Statistical Advance: Analyzing The DAYTONA 500

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 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Daytona International Speedway – Track / Event Data
Race #: 1 of 36 (February 15, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. ET)
Race Name: DAYTONA 500
Purse: $31,045,575
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, Ends on Lap 130)
Final Stage Length: 175 miles (70 laps, Ends on Lap 200)

DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Record

DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Record:
Bill Elliott, Ford Thunderbird, Melling Racing, Crew Chief: Ernie Elliott
(210.364 mph, 42.783 secs., 02-09-1987)

2025 Pole Winner:
Chase Briscoe, Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing, Crew Chief: James Small
(182.745 mph, 49.249 secs., 02-12-2025)

2024 Pole Winner:
Joey Logano, Ford Mustang, Team Penske, Crew Chief: Paul Wolfe
(181.947 mph, 49.465 secs., 02-14-2024)

DAYTONA 500 Race Record

DAYTONA 500 Race Record:
Buddy Baker, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Ranier Racing, Crew Chief: Waddell Wilson
(177.602 mph, 02:48:55, 02-17-1980)

2025 Race Winner:
William Byron, Chevrolet Camaro, Hendrick Motorsports, Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
(129.159 mph, 03:53:26, 02-16-2025)

2024 Race Winner:
William Byron, Chevrolet Camaro, Hendrick Motorsports, Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
(157.178 mph, 03:10:52, 02-19-2024)

DAYTONA 500 – Additional Stats & Tidbits

• This season marks the 68th running of the DAYTONA 500 (1959-2026).
• Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5-mile superspeedway that was built in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1959 by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.
• Daytona International Speedway is widely known as the “World Center of Racing”.
• Although the first DAYTONA 500 was held in 1959, it has been the season-opener only since 1982.
• Daytona International Speedway held three races in its inaugural season in 1959 – a qualifying race, the DAYTONA 500 and a summer race.
• Driver Bob Welborn won the first NASCAR Cup Series event at Daytona International Speedway, a qualifying race for the DAYTONA 500 on February 20, 1959. Welborn was driving the No. 49 Chevrolet owned by W.J. Ridgeway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty won the inaugural DAYTONA 500 on February 22, 1959, in a photo finish.
• The third event of 1959 was held on July 4 and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts driving the No. 3 Pontiac for car owner Jim Stephens.

STARTS

• A total of 580 drivers have competed in at least one DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
• A total of 359 drivers have competed in more than one DAYTONA 500.
• Driver Dave Marcis leads the NASCAR Cup Series all-time in DAYTONA 500 starts with 33 starts.
• Top Five All-Time in DAYTONA 500 Starts: David Marcis (33), Richard Petty (32), Terry Labonte (32), Michael Waltrip (30) and Bill Elliott, Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd (each have 29).
• Jimmie Johnson leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in DAYTONA 500 starts with 22 appearances heading into this season.
• Top Five Active in DAYTONA 500 Starts: Jimmie Johnson (22), Denny Hamlin (20), Kyle Busch (20), Joey Logano (17) and Brad Keselowski (16).
• A total of 70 different drivers have made their first NASCAR Cup Series start in the DAYTONA 500.
• The most first-time drivers making their series debut in a single DAYTONA 500 is four drivers and it has occurred three times: 1968, 1976 and 1983.
• The best starting position by driver making his/her NASCAR Cup Series debut in the DAYTONA 500 is second-place also known as the outside front row, by Terry Ryan in 1976 and NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart in 1999.
• The best finish by a driver making his/her NASCAR Cup Series career debut in the DAYTONA 500 is a sixth-place finish by Terry Ryan in 1976. The next best was Riley Herbsts’ 10th-place finish in the 2023 DAYTONA 500.

Drivers that made their NASCAR Cup Series debut in the DAYTONA 500

Average Starting Position

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all Cup drivers in average starting position in the DAYTONA 500 with a 5.7 in 18 races.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position for the DAYTONA 500 (All-Time & Active)

• Alex Bowman has started on the DAYTONA 500 front row a record six consecutive times (2018-2023), and leads all active drivers in average starting position.

