It’s been called the Great American Race for decades, and for good reason. Daytona International Speedway isn’t just the start of the season for the Cup series drivers in the garage, it’s THE race to win. 

The Daytona 500 is the Super Bowl for stock car drivers, and one false move can be the difference between glory or destruction. Not only is its placement in the season unique, but the way the track races is like no other. 

Large, 200 mph packs going in tandem, each on the edge of control while managing the marginal space given to them. The track spits out drivers who can’t handle the precise yet heart pounding maneuvers needed to win, and only a handful of drivers can say they conquer the beast better than other tracks on the schedule. 

The Wave Around would like to take you on a trip down victory lane and show off some of the best NASCAR Cup Series drivers to ever take the green at the World Center of Speed. Of course, we can only fit so many drivers here before it becomes a research paper, but if you think we omitted anyone notable, let us know! 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

I’m getting this one out of the way first, because after all, it’s who a lot of NASCAR fans think of when they hear Daytona, besides his father Dale Sr (don’t fear, I’ll get to him soon) 

Dale Earnhardt Jr used all the lessons learned from his father to amass 13 top fives at the track, winning the coveted Daytona 500 twice, in 2004 & 2014 respectively. Anyone who had the pleasure to watch the Earnhardt creed work his magic at the track would tell you, it’s like his dad was in the car with him giving him tips. 

From 2003 to 2006, the Bud #8 only ever finished outside of the top 10 at the track twice (Including summer Daytona races and Speedweeks races) and even in his later years in the Hendrick #88, every driver knew that he could see the checkered first. 

My personal favorite win from Dale’s career at Daytona would have to be the July 2nd 2010 summer race in the Nationwide series. Earnhardt drove a blue and yellow Wrangler sponsored #3 for Richard Childress Racing, looking exactly like his Dads old ride, and took it home first. 

The win marked the last time we’d see Junior drive the #3 in a NASCAR National Series ever, with it only making it’s return in the CARS tour as a late model 

Richard Petty

These days, when the prospect of the GOAT in NASCAR is brought up, you’ll mostly get people arguing about Dale Earnhardt Sr’s tough but effective seven championships, or Jimmie Johnson’s clean cut dominance in the 2000’s and 2010’s en route to his seven titles, but it may take a while to find a fan who starts the conversation with The King. 

Richard Petty is the third and final seven time champion in the NASCAR Cup Series, and he was the sports first and longest dominator. From 1958 to 1992, Richard Petty cemented his #43 Pontuac/Plymouth in the minds of NASCAR fans across multiple generations, finding victory lane 200 times across the various tracks in the United States. 

Petty’s first trip to Daytona was in 1959, at the inaugural Daytona 500, the facility’s first race. The then 21-year-old would find engine troubles early and be forced to swallow a 57th place finish but soon hooped out of the car and over the wall to his father Lee’s team. 

Lee Petty would go onto win the race in dramatic fashion, but this would only be the start of something both magical and completely, utterly dominant 

Petty would go onto win the Great American Race seven times, a record that hasn’t been beaten, while his 10 wins at the track in all contests also is still untouched. He would find victory lane for the first time at the track in 1964 and finally in 1984. 

The King was given the moniker for a reason, and he is NASCAR’s greatest iron man. The stats at every track on the schedule speak for themselves, however the heightened success at Daytona is just the cherry on top of a storied career. 

 

Denny Hamlin 

Good ole Dennis. He’s the polar opposite of the guy I just talked about when it comes to the conversation of championships, however when it comes to Daytona; He’s simply one of the best. 

Starting his over 20 year career in NASCAR in 2004, Hamlin found an affinity for superspeedway tracks early on, with him bringing home his first ARCA car home in third place, an immediate signal of his talents at restrictor plate racetracks. 

His first Daytona 500 came in 2006, where he started speedweeks winning the 70-lap Bud Shootout, beating a field stacked with the previous season’s pole winners. He would end up finishing the 500 in 30th, but his skill was apparent as a rookie. 

