Beech Tree News Network

Established in 1959, Daytona is to NASCAR as Madison Square Garden is to WWE.  Construction of Daytona International Speedway took 15 months.  It broke ground in November 1957 and opened in February 1959.  Buddy Baker won the first race in Daytona of what is now known as the Clash.  

Do you know the only drivers to win the Daytona 500 and Rolex 24? There were four: Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt.  Only two drivers have won the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500: Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt.  Clint Murchison was a key financial partner in building Daytona International Speedway while owning a major American sports team: the Dallas Cowboys.  

Do you know who is credited with discovering drafting? Junior Johnson, who said drafting was “hitching a ride to the winners circle”.  The first woman to race in the Daytona 500 was Janet Guthrie in 1976.  Tiny Lund is the only driver to win the Daytona 500 on one set of tires.  

Darrel Waltrip drove the 17 car and won the Daytona 500…on his 17th try.  Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon got his first win at Daytona in the 1994 Advanced Auto Parts (Busch) Clash.  In 1998, the Summer race that is now known as the Coke Zero 400 was delayed until October because of wildfires in the area.  

The late Dale Earnhardt has the most wins at Dayton speedway(34), yet the Daytona 500 eluded him until 1998.  Tony Stewart has won the Coke Zero 400 four times, yet he never won the Daytona 500.  David Pearson has 105 NASCAR Cup series races but only one Daytona 500 win(1976).  If you’d like a list of all the winners, head here: 

http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/

I give the distinction of luckiest Daytona 500 winner to Derrike Cope.  He won the 1990 Dayton 500 because Dale Earnhardt ran out of gas.  Cope never won again.  I call that right place, right time. Don’t you? Here is each driver who won multiple Daytona 500’s:

Richard Petty(’64, ’66, ’71, ’73, ’74, ’79, ’81).  Cale Yarborough(‘’68, ’77, ’83, ’84).  Bobby Allison(’78, ’82, ’88).  Dale Jarrett(’93, ’96, ’00).  Jeff Gordon(’97, ’99, ’05).  Bill Elliot(’85, ’87). Sterling Marlin(’94, ’95).  Michael Waltrip(’01, ’03).  His first win was the same race Dale Earnhardt was killed. Matt Kenseth won the big race twice-’09 and ’12.  Jimmie Johnson and my favorite Dale Jr won it twice.  ’06 and ’13 for Johnson; ’04 and ’14 for Jr.  Jr holds the distinction for longest period between wins (10 years). Petty Enterprises haven’t done well in years.  Yet they have the most team wins in the 500 with 9(’59, ’64, ’66, ’70, ’71, ’73, ’74, ’79 and ’81).  Seven of those came from the boss himself.  Chevy is king at Daytona.  They have the most manufacturer wins at 23.  

Who wins this year is anyone’s guess.  Since Jr retired, my driver is the new driver of the 319 Joe Gibbs car, Martin Truex, Jr.  I’ll definitely be cheering him on in Sunday’s Daytona 500 and every other race.  NASCAR’s WrestleMania is upon us! WreckleMania?