POLES

• A total of 46 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won a pole for the DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
• A total of 11 drivers have won multiple DAYTONA 500 poles.
• Bob Welborn won the first DAYTONA 500 pole on February 20, 1959 with a speed of 140.121 mph. Welborn was driving the No. 49 Chevrolet owned by W.J. Ridgeway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famers Bill Elliott (1985-87, 2001), Cale Yarborough (1968, ’70, ’78, ’84) and Buddy Baker (1969, ’73, ’79, ’80) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in DAYTONA 500 poles with four each.
• A total of nine of the 46 DAYTONA 500 pole winners are active this weekend.
• Alex Bowman (2018, 2021, 2023) leads all active drivers in DAYTONA 500 poles with three.

• Three active drivers have posted multiple DAYTONA 500 poles: Alex Bowman (three), Chase Elliott (two) and Jimmie Johnson (two).
• 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) and Chase Elliott (2016, 2017).
• Chase Elliott became the youngest DAYTONA 500 pole winner at the age of 20 years, 2 months, and 17 days with his pole on February 14, 2016.
• Oldest DAYTONA 500 pole winner: Mark Martin (02/06/2010 – 51 years, 0 months, 28 days).
• A total of 29 different organizations have won a pole for the DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
• Hendrick Motorsports has won 16 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, 2021, 2023), William Byron (2019), Kyle Larson (2022).
• Hendrick Motorsports has won a record five consecutive DAYTONA 500 poles – (2015-2019). Hendrick Motorsports has also won three consecutive DAYTONA 500 poles from 2021-2023.
• The top five organizations in DAYTONA 500 poles all-time are Hendrick Motorsports (16), Richard Childress Racing (6), Ranier Racing (5), Yates Racing (5) and Wood Brothers Racing (4).
• A total of seven active organizations have won a DAYTONA 500 pole at Daytona International Speedway.

• Eight different manufacturers have won the pole for the DAYTONA 500 (all-time), led by Chevrolet with 31 poles; followed by Ford (12), Pontiac (eight), Mercury (five), Dodge (four), Oldsmobile (three), Plymouth (two), Toyota (one).
• Chevrolet holds the record for winning the most consecutive DAYTONA 500 poles at 11 straight from 2013 – 2024.
• Three drivers have won the DAYTONA 500 pole in multiple manufactures: Cale Yarborough (Mercury 2, Chevrolet 1, Oldmobile 1); Buddy Baker (Dodge 2, Oldmobile 2); Bill Elliott (Ford 3, Dodge 1).

WINS

• A total of 43 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won the DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty won the inaugural DAYTONA 500 on February 22, 1959; he led 38 laps and won by two feet in an Oldsmobile.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in DAYTONA 500 victories with seven wins (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981).
• Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in DAYTONA 500 wins with three (2016, 2019, 2020).
• Eight of the 43 NASCAR Cup Series DAYTONA 500 winners are active this weekend.

• Team Penske’s Austin Cindric won the 2022 DAYTONA 500, becoming the first rookie of the year candidate to win the prestigious event.
• 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 posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series 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), Trevor Bayne (2011), Michael McDowell (2021) and Ausitn Cindric (2022).
• Three other drivers posted their career-first victory in (points-paying) qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway: Johnny Rutherford (1963), Bobby Isaac (1964) and Earl Balmer (1966).
• McDowell’s 358 starts prior to his 2021 DAYTONA 500 win are the second-most in series history by a driver before their first win; behind Michael Waltrip with 463 starts before his first win in the 2001 DAYTONA 500.
• Lee Petty, who won the inaugural DAYTONA 500, and Trevor Bayne, the 2011 DAYTONA 500 champion, are the only two drivers to win the DAYTONA 500 in their first appearance.
• Sterling Marlin is the only driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to record his first two victories in the DAYTONA 500 (1994, 1995).
• A total of 13 drivers have won multiple DAYTONA 500s, led by Richard Petty with seven victories.

• Denny Hamlin (2016, 2019, 2020), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2013) and William Byron (2024, 2025) are the only three active drivers to win multiple DAYTONA 500 races.
• Five different drivers have won back-to-back DAYTONA 500s – Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84), Sterling Marlin (1994-95), Denny Hamlin (2019-20) and William Byron (2024-25).
• In total 24 different starting positions on the grid have led to victories in the DAYTONA 500.
• The DAYTONA 500 has been won from the pole or first starting position a total of nine times by seven drivers; a winning percentage of 13.43%.
• The most recent driver to win the DAYTONA 500 from the pole is NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett in 2000.

• 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.
• The pole position is the most proficient starting position in the DAYTONA 500 field, producing more winners (nine) than any other position (13.43%).
• A total of 16 of the 66 DAYTONA 500s (23.88%) have been won from the front row – nine from the pole or first starting position and seven from the second-place starting position.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer 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

• 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).
• 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.

