Fast Start Story and photos by Dwight Drum Web work by Larsen & Drum
Chase for the Championship
Big Race, Big Start?
Drivers with multiple Daytona 500 victories
Richard Petty - 7 wins, Cale Yarborough - 4 wins, Bobby Allison - 3 wins, Jeff Gordon - 3 wins, Dale Jarrett - 3 wins, Bill Elliott - 2 wins, Sterling Marlin - 2 wins, Michael Waltrip - 2 wins
The NASCAR champion doesn't have to win the Daytona 500 to win the championship, but the Daytona 500 winner doesn't have to be a series champion to be a "forever" champion either.
Dale Earnhardt ached to win the Daytona 500 and finally after years of trying in 1998 he snatched the victory that eluded him for so many years as a NASCAR champion. Two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart has yet to win a Daytona 500 and describes his near win in 2008: "Going from first to third on the last lap of the Daytona 500 -- it's hard to explain. It's probably just one of the most disappointing moments of my racing career."
If a NASCAR driver has a W for the Daytona 500 it's a win that will outlive memory. Many might think that in winning the first and most prestigious race of the new season the driver has achieved an ultimate jump start too. But history doesn't support any such leaping.
In 50 years of running the Daytona 500 has accumulated a data bank of statistics. Here a few big facts that stick out like a checker flag at any race.
Only five drivers in 50 years (10 percent of total races) - Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson have won the Daytona 500 and then achieved the NASCAR championship in the same year.
In only eight out of 50 races (16 percent of total races) because of multiple victories have winners of the Daytona 500 also won the NASCAR championship in the same year.
Since 1980 (28 years) only two drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, have won the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR championship in the same year.
The Chase Years >> Top 12 drivers: Daytona 500 & season results
2008: Top 12 in Daytona 500 and current Chase standings = 5 of 12 (after 8 of 36 races)
2007: Top 12 in Daytona 500 and at Homestead finale = 3 of 12
2006: Top 12 in Daytona 500 and at Homestead finale = 5 of 12
2005: Top 12 in Daytona 500 and at Homestead finale = 6 of 12
2004: Top 12 in Daytona 500 and at Homestead finale = 7 of 12
Season productivity for Daytona 500 winners - previous ten years Season Results for Daytona 500 winners (Non-Chase years)
1998: Dale Earnhardt finished 8th
1999: Jeff Gordon finished 6th
2000: Dale Jarrett finished 4th
2001: Michael Waltrip finished 24th
2002: Ward Burton finished 25th
2003: Michael Waltrip finished 15th
Season Results for Daytona 500 winners (Chase Years)
2004: Kurt Busch finished 16th
2005: Tony Stewart finished 7th
2006: Jimmie Johnson finished 1st
2007: Jimmie Johnson finished 39th
With Daytona it's not as much about how you start your year as it is about how you finish your career. A NASCAR driver who has won the big one takes something forward that can be had in only a few motorsports venues. It's a rare honor and responsibility -- A Daytona 500 winner grasps a piece of history and then carries it for life.
Darrell Waltrip 1989 Winner
Reporter Dwight Drum asked DW:
As far as focus goes, did you bring that with you to the Daytona 500 or acquire it along the way?
"The ability to concentrate for 500 miles is unbelievable. I can just only tell you about how many times again back in the day, no power steering, little bucket seat - you literally hung in the car. You set on a chair you had a little set of seatbelts. You had an open face helmet and a pair of bubble goggles and you were hanging in the car. So when they said be hanging on, they weren't lying. You were literally hanging on. But the ability to focus through anything, bad situation, bad handling car, pain, ribs hurt, back hurts, side hurts, feet burning up - you drove on to the end of the race. That's probably the one thing, the most important thing that makes you a winner is the ability to focus and concentrate over a long period of time."
Ryan Newman 2008 Winner
How does it feel to win the 50th running of the Daytona 500?
"Don't have the words. It's awesome. It's probably one of the most awesome things that's ever happened to me. To understand all the history of NASCAR, of racing in general, you know, the drivers meeting, to be looking face-to-face with all the guys, the greats that were on stage up there, and now to be part of one of those guys and part of that team, it's just awesome.
"I've always said that Indianapolis was great to be able to walk in the garage area and know that you're touching the same footprints as other guys that were such great drivers for the last hundred years there. Just to be part of the 50th running of the Daytona 500, you know, 15 years ago I was sitting in the grandstands in the Seagrave Tower. It's awesome to make the changes.
"Got to thank Roger Penske, Don Miller, everybody at Penske Racing, Roy McCauley obviously. But obviously Kurt Busch. Without a doubt, he could have easily gone three wide and split us through the center and made one heck of a mess there going into three, but he chose to be a teammate. That's the most honorable thing that he could do. I would have done the same thing to him.
"Just thank him a bunch. Thank our Penske/Jasper engine group for the great horsepower. I felt at times we had a really good car. I felt at times we were struggling. To be coming out on top, as Roy said, with maybe not the best tires or the best situation, but to have the track position was a great effort."
© 2008 Dwight Drum
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