano | 1 |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | 1 |
| 5 | Kurt Busch | 1 |
| 6 | Ryan Newman | 1 |
- A total of 39 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won a Daytona 500, and six of the 39 are active this weekend.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in Daytona 500 victories with seven – (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981).
- Lee Petty won the inaugural Daytona 500 on Feb. 22, 1959; he led 38 laps and won by two feet in an Oldsmobile.
- Denny Hamlin won the last two consecutive (2019, 2020) Daytona 500s. He leads all active drivers in Daytona 500 wins with three (2016, 2019, 2020).
- 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).
- Seven drivers posted their career-first NASCAR Cup Series victory with a win in the Daytona 500; the most recent to accomplish the feat was Trevor Bayne in 2011.
| Drivers | Seasons |
| Tiny Lund | 1963 |
| Mario Andretti | 1967 |
| Pete Hamilton | 1970 |
| Derrike Cope | 1990 |
| Sterling Marlin | 1994 |
| Michael Waltrip | 2001 |
| Trevor Bayne | 2011 |
- Three other drivers posted their career-first victory in (points-paying) qualifying races at Daytona: Johnny Rutherford (1963), Bobby Isaac (1964) and Earl Balmer (1966).
- 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.
WINS
- A total of 12 drivers have won multiple Daytona 500s, led by Richard Petty with seven victories.
| The 12 Drivers With Multiple Daytona 500 Wins | ||||||||
| No. of Wins | Drivers | Seasons | ||||||
| 7 | Richard Petty | 1964 | 1966 | 1971 | 1973 | 1974 | 1979 | 1981 |
| 4 | Cale Yarborough | 1968 | 1977 | 1983 | 1984 | |||
| 3 | Bobby Allison | 1978 | 1982 | 1988 | ||||
| 3 | Dale Jarrett | 1993 | 1996 | 2000 | ||||
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | 1997 | 1999 | 2005 | ||||
| 3 | Denny Hamlin | 2016 | 2019 | 2020 | ||||
| 2 | Bill Elliott | 1985 | 1987 | |||||
| 2 | Sterling Marlin | 1994 | 1995 | |||||
| 2 | Michael Waltrip | 2001 | 2003 | |||||
| 2 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 2004 | 2014 | |||||
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 2006 | 2013 | |||||
| 2 | Matt Kenseth | 2009 | 2012 | |||||
- A driver has won back-to-back Daytona 500s four times – Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84), Sterling Marlin (1994-95) and Denny Hamlin (2019-20).
- The Daytona 500 has been won from the Busch Pole position nine times; a winning percentage of 14.5%. The most recent driver to win the Daytona 500 from the pole is NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett in 2000.
| Season | Daytona 500 Winners From The Poles |
| 1962 | Fireball Roberts |
| 1966 | Richard Petty |
| 1968 | Cale Yarborough |
| 1980 | Buddy Baker |
| 1984 | Cale Yarborough |
| 1985 | Bill Elliott |
| 1987 | Bill Elliott |
| 1999 | Jeff Gordon |
| 2000 | Dale Jarrett |
- NASCAR Hall of Famers Bill Elliott (1985, 1987) and Cale Yarborough (1968, 1984) are the only two drivers to accomplish the feat of winning the Daytona 500 from the pole more than once.
WINS
- The pole position is the most proficient starting position in the Daytona 500 field, producing more winners (nine) than any other position.
- 16 of the 62 Daytona 500s (25.8%) have been won from the front row; nine from the pole position and seven from the second-place starting position.
- Matt Kenseth won the Daytona 500 from the 39th starting position in 2009, the deepest a Daytona 500 race winner has started.
