The 60th annual Daytona 500 is
this Sunday, February 18, at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
Here is a look at the Daytona
500 statistics, as well as other tidbits, of every driver that qualified for
this year’s race. Drivers are listed in order of their qualifying position.
#1: Alex Bowman, No. 88 Chevrolet
- 1st career pole position for
Daytona 500; 2nd career pole and 3rd front row start
- Making 82nd career Monster
Energy NASCAR Cup Series start and first since 2016 finale at Homestead,
Florida
- Best career race finish was
sixth in 2016 fall race at Phoenix, Arizona
- 11th career race with
Hendricks Motorsports
- 23rd in only previous Daytona
500 start, in 2014 (driving for BK Racing)
- The No. 88 has won the Daytona
500 four times (Bobby Allison, Dale Jarrett twice, Dale Earnhardt Jr.)
- The polesitter has won the
Daytona 500 a record nine times (most recently in 2000 by Dale Jarrett)
#2: Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota
- 2016 Daytona 500 winner; one
of eight former race winners in the field
- Has 434 Monster Energy NASCAR
Cup Series starts, ninth among all drivers in this year’s field
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 31 victories, 132 top fives and 218 top 10s in 434 races
- Overall in 12 Daytona 500s,
has one victory, four top fives, four top 10s, and led eight races for a total
of 245 laps (most laps led came in 2015 victory)
- Has won at least one Monster
Energy NASCAR Cup Series race in 12 consecutive seasons coming into 2018, the
third longest streak behind Jimmie Johnson (16) and Kyle Busch (13)
- The No. 11 has won the Daytona
500 three times (Mario Andretti, Cale Yarborough, Denny Hamlin)
- The 2nd starting position has
won the Daytona 500 seven times
#3: Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford
- Competing in first race with
Roger Penske since 2014 fall race at Talladega Superspeedway
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one victory, eight top fives and 25 top 10s in 90 races
- Overall in three Daytona 500s,
has best finish of second, one top five, one top 10, and led one race for two
laps (2017)
- The No. 12 has won the Daytona
500 twice (Bobby Allison, Ryan Newman)
- The 3rd starting position has
won the Daytona 500 three times
#4: Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has seven runner-up finishes, 22 top fives and 38 top 10s in 77
races
- Overall in two Daytona 500s,
has best finish of 14th (2017) and led both races for a total of 42 laps (most
laps led came in 2017 race, with 39 laps)
- Has started in the front two
rows for all three Daytona 500s, including this year (won pole position for
2016 and 2017 races)
- Son of two-time Daytona 500
winner Bill Elliott
- The No. 9 has won the Daytona
500 twice (Bill Elliott twice) and was the first single-digit car to win the
Daytona 500 (1985)
- The 4th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 seven times
#5: Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford
- 2015 Daytona 500 winner; one
of eight former race winners in the field
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 18 victories, 91 top fives and 153 top 10s in 327 races
- Overall in nine Daytona 500s,
has one victory and four top 10s, and led six races for a total of 54 laps (most
laps led in a race came in 2015 win, with 31 laps led)
- Only driver to complete every
lap in each of the last six Daytona 500s (eight other drivers have completed
every lap in each of the last three Daytona 500s)
- One of nine drivers with at
least 18 Cup Series victories in this year’s field
- The No. 22 has won the Daytona
500 three times (Fireball Roberts, Ward Burton, Joey Logano)
- The 5th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 twice (most recently with Joey Logano in 2015)
#6: Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Ford
- 2007 Daytona 500 winner; one
of eight former race winners in the field
- With 610 career Monster Energy
NASCAR Cup Series starts (Sunday is 611th), is second only to Kurt Busch in
terms of career races, by two
- Has competed in 568 consecutive
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, second most of any driver (Ryan Newman)
in the field (dating back to Aaron’s 499 on April 21, 2002, at Talladega
Superspeedway)
- Overall in 16 Daytona 500s,
has one victory, six top fives, eight top 10s, and led eight races (four
consecutively between 2004-2007) for 111 laps (most laps led came in last
year’s race: 50)
- Best career start in Daytona
500 was second in 2002
- Owns 37 MENCS victories, third
among drivers in this year’s field
- The No. 4 has won the Daytona
500 three times (Ernie Irvin, Sterling Marlin twice)
- The 6th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 twice
#7: Darrell Wallace Jr., No. 43 Chevrolet
- One of five drivers making
Daytona 500 debut, and highest starting first-time driver
- Competed in four Monster
Energy NASCAR Cup Series races in 2017, substituting for Aric Almirola, and
finished all four with best result of 11th at Kentucky Speedway (completed all
but two of 797 laps)
- Only Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series race at Daytona resulted in 15th-place finish in 2017 Coke Zero 400, in
which finished 15th and on lead lap
- Has six career victories in NASCAR
Camping World Truck Series
- The No. 43 has won the Daytona
500 seven times (Richard Petty, seven times), the most of any car number in the
race’s history
- A win would give Richard Petty
a ninth victory as a car owner (seven times as a driver; owned Pete Hamilton’s
car that won race in 1970)
- The 7th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 five times
#8: Erik Jones, No. 20 Toyota
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has best finish of second in Bristol night race, five top fives
