No. 9: The 1967 Daytona 500
Winner: Mario Andretti
Margin of victory: under caution
Why it's No. 9: Andretti's victory in the 1967 Daytona 500 brought serious attention to a sport that badly needed it. At the time, NASCAR was merely a provincial happening, its good ol' boy fan base located in the Southeast. The national spotlight shined on Indy cars -- sleek, open-wheel bullets that were the epitome of cool. And no Indy car driver was more cool or famous than the 27-year-old-Andretti, who had won the series championship in 1965 and 1966.
In the winter of 1967, Andretti decided to head to Daytona, the land of bulky, rumbling stock cars. Would Andretti measure up -- literally? He was so short that his Hush Puppies wouldn't reach the gas pedal. (No kidding -- he raced in Hush Puppies.)
Car owner Smokey Yunick compensated for Andretti's, er, shortcomings by building a longer gas pedal. And once the 1967 Daytona 500 started, Andretti stood tall, just as he had racing Indy cars. He mashed the pedal to the floorboard and kept it there for 500 miles. Andretti dominated the field, leading 112 of the 200 laps.
But the biggest winner that day was NASCAR. In Victory Lane, a giddy Andretti proclaimed: "You don't baby a car at Daytona like you do [in Indy cars] at Indy [Indianapolis Motor Speedway]. It's flat out."
Here are the top-10 finishers in the 1967 Daytona 500:
For more information on NASCAR and on high-performance cars, check out:
Margin of victory: under caution
Why it's No. 9: Andretti's victory in the 1967 Daytona 500 brought serious attention to a sport that badly needed it. At the time, NASCAR was merely a provincial happening, its good ol' boy fan base located in the Southeast. The national spotlight shined on Indy cars -- sleek, open-wheel bullets that were the epitome of cool. And no Indy car driver was more cool or famous than the 27-year-old-Andretti, who had won the series championship in 1965 and 1966.
 ©Ford Motorsports via Wieck Mario Andretti's victory in the 1967 Daytona 500 helped legitimize NASCAR. |
In the winter of 1967, Andretti decided to head to Daytona, the land of bulky, rumbling stock cars. Would Andretti measure up -- literally? He was so short that his Hush Puppies wouldn't reach the gas pedal. (No kidding -- he raced in Hush Puppies.)
Car owner Smokey Yunick compensated for Andretti's, er, shortcomings by building a longer gas pedal. And once the 1967 Daytona 500 started, Andretti stood tall, just as he had racing Indy cars. He mashed the pedal to the floorboard and kept it there for 500 miles. Andretti dominated the field, leading 112 of the 200 laps.
But the biggest winner that day was NASCAR. In Victory Lane, a giddy Andretti proclaimed: "You don't baby a car at Daytona like you do [in Indy cars] at Indy [Indianapolis Motor Speedway]. It's flat out."
Here are the top-10 finishers in the 1967 Daytona 500:
| Finish | Driver | Car | Money Won |
| 1 | Mario Andretti | 1967 Ford | $48,900 |
| 2 | Fred Lorenzen | 1967 Ford | $15,950 |
| 3 | James Hylton | 1965 Dodge | $10,925 |
| 4 | Tiny Lund | 1967 Plymouth | $6,675 |
| 5 | Jerry Grant | 1967 Plymouth | $4,725 |
| 6 | Darel Dieringer | 1967 Ford | $3,900 |
| 7 | Sonny Hutchins | 1967 Ford | $3,100 |
| 8 | Richard Petty | 1967 Plymouth | $3,750 |
| 9 | Jim Hurtubise | 1967 Plymouth | $2,500 |
| 10 | Neil Castles | 1967 Plymouth | $2,425 |
For more information on NASCAR and on high-performance cars, check out:
- To learn everything you need to know about "The Great American Race" -- from its history to the technical aspects of driving at Daytona International Speedway -- read How the Daytona 500 Works.
- Ever wonder what makes a stock car go? Read How NASCAR Race Cars Work to find out.
- Driver safety is a huge concern in NASCAR. Learn what measures the series takes in this area by reading How NASCAR Safety Works.
- Muscle cars embody the NASCAR philosophy of speed and power. Here are features on more than 100 classic muscle cars, including photos and specifications for each model.
