How the Daytona 500 Works

The list of Daytona 500 winners reads like a who's who of NASCAR, featuring names like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and "Fireball" Roberts. Here's a complete rundown of the Daytona 500 winners:

Year	Driver	Car	Average Speed (mph)
2007	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet	149.333
2006	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	142.734
2005	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	135.173
2004	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	156.341
2003	Michael Waltrip	Chevrolet	133.870
2002	Ward Burton	Dodge	130.810
2001	Michael Waltrip	Chevrolet	161.783
2000	Dale Jarrett	Ford	155.669
1999	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	161.551
1998	Dale Earnhardt	Chevrolet	172.7612
1997	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	148.295
1996	Dale Jarrett	Ford	154.308
1995	Sterling Marlin	Chevrolet	141.710
1994	Sterling Marlin	Chevrolet	156.931
1993	Dale Jarrett	Chevrolet	154.972
1992	Davey Allison	Ford	160.256
1991	Ernie Irvan	Chevrolet	148.148
1990	Derrike Cope	Chevrolet	165.761
1989	Darrell Waltrip	Chevrolet	148.466
1988	Bobby Allison	Buick	137.531
1987	Bill Elliott	Ford	176.263
1986	Geoff Bodine	Chevrolet	148.124
1985	Bill Elliott	Ford	172.265
1984	Cale Yarborough	Chevrolet	150.994
1983	Cale Yarborough	Pontiac	155.979
1982	Bobby Allison	Buick	153.991
1981	Richard Petty	Buick	169.651
1980	Buddy Baker	Oldsmobile	177.602
1979	Richard Petty	Oldsmobile	143.977
1978	Bobby Allison	Ford	159.730
1977	Cale Yarborough	Chevrolet	153.218
1976	David Pearson	Mercury	152.181
1975	Benny Parsons	Chevrolet	153.649
1974	Richard Petty	Dodge	140.894
1973	Richard Petty	Dodge	157.205
1972	A.J. Foyt	Mercury	161.550
1971	Richard Petty	Plymouth	144.462
1970	Pete Hamilton	Plymouth	149.601
1969	Lee Roy Yarborough	Ford	157.950
1968	Cale Yarborough	Mercury	143.251
1967	Mario Andretti	Ford	146.251
1966	Richard Petty	Plymouth	160.927
1965	Fred Lorenzen	Ford	141.539
1964	Richard Petty	Plymouth	154.334
1963	DeWayne "Tiny" Lund	Ford	151.566
1962	Glen "Fireball" Roberts	Pontiac	152.529
1961	Marvin Panch	Pontiac	149.601
1960	Robert "Junior" Johnson	Chevrolet	124.740
1959	Lee Petty	Oldsmobile	135.521

Forget winning the Daytona 500 – for those who simply watch it on TV, understanding what the announcers are saying can seem difficult enough. Fear not. On the next page, we provide a glossary of common NASCAR terms.

For more information on NASCAR and on high-performance cars, check out:

• The Daytona 500 has produced some legendary finishes. We pinpoint the best of the best in The Top 10 Daytona 500s Ever.
• 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.