It would take Hamlin ten long years to finally make due on his 2006 shootout surprise as in 2016 he would charge past Matt Kenseth and beat Martin Truex Jr. by a hair on the final lap to win his first ever Daytona 500. The big win would ignite Hamlin’s ability at the track, when he would eventually secure back-to-back trips to victory lane in 2019 and 2020. 

While Hamlin is still searching for a series championship in year 21, his talent has proven itself in every corner of NASCAR with Daytona Beach being no exception. 

While Hamlin has shown no signs of slowing down, sponsorship for the #11 JGR Toyota Camry XSE has dried up considerably (I mean look at that blank hauler pulling into Daytona this week) and begs the question; Will we soon see Hamlin attempt the 500 in a 23XI car?

 

Dale Earnhardt Sr. 

Here we are. What kind of NASCAR enthusiast would I be to talk about Daytona International Speedway and not talk about the Intimidator and seven time Cup Series champion, Earnhardt Sr. 

By 1998, his 20th full time season in Cup, Earnhardt time and time again would prove to be one of the most talented drivers on the track, netting over 30 wins, including the Pepsi 400 twice. 

So how many of those were Daytona 500 wins? Zero. Absolutely none. Despite winning all you can win at the track for decades, he couldn’t grab the biggest prize. 

The biggest race of the season eluded Earnhardt in ways unimaginable. He had blown engines, uncontrollable accidents, debris damage and in 1991 he hit a seagull while leading which damaged his car’s aero and ruined his race. He finished second four times, including back-to-back in 1995 and 1996. By the time the 500 in 1998 rolled around, fans of the all black #3 Goodwrench GM Chevrolet were worried it would never come. 

However, after yet another blazing effort in Speedweeks, where he finished first in the second qualifier, something felt different. By the time the checkered flag waved, Earnhardt was firmly in first after a day of domination and had exercised 20 years worth of demons. The track he had tamed year after year finally had no more tricks up its sleeve, seemingly. 

In 2001, just three years after his iconic Daytona 500 victory, Earnhardt would watch in the final corner as his teammates Michael Waltrip and son Dale Earnhardt Jr would take the checkered flag first and second. It would be the last thing Earnhardt would see. The 49-year-old got into a wreck that sent him flying into the Daytona barrier at over 200 MPH, killing him instantly. 

The track that gave so much and took so much from the Man in Black had its last laugh, but it’s not what old fans remember about their relationship, it’s merely an unfortunate ending to an otherwise inspirational and tough story of beating your demons.

Honorable Mentions

Cam: I’ll just say it right away, Bubba Wallace. Please put your pitchforks down if you will. I know going from a pair of seven time champions to a driver who’s won twice in Cup is a bit steep, but hear me out. 

Since his Cup debut in 2017, Wallace has always shown an affinity for plate tracks, and came painstakingly close to being yet another winner on this list in the 2022 Daytona 500, barely losing to Austin Cindric. 

Among active cup drivers, Bubba is tied with Kyle Busch for best average finish in the last six races, with 9.3. Despite not winning at the track, Wallace has shown a serious ability to work the track and know its intricacies. His ability in the draft is impressive and noticeable. 

  I think it’s only a matter of time before the driver of the 23 finds victory lane in Daytona Beach. Whether that be a 500 or a summer Daytona race is yet to be seen, but I’d bet the house on it happening before the 30-year-old retires* 

Editor’s note: Bubba took home the W in the first Daytona Duel of the season, which was wonderful timing for my story. He will start 3rd in the 500 and look to capitalize on a fiery season 

Jack: Unlike my colleague, I won’t pick my favorite driver, Busch, who has been electric at Daytona as of recently (thanks for adding that Cam). Instead give me Alex Bowman, a driver who has quietly put up some very consistent stats. 

According to driveraverages.com, Bowman has the fourth-best average finish out of all active drivers at Daytona. While he hasn’t taken the Ally #48 to victory lane quite yet, he’s been in the mix, finishing in the top-10 in five of the last six races at the World Center of Racing. 

After finishing second in last years 500, narrowly losing to fellow Hendrick driver William Byron, I expect to see Bowman right back in the thick of things this year and beyond.