• 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).
• Two drivers have won the DAYTONA 500 pole, won the Duel race they were entered in, and then went on to win the DAYTONA 500 in the same week – Cale Yarborough (1984) and Bill Elliott (1985).
• Five drivers have won the Clash and the DAYTONA 500 in the same season: Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1987), Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000), Jeff Gordon (1997), Denny Hamlin (2016)
• A total of 19 different drivers have won both the DAYTONA 500 and Coca-Cola 600:

• Eight different drivers have won both the DAYTONA 500 and Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis:

• Seventeen different drivers have won both the DAYTONA 500 and the Southern 500:

• A total of 30 different car numbers have won the DAYTONA 500; below are the 10 car numbers that have produced three or more DAYTONA 500 victories:

Car Number – Drivers – (Years)

• • No. 43 – (seven) Richard Petty (1964, ’66, ’71, ’73, ’74, ’79, ‘81)
  • No. 24 – (five) Jeff Gordon (1997, 1999 and 2005), William Byron (2024, 2025)
  • No. 21 – (five) Tiny Lund (1963), Cale Yarborough (1968), A.J. Foyt (1972), David Pearson (1976) and Trevor Bayne (2011)
  • No. 28 –  (five) Fred Lorenzen (1965), Buddy Baker (1980), Cale Yarborough (1983 and 1984) and Davey Allison (1992)
  • No. 11 – (five) Mario Andretti (1967), Cale Yarborough (1977), Denny Hamlin (2016, 2019, 2020)
  • No. 88 – (four) Bobby Allison (1982), Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014)
  • No. 4 – (three) Ernie Irvan (1991), Sterling Marlin (1994 and 1995)
  • No. 15 – (three) Bobby Allison (1978), Michael Waltrip (2001 and 2003)
  • No. 17 – (three) Darrell Waltrip (1989), Matt Kenseth (2009 and 2012)
  • No. 22 – (three) Fireball Roberts (1962), Ward Burton (2002), Joey Logano (2015)
• The driver with the all-time most DAYTONA 500 starts without a victory is Dave Marcis with 33 races; Kyle Busch (20) leads all active drivers with the most DAYTONA 500 starts without a win; followed by Brad Keselowski with 16.

• In total 27 different organizations have won the DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in DAYTONA 500 wins with 10.

• Nine different manufacturers have won the DAYTONA 500, led by Chevrolet with 27 victories; followed by Ford (17), 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 most consecutive DAYTONA 500 wins by a manufacturer in the NASCAR Cup Series is five straight by Chevrolet from 2003-2007.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 44 different drivers have finished runner-up in the DAYTONA 500, and 13 drivers have finished runner-up multiple times in the Great American Race.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in DAYTONA 500 runner-up finishes with five second-place finishes (1984, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999).
• Top five in runner-up finishes in the DAYTONA 500 (all-time): Dale Earnhardt (five), Cale Yarborough (four), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (four), Bobby Allison (three), Kurt Busch (three), Terry Labonte (three).
• In  total eight active drivers have finished runner-up in the DAYTONA 500. Bubba Wallace (2018, 2022), and Ryan Blaney (2017, 2020) lead all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes in the DAYTONA 500 with two each. Tyler Reddick finished runner-up last season.
• A total of 10 different manufacturers have finished runner-up in the DAYTONA 500, led by Chevrolet with 21 second-place finishes; Ford has the second-most with 19 and Toyota has the fourth-most with five.

Top-Five Finishes:

• In total 124 different drivers have posted at least one top-five finish in the DAYTONA 500, and 72 drivers have finished in the top-five multiple times.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in DAYTONA 500 top-five finishes with 12 in 23 starts.
• The top five in top-five finishes in the DAYTONA 500 (all-time): Dale Earnhardt (12), Richard Petty (11), Cale Yarborough (10), Bill Elliott (9), Bobby Allison, Benny Parsons, Buddy Baker, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson (each have eight).
• Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson lead all active drivers in DAYTONA 500 top-five finishes with eight; followed by Joey Logano with four and Bubba Wallace with three.
• A total of 10 different manufacturers have finished in the top-five in the DAYTONA 500, led by Chevrolet with 108 top-five finishes; Ford has the second-most with 99 and Toyota has the fourth-most with 26.