and 14 top 10s in 39 races
- In only previous Daytona 500
(2017) finished 39th, crashing out after 103 laps; did not lead any laps
- The No. 20 has won the Daytona
500 once (Junior Johnson)
- The 8th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 three times
#9: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford
- In Monster energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has two victories, 11 top fives and 26 top 10s in 184 races
- Overall in six Daytona 500s,
has one top-10 (best finish of seventh in 2014) and has led zero laps
- The No. 17 has won the Daytona
500 three times (Darrell Waltrip, Matt Kenseth twice)
- The 9th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 five times
#10: Clint Bowyer, No. 14 Ford
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has eight victories, 64 top fives and 180 top 10s in 433 races
- Overall in 12 Daytona 500s,
has two top fives (best finish of fourth in 2009 and 2010), four top 10s, and
led four races for 73 laps (most laps led came in 2010 race, where he led 37)
- Last Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series victory came in fall Charlotte race in 2012
- The No. 14 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 10th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#11: Kurt Busch, No. 41 Ford
- Defending Daytona 500 winner
(led only final lap); one of eight former race winners in field
- Making 613th start, the most
of any driver in the field (612 previous starts; two more than Kevin Harvick)
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 29 victories, 131 top fives and 258 top 10s in 612 races
- Overall in 16 Daytona 500s,
has one victory, six top fives, eight top 10s, and led eight races for a total
of 189 laps (led race-high 95 laps in 2007 race)
- Has completed 2,908 laps in 16
Daytona 500s, the second most of any driver in this year’s field (10 laps
behind Ryan Newman)
- The No. 41 has won the Daytona
500 once (Kurt Busch)
- The 11th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 once
#12: Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 43 victories (second most of any driver in the field, behind
Jimmie Johnson’s 83), 161 top fives and 241 top 10s in 462 races
- Second to Jimmie Johnson among
drivers in this year’s field with at least one victory in 13 consecutive
seasons heading into 2018
- Overall in 12 Daytona 500s,
has two top fives (best finish of third in 2016), three top 10s, and has led
nine races for a total of 245 laps (led race-high 86 laps in 2008 and 88 laps
in 2009)
- The No. 18 has won the Daytona
500 once (Dale Jarrett)
- The 12th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 three times
#13: Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet
- 2008 Daytona 500 winner; one
of eight former race winners in the field
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 18 victories, 112 top fives and 238 top 10s in 584 races
- Has completed the most Daytona
500 laps of any driver in this year’s field, with 2,918 (82 laps from becoming
27th driver to complete at least 3,000 laps in Daytona 500)
- Overall, in 16 Daytona 500s,
has one victory, three top fives, four top 10s, and led seven races for a total
of 74 laps (most laps led in a race came in 2011, with 37 laps led)
- Has competed in 576
consecutive races, the most of any driver in the field (2002 Daytona 500)
- The No. 31 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 13th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 once
#14: Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet
- 2014 Daytona 500 polesitter
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one victory, nine top fives and 26 top 10s in 157 races
- Overall in five Daytona 500s,
has two top 10s (best finish of ninth in 2014 and 2016), and has led three
races for nine laps (led seven laps in 2017 race)
- The No. 3 has won the Daytona
500 once (Dale Earnhardt)
- The 14th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#15: David Ragan, No. 38 Ford
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has two victories, 15 top fives and 39 top 10s in 398 races
- Overall in 11 Daytona 500s,
has one top five (best finish of fifth in 2007, only his third career series
start), three top 10s, and has led three races for a total of 10 laps (led
seven laps in 2011)
- The No. 38 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 15th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 twice
#16: Paul Menard, No. 21 Ford
- Making 400th career Monster
Energy NASCAR Cup Series race
- Competing in first race with
Wood Brothers Racing (last 216 series races came with Richard Childress Racing)
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one victory (2011 Brickyard 400), 19 top fives and 58 top
10s in 399 races
- Overall in 10 Daytona 500s,
has one top five (best finish of fifth in 2017), three top 10s, and has led
four races for 43 laps (led 29 laps in 2014 race, the last Daytona 500 he led)
- The No. 21 has won the Daytona
500 five times (Tiny Lund, Cale Yarborough, A.J. Foyt, David Pearson, Trevor
Bayne)
- The 16th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#17: Daniel Suarez, No. 19 Toyota
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one top five (best career finish of third at Watkins Glen
International in 2017) and 12 top 10s in 36 races
- In lone Daytona 500 race in
2017, finished 29th, retiring after a crash and completing 141 laps (did not
lead the race)
- The No. 19 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 17th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#18: Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford
- 2011 Daytona 500 winner (and
youngest in race history at 20 years, 1 day); one of eight former race winners
in the field
