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The Daytona 500, also referred to as "The Great American Race", is one of the most prestigious crown jewel races in NASCAR. It was first held in 1959 at the Daytona International Speedway located at Daytona Beach, Florida. The race features 200 laps, covering 500 miles on the oval asphalt track.
The race has been a part of the sport for a long time and countless famous drivers have been a part of the event. Interestingly, there are a few drivers, such as A.J. Foyt and Mark Thompson, who competed in the Daytona 500 in their 50s and 60s.
Let's take a look at the top five oldest NASCAR drivers who competed in the inaugural race.
#1. Mark Thompson
Mark Thompson holds the record of being the oldest driver to compete in the Daytona 500. The now 73-year-old Georgia native competed in three races in the Cup Series, and his last race was the prestigious crown jewel event.
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Thompson was 66 years, seven months, and nine days old when he competed in the 2018 event under the MBM Motorsports banner, driving the #66 Ford. Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon won the race while Thompson finished 22nd on the grid after qualifying in 40th.
#2. Derrike Cope
NASCAR veteran Derrike Cope competed in the 2021 Daytona 500 when he was 62 years, three months, and 11 days old. He competed in the NASCAR Cup Series for 32 years and won two races. Additionally, he had 32 top-ten finishes in 429 starts. His first win came at the Daytona 500 in 1990, where he surpassed NASCAR legend Bill Elliott.
#3. Dave Marcis
Dave Marcis competed in the Cup Series for 35 years, securing five wins, 222 top-ten finishes, and 14 pole positions in 883 starts. The now-retired American stock car racing driver's first race was the 1968 Daytona 500, and he holds the record for most starts (33) in the prestigious crown jewel event.
Marcis was 60 years, 11 months, and 17 days old when he competed in his final NASCAR race - the 2002 Daytona 500. Bill Davis Racing driver Ward Burton won the race, while Dave Marcis qualified 14th for the race and finished in 42nd place on the grid. He finished a career-best sixth in the 1975 and 1978 Daytona 500.
#4. A.J. Foyt
A.J. Foyt began his racing career in the midget series in 1953 when he was just 18 years old, driving a car owned by his father. He debuted in the Cup Series in 1963 and drove the #2 Pontiac for Nichels Engineering. He was 57 years old when he started the Daytona 500 in 1992 for the final time and finished the race in 21st place on the grid. Notably, he won the 1972 Daytona 500 race in a dominant fashion with a lead of almost two laps over the runner-up.
#5. Dick Trickle
Professional stock car racing driver Dick Trickle competed in his final Daytona 500 race in 1998 at the age of 56. He qualified for the race in 34th place and finished 27th. His best finish in "The Great American Race" came in 1992 when he finished fifth in a race that was memorably won by Davey Allison.