Daytona 500 Wins By Starting Positions
| Starting Position | Wins | Win % | Starting Position | Wins | Win % |
| 1 | 9 | 14.52% | 12 | 3 | 4.84% |
| 2 | 7 | 11.29% | 13 | 2 | 3.23% |
| 3 | 3 | 4.84% | 14 | 1 | 1.61% |
| 4 | 7 | 11.29% | 15 | 2 | 3.23% |
| 5 | 2 | 3.23% | 19 | 3 | 4.84% |
| 6 | 2 | 3.23% | 21 | 1 | 1.61% |
| 7 | 5 | 8.06% | 32 | 2 | 3.23% |
| 8 | 3 | 4.84% | 33 | 1 | 1.61% |
| 9 | 5 | 8.06% | 34 | 1 | 1.61% |
| 10 | 1 | 1.61% | 39 | 1 | 1.61% |
| 11 | 1 | 1.61% | |||
| Additional Starting Position Stats | |||||
| Wins From The Pole | 9 | 14.52% | |||
| Wins From The Front Row | 16 | 25.81% | |||
| Wins From The Top Five | 28 | 45.16% | |||
| Wins From The Top 10 | 44 | 70.97% | |||
| Wins From The Top 15 | 53 | 85.48% | |||
| Wins From Outside The Top 20 | 6 | 9.68% | |||
- Five reigning NASCAR Cup Series champions have gone on to win the Daytona 500 the season after winning the championship: Lee Petty (1959), Richard Petty (1973), Cale Yarborough (1977), Jeff Gordon (1999) and Dale Jarrett (2000).
WINS
- Five Daytona 500 winners have won the NASCAR Cup Series championship in the same season; Richard Petty pulled it off four times; most recent was Jimmie Johnson in 2013.
| Drivers | Seasons | |||
| Richard Petty | 1964 | 1971 | 1974 | 1979 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 2006 | 2013 | ||
| Lee Petty | 1959 | |||
| Cale Yarborough | 1977 | |||
| Jeff Gordon | 1997 |
- A driver has swept both the Daytona 500 and the Summer Daytona race only five times at Daytona International Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2013), Bobby Allison (1982), LeeRoy Yarborough (1969), Cale Yarborough (1968) and Fireball Roberts (1962).
- Drivers who have won the Busch Clash and the Daytona 500 in the same season:
Driver – (Year)
-
- Bobby Allison (1982)
- Bill Elliott (1987)
- Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)
- Jeff Gordon (1997)
- Denny Hamlin (2016)
- 18 different drivers have won both the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600:
| Winner | Daytona 500s | Coca-Cola 600s | |
| 1 | Richard Petty | 7 | 2 |
| 2 | Bobby Allison | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Dale Jarrett | 3 | 1 |
| 4 | Jeff Gordon | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | Jimmie Johnson | 2 | 4 |
| 6 | Matt Kenseth | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | Darrell Waltrip | 1 | 5 |
| 8 | Austin Dillon | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Benny Parsons | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | Buddy Baker | 1 | 3 |
| 11 | Dale Earnhardt | 1 | 3 |
| 12 | Davey Allison | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | David Pearson | 1 | 3 |
| 14 | Fred Lorenzen | 1 | 2 |
| 15 | Kevin Harvick | 1 | 2 |
| 16 | Kurt Busch | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | Marvin Panch | 1 | 1 |
WINS
- Eight different drivers have won both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis:
| Winners | Daytona 500s | Brickyard 400s |
| Dale Jarrett | 3 | 2 |
| Jeff Gordon | 3 | 5 |
| Bill Elliott | 2 | 1 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 2 | 4 |
| Dale Earnhardt | 1 | 1 |
| Jamie McMurray | 1 | 1 |
| Kevin Harvick | 1 | 2 |
| Ryan Newman | 1 | 1 |
- 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. 11 – Mario Andretti (1967), Cale Yarborough (1977), Denny Hamlin (2016, 2019, 2020)
- 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. 88 – Bobby Allison (1982), Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014)
- No. 24 – Jeff Gordon (1997, 1999 and 2005)
- Nine different manufacturers have won the Daytona 500, led by Chevrolet with 24 victories; followed by Ford (15), Dodge (four), Plymouth (four), Buick (three), Mercury (three), Oldsmobile (three), Pontiac (three) and Toyota (three).
- 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)
- The driver with the all-time most Daytona 500 starts without a victory is Dave Marcis with 33 races; Martin Truex Jr. (16) leads all active drivers with the most Daytona 500 starts without a win.