- Bayne is one of seven drivers
whose first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory came in the Daytona 500
(joining Tiny Lund, Mario Andretti, Pete Hamilton, Derrike Cope, Sterling
Marlin and Michael Waltrip)
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one victory, five top fives and 16 top 10s in 166 races
- Overall in seven Daytona 500s,
has one victory, two top 10s, and has led two races for a total of eight laps
(led six in 2011 victory)
- Celebrating 27th birthday on
Monday, February 19
- The No. 6 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 18th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#19: Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet
- 2010 Daytona 500 winner; one
of eight former race winners in the field
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has seven victories, 61 top fives and 160 top 10s in 546 races
- Overall in 15 Daytona 500s,
has one victory, one top five, one top 10, and led four races for a total of 27
laps (led 13 laps in 2017 race; led only two laps in 2010 victory)
- The No. 1 has won the Daytona
500 once (Jamie McMurray)
- The 19th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 three times
- One of four drivers to win
Daytona 500 and Rolex 24 At Daytona overall (along with A.J. Foyt, Mario
Andretti, and Jeff Gordon, though others have won the Rolex 24 in class as well as Daytona 500)
#20: A.J. Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one victory, 10 top fives and 52 top 10s in 335 races
- Overall in eight Daytona 500s,
has two top fives (best finishes of third in 2009 and 2017), two top 10s, and
has led five races for a total of 19 laps (led 11 laps in 2010 race)
- The No. 47 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 20th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
- Won Rolex 24 At Daytona
overall in 2012
#21: Chris Buescher, No. 37 Chevrolet
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one victory, two top fives and six top 10s
- Overall in two Daytona 500s,
has finishes of 39th (2016) and 35th (2017), retiring from each race after a
crash (has yet to lead a lap in the race)
- The No. 37 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 21st starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#22: Michael McDowell, No. 34 Ford
- Making 250th career Monster
Energy NASCAR Cup Series race
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one top five (best finish of fourth in 2017 Coke Zero 400 at
Daytona) and five top 10s in 249 races
- Overall in six Daytona 500s,
has one top 10 (best finish of ninth in 2013), and looking to lead first lap of
Daytona 500 this year
- The No. 34 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 22nd starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#23: Ty Dillon, No. 13 Chevrolet
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has best finish of 11th twice (2017 fall races at Talladega
Superspeedway and ISW Raceway) in 54 races
- Overall in three Daytona 500s,
has best finish of 25th in 2016, and is looking to lead first lap of Daytona
500 this weekend
- The No. 13 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 23rd starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#24: Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Toyota
- Defending Monster Energy
NASCAR Cup Series champion, in which he earned career-best and series-high
eight victories (more than half of total victories)
- 2009 Daytona 500 polesitter
- Most recent winner on circuit,
winning the 2017 season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway
- Has competed in 432
consecutive races, dating back to 2006 Daytona 500
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 15 victories, 67 top fives and 26 top 10s in 441 races
- Overall in 13 Daytona 500s,
has best finish of second (2016), one top five, three top 10s, and led eight
races for a total of 46 laps (most laps led came in 2011 race, with 17 laps
led)
- The No. 78 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 24th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#25: Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 Chevrolet
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one top five (best career finish of fourth in 2004 fall race
at Talladega Superspeedway) and five top 10s in 54 races
- Overall in two Daytona 500s,
has a best finish of 11th in 2017, and is looking to lead first laps in the
race this weekend
- The No. 62 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 25th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
- Won Rolex 24 At Daytona in GT
class in 2011
#26: Kasey Kahne, No. 95 Chevrolet
- Making first series start
outside Hendrick Motorsports since 2011 season finale at Homestead
- Has competed in 504 Monster
Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, all in succession (starting with 2004 Daytona
500)
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 18 victories, 92 top fives and 175 top 10s in 504 races
- Overall in 14 Daytona 500s,
has three top 10s (best finish of seventh in 2007, 2008 and 2017), and has led
four races for a total of 14 laps (led half of those – seven – in 2017 race)
- The No. 95 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 26th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#27: Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 00 Chevrolet
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has best finish of 26th four times (most recently 2017 fall race
at Kansas Speedway) in 58 races
- In lone Daytona 500 start in
2017, finished 26th, retiring after crash damage after 145 laps (still looking
to lead first lap in Daytona 500)
- Grandson of 1998 Daytona 500
winner Dale Earnhardt and nephew of two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt
Jr.
