The Daytona 500 is a race which is held in high regard throughout the world of motorsports. “The Great American Race” is not only the Crown Jewel race of NASCAR, but also among the most important events on the NASCAR calendar. It serves as the beginning of a NASCAR season. The Daytona 500 race also serves as the highest paying race of the season, serving as an important race to both drivers and the teams.
The winner of Daytona 500 etches his name in the history of NASCAR. His car is displayed in race winning condition at the Daytona 500 experience museum for the entire year. William Byron is the defending winner of the race, as of February 2025. He won the 2024 and 2025 Daytona 500 with Hendrick Motorsports. Petty Enterprises and Hendrick Motorsports are among the few teams who have managed to claim the most victories at Daytona. They are tied at most victories with 9 wins at the Daytona 500. There have been only five drivers who managed to clinch consecutive victories at Daytona 500 with the most recent one being William Byron.
Drivers with the most Daytona 500 wins
Richard Petty has the most number of wins at the Daytona 500 race with seven victories. Petty won his first Daytona race in 1964 and the last one in 1981. Cale Yarborough won it four times, who is second on the list. Bobby Allison, Dale Jarett, Jeff Gordon, and Denny Hamlin have won thrice each in the history of the Daytona 500. William Byron is the latest addition to the list of multiple time winners. The Hendrick Motorsports driver won consecutive Daytona 500 races during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
| S. No | No of wins | Driver Name | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 7 | Richard Petty | 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981 |
| 2. | 4 | Cale Yarborough | 1968,1977,1983,1984 |
| 3. | 3 | Bobby Allison | 1978,1982, 1988 |
| 4. | 3 | Dale Jarett | 1993, 1996, 2000 |
| 5. | 3 | Jeff Gordon | 1997, 1999, 2005 |
| 6. | 3 | Denny Hamlin | 2016, 2019, 2020 |
| 7. | 2 | Bill Elliot | 1985, 1987 |
| 8. | 2 | Sterling Marlin | 1994, 1995 |
| 9. | 2 | Michael Waltrip | 2001, 2003 |
| 10. | 2 | Matt Kenseth | 2009, 2012 |
| 11. | 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 2006, 2013 |
| 12. | 2 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 2004, 2014 |
| 13. | 2 | William Byron | 2024, 2025 |
FAQ's On Most Daytona 500 Wins by Drivers
A. Richard Petty has the most wins at Daytona 500 with seven victories.
A. The Daytona 500 in 2024 had a total prize pool of $28 million.
A. The Daytona 500 is the season opener race and one of the oldest races of NASCAR. The Daytona 500 is also the race with the biggest prize pool in the Cup Series.
A. The winning car is displayed in race winning condition at the Daytona 500 Experience museum.
A. Cars usually exceed a speed of 190 mph at the Daytona International Speedway.