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Runner-Up Finishes:
- A total of 40 different drivers have finished runner-up in the Daytona 500, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt with five (1984, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999).
- Kurt Busch leads all active drivers in the series in runner-up finishes in the Daytona 500 with three (2003, 2005, 2008).
Top-Five Finishes:
- In total 140 different drivers have posted at least one top five in the Daytona 500, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-five finishes in the Daytona 500 with 12 top fives in his 23 Daytona 500 starts.
- Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in Daytona 500 top-five finishes with seven.
Top 10 Finishes:
- In total 189 different drivers have posted at least one top 10 in the Daytona 500, led by Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, who posted a series-leading 16 top 10s each in the Daytona 500.
- Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in Daytona 500 top-10 finishes with nine.
Average Finish:
- Lee Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing positon with a 2.5 in two Daytona 500 appearances.
- Denny Hamlin (13.2) has the best average finish among active drivers with more than one start; he has made 15 appearances in the Daytona 500.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Position for the Daytona 500 (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Driver | Avg. Finish | Races | Rank | All-Time Driver | Avg. Finish | Races |
| 1 | Lee Petty | 2.500 | 2 | 1 | Denny Hamlin | 12.400 | 15 |
| 2 | Fred Lorenzen | 6.889 | 9 | 2 | Austin Dillon | 13.875 | 8 |
| 3 | Richard Brickhouse | 9.000 | 2 | 3 | Joey Logano | 14.333 | 12 |
| 4 | Ned Jarrett | 9.143 | 7 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | 16.000 | 19 |
| 5 | Darel Dieringer | 9.429 | 7 | 5 | Ryan Blaney | 16.667 | 6 |
| 6 | Andy Hampton | 9.500 | 2 | 6 | Ross Chastain | 17.500 | 2 |
| 7 | Jody Ridley | 9.667 | 6 | 7 | Michael McDowell | 17.889 | 11 |
| 8 | Vic Elford | 10.500 | 2 | 8 | Kyle Larson | 18.143 | 7 |
| 9 | Dale Earnhardt | 11.000 | 23 | 9 | Bubba Wallace | 18.333 | 3 |
| 10 | Jim Reed | 11.000 | 3 | 10 | Ryan Preece | 18.500 | 2 |
FEMALE COMPETITORS
- Danica Patrick on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2013 became the first female in NASCAR Cup Series history to win a 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 premier series driver, starting ninth twice in 1977 – 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 |
| Daytona 500 | 2013 | Danica Patrick | 1 | 8 |
| Daytona 500 | 2014 | Danica Patrick | 27 | 40 |
| Daytona 500 | 2015 | Danica Patrick | 20 | 21 |
| Daytona 500 | 2016 | Danica Patrick | 16 | 35 |
| Daytona 500 | 2017 | Danica Patrick | 12 | 33 |
| Daytona 500 | 2018 | Danica Patrick | 28 | 35 |
TRACK / DAYTONA 500 STATS
- Denny Hamlin’s .001-second margin of victory over Martin Truex Jr. in the 2016 Daytona 500 is the closest Daytona 500 finish and tied with Atlanta (3/12/2000) and Phoenix (3/13/2016) as the seventh closest MOV since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993.
- Kevin Harvick’s020-second margin of victory over Mark Martin in the 2007 Daytona 500 is the 12th-closest overall since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, and the second closest in Daytona 500 history.
TRACK / DAYTONA 500 STATS
- Top five closest margins of victory in the Daytona 500:
| Margin of Victory | Winner | Runner-Up | Date |
| 0.001 | Denny Hamlin | Martin Truex Jr | Sunday, February 21, 2016 |
| 0.020 | Kevin Harvick | Mark Martin | Sunday, February 18, 2007 |
| 0.092 | Ryan Newman | Kurt Busch | Sunday, February 17, 2008 |
| 0.118 | Trevor Bayne | Carl Edwards | Sunday, February 20, 2011 |
| 0.119 | Jamie McMurray | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Sunday, February 14, 2010 |
- The 2011 Daytona 500 had the most all-time lead changes with 74; which is 14 more than the race with the second-most lead changes – the 1974 Daytona 500 with 60 lead changes.
