4 drivers feat. Richard ‘King’ Petty with most Daytona 500 wins in their career

The Daytona 500, often referred to as "The Great American Race," is held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The race spans 500 miles and consists of 200 laps.

The inaugural race took place in 1959, and since then, Daytona has consistently been regarded as one of the most prestigious tracks in NASCAR. Here, we take a look at 4 drivers who won the highly reputed race the most number of times.

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#4. Jeff Gordon (3 Times)

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship - Daytona Testing - Source: Getty

Jeff Gordon enjoyed a stellar career driving the #24 car for Hendrick Motorsports from 1992 to 2015. He amassed 93 career wins, placing him third on the all-time list behind Richard Petty and David Pearson. The California native secured four championships (1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001). After retiring from driving, Gordon transitioned to a role as a commentator for FOX Sports. He currently serves as the Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports.

Gordon won the Daytona 500 three times (1997, 1999 and 2005). In 1997, the California native became the youngest-ever driver to win the Great American Race, a record Trevor Bayne broke in 2011. His third triumph, his 70th career win, saw him reach speeds of 146.5 miles per hour in an overtime finish.

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#3. Bobby Allison (3 wins)

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Bobby Allison, whose illustrious career spanned from 1961 to 1988, achieved NASCAR Cup Series glory in 1983 as the champion. He is renowned for his role in the formation of the 'Alabama Gang,' a formidable group of drivers from his home state, including Donnie Allison, Charles Bales, and Neil Bonnett, who significantly impacted stock car racing. In 2011, Allison was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Allison won the "Great American Race" three times (1978, 1982 and 1988). The 1982 win was marred with a controversy called 'Bumpergate' (disputes over the legality of team owners making modifications to cars). The 1988 win was a memorable moment in NASCAR history as Bobby Allison finished first while his son Davey Allison finished second, marking the first time a father-son duo finished in the top-2 at the Daytona 500.

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#2. Cale Yarborough (4 wins)

NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction - Source: Getty

In a career that spanned from 1957 to 1988, Cale Yarborough achieved 83 career wins. The South Carolina native was the first driver to win the championship three times in a row (1976, 1977, and 1978), a record that Jimmie Johnson matched and bettered between 2006 and 2010. In 2012, Yarborough was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The NASCAR world lost one of its icons in 2023, at the age of 84.

Yarborough won the Daytona 500 four times in his career (1968, 1977, 1983 and 1984). His 1968 triumph, achieved while driving the #21 for the Wood Brothers, stands out with 76 laps led and a dramatic slingshot pass over LeeRoy Yarbrough.

In 1983, a qualifying crash in his #28 Ranier-Lundy Racing car didn't deter him. His team swiftly prepared a backup, and he remarkably went on to win. The following year, still with Ranier-Lundy, he secured his final Daytona 500 win with a thrilling last-lap pass over Darrell Waltrip.

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#1. Richard Petty (7 wins)

2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Source: Getty

Richard Petty, often just referred to as 'The King,' amassed 200 career wins (1958 - 1992), putting him on top of the list for the most career wins in NASCAR history. He is also tied with Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jimmie Johnson with seven titles (1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979) to his credit. He was in the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.

'The King' won seven times (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, and 1981) at Daytona. The 1964 race was a dominant win where he led 184 laps out of the 200. In 1971, he became the first driver to win the Daytona 500 three times. 1979 was marked by an iconic moment where Yarborough, Donnie Allison, and Bobby Allison broke got into a fight, an incident that is credited with increasing the sport's popularity in the United States.