- The No. 00 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 27th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#28: Danica Patrick, No. 7 Chevrolet
- 2013 Daytona 500 polesitter;
only female driver to earn Daytona 500 pole position
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has seven top 10s (best finish of sixth in 2014 fall race at
Atlanta Motor Speedway) in 190 races
- Overall in six Daytona 500s,
has one top 10 (finished eighth in 2013 race), and led two races for seven laps
(led five laps in 2013 race)
- The No. 7 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 28th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#29: Justin Marks, No. 51 Chevrolet
- One of five drivers competing
in first Daytona 500
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has best finish of 30th twice (both times at Sonoma Raceway, in
2013 and 2015)
- The No. 51 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 29th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#30: D.J. Kennington, No. 96 Toyota
- Only Canadian-born driver in
this year’s field
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has five races with best finish of 26th in fall race at Phoenix
in 2017
- In lone Daytona 500 race last
year, finished 38th, retiring with engine trouble after 14 laps
- The No. 96 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 30th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#31: Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 24 victories, 90 top fives and 147 top 10s
- Overall in eight Daytona 500s,
has two top fives (best career finish of third in 2014), two top 10s, and has
led five races for a total of 38 laps (led 13 laps in 2013 and 2014 races)
- Looking to become sixth driver
to win Daytona 500 after winning the Advance Auto Part Clash (Bobby Allison,
Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin)
- The No. 2 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 31st starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#32: Corey LaJoie, No. 72 Chevrolet
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has best finish of 11th (came in 2017 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona)
in 34 races
- In only Daytona 500 race
(2017), finished 24th, completing 193 of 200 laps
- The No. 72 has won the Daytona
500 once (Benny Parsons)
- The 32nd starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#33: William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet
- One of five drivers making
Daytona 500 debut and only driver making Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut
- Joins teammate Chase Elliott
as a driver to make series debut for Hendrick Motorsports
- The No. 24 has won the Daytona
500 three times (Jeff Gordon three times)
- The 33rd starting position has
won the Daytona 500 once
#34: Gray Gaulding, No. 23 Toyota
- One of five drivers making
Daytona 500 debut
- Youngest driver in this year’s
field at 20 years, 8 days, and with a victory would become second youngest
winner in history (Trevor Bayne was 20 years, 1 day)
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one top 10 (ninth at fall race at Talladega Superspeedway)
in 29 races
- The No. 23 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 34th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 once
#35: Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet
- 2006 and 2013 Daytona 500
winner; one of eight former race winners in the field and only multi-race
winner
- Sat on Daytona 500 pole
position in 2002, his debut in the race (also started on pole in 2008 and sat
on outside of front row in 2015)
- Seven-time Monster Energy
NASCAR Cup Series champion (2006-2010, 2013, 2016)
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has 83 victories, 222 top fives and 341 top 10s (best in all
three of those categories) in 579 races
- Overall in 16 Daytona 500s,
has two victories, seven top fives (fifth-place four times), seven top 10s, and
has led 10 races for a total of 148 laps (most laps led in race was 39 in 2015)
- Only driver to lead the
Daytona 500 in each of the last five years (2013-2017)
- Has completed 2,744 laps in 16
Daytona 500s, the third most of any driver in this year’s field
- Leads all drivers in this
year’s field with 16 consecutive seasons with at least one Monster Energy
NASCAR Cup Series victory
- The No. 48 has won the Daytona
500 twice (Jimmie Johnson twice)
- The 35th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#36: Matt DiBenedetto, No. 32 Ford
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has three top 10s (best finish of sixth at Bristol spring race
in 2016) in 104 races
- Overall in two Daytona 500s,
has one top 10 (one of three in career in series; best finish of ninth), and is
looking to lead first lap of Daytona 500 this weekend
- The No. 32 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 36th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#37: Aric Almirola, No. 10 Ford
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has one victory (Coke Zero 400 at Daytona in 2014), 11 top fives
and 32 top 10s in 244 races