- The 1964 Daytona 500 won by Richard Petty had the fewest lead changes with a mere six.
- 2011 Daytona 500 had the most all-time leaders with 22.
- 2011 Daytona 500 had the most all-time cautions with 16.
- 1968 and 2011 Daytona 500s had the most all-time Caution Laps with 60 laps each.
- The Daytona 500 has finished under NASCAR Overtime conditions 10 times: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
- Due to the Overtime rules in NASCAR, the longest Daytona 500 ever run was the 2020 Daytona 500 with 209 laps (523 miles) – nine laps and 23 miles more than the scheduled distance. The next longest were the 2010 and 2011 Daytona 500 races – both went 208 laps/520 miles.
- The largest field to compete in the Daytona 500 was 68 cars in the 1960 race.
LAP LEADERS
- In total 163 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap in the Daytona 500. NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in laps led in the Daytona 500 with 780 laps led in 32 starts.
- Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in laps led in the Daytona 500 with 376.
LAP LEADERS
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty has led the most laps in a single Daytona 500; leading 184 laps in the 1964 Daytona 500 and won the event.
- Among active drivers, Ryan Blaney has led the most laps in a single Daytona 500, when he led 118 laps in the 2018 Daytona 500 and finished seventh.
- Kurt Busch (2017) and Austin Dillon (2018) have led the fewest laps in the Daytona 500 and won – both led just the final lap on their way to winning the Daytona 500.
Top 10 Lap Leaders in the Daytona 500 (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Races | Led | Completed | % Led |
| 1 | Richard Petty | 32 | 780 | 4,860 | 16% |
| 2 | Dale Earnhardt | 23 | 686 | 4,179 | 16% |
| 3 | Buddy Baker | 28 | 643 | 3,758 | 17% |
| 4 | Cale Yarborough | 26 | 553 | 3,697 | 15% |
| 5 | Bobby Allison | 25 | 433 | 3,774 | 11% |
| 6 | Jeff Gordon | 23 | 392 | 4,105 | 10% |
| 7 | Denny Hamlin | 15 | 376 | 2,998 | 13% |
| 8 | Fireball Roberts | 6 | 365 | 689 | 53% |
| 9 | Bill Elliott | 32 | 347 | 5,392 | 6% |
| 10 | A.J. Foyt | 28 | 334 | 3,615 | 9% |
| Rank | Active Drivers | Races | Led | Completed | % Led |
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 15 | 376 | 2,998 | 13% |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 15 | 296 | 2,739 | 11% |
| 3 | Kurt Busch | 19 | 205 | 3,486 | 6% |
| 4 | Ryan Blaney | 6 | 137 | 1,181 | 12% |
| 5 | Kevin Harvick | 19 | 111 | 3,199 | 3% |
| 6 | Ryan Newman | 19 | 89 | 3,541 | 3% |
| 7 | Joey Logano | 12 | 74 | 2,312 | 3% |
| 8 | Chase Elliott | 5 | 69 | 870 | 8% |
| 9 | Brad Keselowski | 12 | 68 | 1,922 | 4% |
| 10 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 9 | 51 | 1,748 | 3% |
ADDITIONAL DAYTONA STATS
- 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 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 scheduled for under the lights ever since.
- The track underwent a repave in 2010.
- 2016 marked the next phase in the existence of Daytona International Speedway as the DAYTONA Rising project was completed, ushering in the first ‘motorsports stadium,’ a 400-million-dollar project.
- There have been 147 NASCAR Cup Series races since the track hosted its first race in 1959: 62 have been 500 miles, 58 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 in a Pontiac with a speed of 140.121 mph.
- Bob Welborn won the first race at Daytona, the 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500.
- Fireball Roberts won the first 400-mile race at Daytona, the 1963 Firecracker 400.
- A total of 62 different drivers have posted poles at Daytona in the NASCAR Cup Series.
- Cale Yarborough leads all drivers with 12 poles at Daytona – (D500 = 4; Summer Race = 8).