Top-10 Finishes:

• In total 201 different drivers have posted at least one top-10 finish in the DAYTONA 500, and 127 drivers have finished in the top-10 in the DAYTONA 500 multiple times.
• NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty lead the series in top-10 finishes in the DAYTONA 500 with 16 top 10s each.
• Top five in top-10 finishes in the DAYTONA 500 (all-time): Dale Earnhardt (16), Richard Petty (16), Cale Yarborough (14), Bill Elliott (14), Buddy Baker (12), Mark Martin (12), Terry Labonte (12).
• Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in DAYTONA 500 top-10 finishes with nine.
• A total of 11 different manufacturers have finished in the top-10 in the DAYTONA 500, led by Chevrolet with 224 top-10 finishes; Ford has the second-most with 199 and Toyota has the sixth-most with 37.

Average Finish:

• Lee Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing positon with a 2.5 in two DAYTONA 500 appearances.
• John H. Nemechek has the best average finish among active drivers with more than one start (7.7); he has made three appearances in the DAYTONA 500.

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Danica Patrick on Sunday, February 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 – to this day the only pole in the series by a female competitor.
• 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.

• In 2013, Danica Patrick became the first female driver in a DAYTONA 500 to lead laps. She led five laps in the 2013 DAYTONA 500 and two laps in the 2014 DAYTONA 500 for a career total of seven laps led in the event.
• Danica Patrick also holds the record for most DAYTONA 500 starts for a female competitor with seven and best finish by a female competitor in the prestigious event, with her eighth-place result in 2013.

LAP LEADERS

• In total 178 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap in the DAYTONA 500.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led in the DAYTONA 500 with 780 laps led in 32 starts – 16.0% of his total laps run in the DAYTONA 500 (4,860).
• Dale Earnhardt has led the second-most laps in the DAYTONA 500 with 686 in 23 starts (16.4% of his laps completed).
• Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led in the DAYTONA 500 with 496 laps led in 20 starts – and he is ranked fifth on the all-time lap leaders list of the race.
• 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. Petty started from the outside front row (second position).
• 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. Blaney started from the third position.
• Michael McDowell (2021), Kurt Busch (2017) and Austin Dillon (2018) have led the fewest laps in the DAYTONA 500 and won – all three led just the final lap on their way to winning the prestigious event.

Top 10 Lap Leaders in the DAYTONA 500 (All-Time & Active)

TRACK / EVENT STATS

• Denny Hamlin’s 0.010-second margin of victory over Martin Truex Jr. in the 2016 DAYTONA 500 is the closest DAYTONA 500 finish.
• Kevin Harvick’s 0.020-second margin of victory over Mark Martin in the 2007 DAYTONA 500 is the second closest in DAYTONA 500 history.
• Austin Cindric’s 0.036-second margin of victory over Bubba Wallace in the 2022 DAYTONA 500 is the third closest DAYTONA 500 history.

Top Five Closest Margins of Victory in the DAYTONA 500:

• 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. Petty led 184 of the 200 scheduled laps in 1964 – the most ever in a single DAYONA 500.
• 2011 DAYTONA 500 had the most all-time leaders with 22 – due to the rules package a ‘tandem-style drafting’ was used by the drivers, which led to the record number of leaders.
• 2011 DAYTONA 500 had the most all-time cautions with 16; last season’s DAYTONA 500 had eight cautions.
• 1968 and 2011 DAYTONA 500s had the most all-time Caution Laps with 60 laps each. Last season’s DAYTONA 500 had 20 caution laps.
• The DAYTONA 500 has finished under NASCAR Overtime conditions 13 times:

• Top three longest DAYTONA 500 races due to Overtime:
  • o The longest was the 2023 DAYTONA 500 with 212 laps (530 miles) – 12 laps and 30 miles more than the scheduled distance.
  • o The second longest is the 2020 DAYTONA 500 with 209 laps (522.5 miles) – nine laps and 22.5 miles more than the scheduled distance.
• The largest field to compete in the DAYTONA 500 was 68 cars in the 1960 race. This season 41 cars are eligible to compete for the win.

NASCAR IN FLORIDA

• There have been 377 NASCAR national series points-paying races among 11 tracks held in the state of Florida.

NASCAR DRIVERS FROM FLORIDA

• A total of 199 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series have their home state recorded as Florida.
• There have been 13 race winners with their home state recorded as Florida in NASCAR’s three national series; totaling 116 victories among them:

— NASCAR —