- Overall in seven Daytona 500s,
has one top five (best finish of fourth in 2017), one top 10, and led two races
for a total of seven laps (led five laps in 2014 race)
- The No. 10 has won the Daytona
500 once (Derrike Cope)
- The 37th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
#38: Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet
- Overall in four Daytona 500s,
has won top 10 (best finish of seventh in 2016) and led one race (2017) for 16
laps
- In Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series career, has five victories, 35 top fives and 62 top 10s in 147 races,
and has led at least one lap in 46 races
- Four of five career victories
are on tracks of two miles (Michigan – 3; Fontana – 1)
- All five series victories have
come within top 12 starting positions
- Worst starting position in
Daytona 500 career (best came in 2016 – 14th)
- Has led three consecutive
races heading into Daytona 500 (last three of 2017 season)
- The No. 42 has won the Daytona
500 (Lee Petty, in inaugural race in 1959)
- The 38th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
- Won 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona
overall with Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Jamie McMurray
#39: David Gilliland, No. 92 Ford
- Making first Monster Energy
NASCAR Cup Series start since 2016 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona and first Daytona
500 since 2015
- 2007 Daytona 500 polesitter
(finished eighth)
- Overall in seven Daytona 500s,
has best finish of third (2011), one top five, two top 10s, and led one race
(2007) for total of 18 laps
- Has most starts of 19 drivers
in this year’s field without a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory (332);
has four top fives and eight top 10s in career
- Making first start for a team
owner other than Bob Jenkins since 2009 season finale at Homestead
- The No. 92 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 39th starting position has
won the Daytona 500 once
#40: Mark Thompson, No. 66 Ford
- One of five drivers making
Daytona 500 debut
- At age 66, is oldest driver in
Daytona 500 this year and first driver to compete in their 60s since Dave
Marcis in 2002
- Has only two career Monster
Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, with first-ever race coming in 1991, making him
the only driver in this year’s field to compete in an MENCS race in the 1990s
- When he made his first career
series start, nine drivers in this year’s field were not yet born (Kyle Larson
was born a month after Thompson made his debut at Pocono on June 14, 1992)
- The No. 66 has never won the
Daytona 500
- The 40th starting position has
never won the Daytona 500
Notes of Interest
- Driver Breakdown by Age Groups: 20-29 (17); 30-39 (15);
40-49 (7); 50-59 (0); 60+ (1)
- Manufacturer Breakdown: Chevrolet (18), Ford (15), Toyota
(7)
- Former Daytona 500 Winners: 8 – Kurt Busch (2017); Denny
Hamlin (2016); Joey Logano (2015); Jimmie Johnson (2013, 2006); Trevor Bayne
(2011); Jamie McMurray (2010); Ryan Newman (2008); Kevin Harvick (2007)
- Drivers Competing in First Daytona 500:
- Twenty-one of the 40 competitors in this event have won at
least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race.
- Only 15 drivers finished on the lead lap in the 2017 race,
the fewest since 2004 (also only 15).
- The winner of the Daytona 500 has gone on to win the
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship in that season nine times
(Richard Petty – 4; Jimmie Johnson – 2; Lee Petty – 1; Cale Yarborough – 1;
Jeff Gordon – 1)
- Drivers making their first Daytona 500 this weekend are:
Darrel Wallace Jr., Justin Marks, Gray Gaulding, William Byron and Mark
Thompson. Only Byron is making his series debut.
- The most common age for a driver to win the Daytona 500 is
36, which has happened six times (Geoff Bodine, Dale Jarrett, Sterling Marlin,
Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and Matt Kenseth). A.J. Allmendinger and Justin
Marks are the only two drivers in this year’s field who are 36 years old.
- This is the second consecutive Daytona 500 in which no
driver competing is in their 50s. Bobby Labonte was the last driver in his 50s
to compete in the Daytona 500, when he was 52 in 2016.
- Kurt and Kyle Busch are starting in the same row (Row 6).
The last time brothers started next to each other in the Daytona 500 was 2002,
when Mike Wallace (17th) and Kenny Wallace (18th) shared Row 9.
- This will mark only the second time since 1986 that
Michael Waltrip will not compete in the Daytona 500. He missed the 2012 race,
ending a streak of 25 consecutive races in the event. It will also be the
second race since 1972 that a Waltrip is not competing in the Daytona 500
(Darrell Waltrip competed in every Daytona 500 between 1973 and 2000, a streak
of 28 straight races).
- Five drivers in this year’s field have finished last in a
Daytona 500 – Ryan Newman, Joey Logano, David Ragan, Martin Truex Jr. and Matt
DiBenedetto. Newman and Logano are among 10 drivers to win and finish last in
the 59-year history of the race.
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