- Chase Elliott lead all active drivers with two poles (2016, 2017) at Daytona.
| First Time Pole Winners at Daytona | |
| First Time Pole Winner | Season |
| William Byron | 2019 |
| Chase Elliott | 2016 |
| Austin Dillon | 2014 |
| Danica Patrick | 2013 |
| Paul Menard | 2008 |
| Greg Biffle | 2004 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 2002 |
| Kevin Harvick | 2002 |
| Mike Skinner | 1997 |
| Dale Jarrett | 1995 |
| Loy Allen Jr | 1994 |
| Sterling Marlin | 1991 |
| Greg Sacks | 1990 |
| Geoff Bodine | 1982 |
| Ramo Stott | 1976 |
| Charlie Glotzbach | 1968 |
| Darel Dieringer | 1964 |
| First Time Race Winners at Daytona | |
| First Time Race Winner | Season |
| William Byron | 2020 |
| Erik Jones | 2018 |
| Aric Almirola | 2014 |
| David Ragan | 2011 |
| Trevor Bayne | 2011 |
| Greg Biffle | 2003 |
| Michael Waltrip | 2001 |
| John Andretti | 1997 |
| Jimmy Spencer | 1994 |
| Sterling Marlin | 1994 |
| Derrike Cope | 1990 |
| Greg Sacks | 1985 |
| Pete Hamilton | 1970 |
| Mario Andretti | 1967 |
| Earl Balmer | 1966 |
| Sam McQuagg | 1966 |
| A.J. Foyt | 1964 |
| Bobby Isaac | 1964 |
| Johnny Rutherford | 1963 |
| Tiny Lund | 1963 |
- In total 17 different drivers have scored their first NASCAR Cup Series career pole at Daytona.
- A total of four active drivers have won their first career pole at Daytona – Chase Elliott (2016), Austin Dillon (2014), Kevin Harvick (2002) and William Byron (2019).
- 18 full-length races at Daytona have been won from the pole; most recent Dale Earnhardt Jr. (July, 2015).
- A total of 66 different drivers have won at Daytona International Speedway.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty with 10 points-paying victories at Daytona, leads the series.
- Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in Daytona wins with three (all Daytona 500 victories).
- A total of 19 different drivers scored their first win in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona. The most recent was Hendrick Motorsport’s William Byron in 2020.
- Wood Brothers Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are tied for the most wins by an organization at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series with 15 each.
NASCAR in Florida
- There have been 416 NASCAR national series races among 11 tracks held in the state of Florida.
| Track Name | City | Cup | Xfinity | Truck | Total | First Year |
| Daytona International Speedway | Daytona Beach | 147 | 58 | 21 | 298 | 1959 |
| DAYTONA Road Course | Daytona Beach | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2020 |
| Homestead-Miami Speedway | Homestead | 22 | 27 | 25 | 83 | 1999 |
| Daytona Beach & Road Course | Daytona Beach | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1949 |
| Five Flags Speedway | Pensacola | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1953 |
| Golden Gate Speedway | Tampa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1963 |
| Palm Beach Speedway | W. Palm Beach | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1952 |
| Speedway Park | Jacksonville | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1951 |
| Titusville-Cocoa Speedway | Titusville | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1957 |
| Volusia County Speedway | Barberville | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1989 |
| Walt Disney World Speedway | Orlando | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1997 |
| Total | 196 | 90 | 49 | 416 |
NASCAR DRIVERS IN FLORIDA
- A total of 185 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series have their home state recorded as Florida.
- There have been 12 race winners with their home state recorded as Florida in NASCAR’s three national series; totaling 97 victories among them:
| Driver | Cup | Xfinity | Truck | Combined | |
| 1 | Fireball Roberts | 33 | 0 | 0 | 33 |
| 2 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 3 | Marshall Teague | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 4 | Joe Nemechek | 4 | 16 | 0 | 20 |
| 5 | Aric Almirola | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 6 | Bobby Johns | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | David Reutimann | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 8 | Shorty Rollins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Ross Chastain | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 10 | Rick Wilson | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Joey Coulter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Ben Kennedy | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 65 | 24 | 8 | 97 |
— NASCAR —