Daytona 500 champions
| Year | Driver | Manufacturer | Ave sSpeed mph |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Austin Cindric | Ford | 142.295 |
| 2021 | Michael McDowell | Ford | 144.416 |
| 2020 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 141.11 |
| 2019 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 137.440 |
| 2018 | Austin Dillon | Chevrolet | 150.545 |
| 2017 | Kurt Busch | Ford | 143.187 |
| 2016 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 157.549 |
| 2015 | Joey Logano | Ford | 161.939 |
| 2014 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet | 145.29 |
| 2013 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 159.25 |
| 2012 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | 140.256 |
| 2011 | Trevor Bayne | Ford | 130.326 |
| 2010 | Jamie McMurray | Chevrolet | 137.284 |
| 2009 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | 132.816 |
| 2008 | Ryan Newman | Dodge | 152.672 |
| 2007 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | 149.335 |
| 2006 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 189.151 |
| 2005 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | 188.312 |
| 2004 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Chevrolet | 188.387 |
| 2003 | Michael Waltrip | Chevrolet | 186.606 |
| 2002 | Ward Burton | Dodge | 185.831 |
| 2001 | Michael Waltrip | Chevrolet | 183.565 |
| 2000 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | 182.334 |
| 1999 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | 195.067 |
| 1998 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | 192.415 |
| 1997 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | 189.813 |
| 1996 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | 189.510 |
| 1995 | Sterling Marlin | Chevrolet | 193.498 |
| 1994 | Sterling Marlin | Chevrolet | 190.158 |
| 1993 | Dale Jarrett | Chevrolet | 189.426 |
| 1992 | Davey Allison | Ford | 192.213 |
| 1991 | Ernie Irvan | Chevrolet | 195.955 |
| 1990 | Derrike Cope | Chevrolet | 196.515 |
| 1989 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | 196.996 |
| 1988 | Bobby Allison | Buick | 193.823 |
| 1987 | Bill Elliott | Ford | 210.364 |
| 1986 | Geoff Bodine | Chevrolet | 205.039 |
| 1985 | Bill Elliott | Ford | 205.114 |
| 1984 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet | 201.848 |
| 1983 | Cale Yarborough | Pontiac | 198.864 |
| 1982 | Bobby Allison | Buick | 196.317 |
| 1981 | Richard Petty | Buick | 194.624 |
| 1980 | Buddy Baker | Oldsmobile | 195.020 |
| 1979 | Richard Petty | Oldsmobile | 196.049 |
| 1978 | Bobby Allison | Ford | 187.536 |
| 1977 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet | 188.048 |
| 1976 | David Pearson | Mercury | 185.943 |
| 1975 | Benny Parsons | Chevrolet | 185.827 |
| 1974 | Richard Petty | Dodge | 185.017 |
| 1973 | Richard Petty | Dodge | 185.662 |
| 1972 | A.J. Foyt Jr. | Mercury | 186.632 |
| 1971 | Richard Petty | Plymouth | 182.744 |
| 1970 | Pete Hamilton | Plymouth | 194.015 |
| 1969 | Lee Roy Yarborough | Ford | 190.029 |
| 1968 | Cale Yarborough | Mercury | 189.222 |
| 1967 | Mario Andretti | Ford | 180.831 |
| 1966 | Richard Petty | Plymouth | 175.165 |
| 1965 | Fred Lorenzen | Ford | 171.151 |
| 1964 | Richard Petty | Plymouth | 174.910 |
| 1963 | Tiny Lund | Ford | 165.183 |
| 1962 | Fireball Roberts | Pontiac | 156.995 |
| 1961 | Marvin Panch | Pontiac | 155.709 |
| 1960 | Junior Johnson | Chevrolet | 151.556 |
| 1959 | Lee Petty | Oldsmobile | 143.198 |
Daytona Beach Course champions
| 1958 | Paul Goldsmith | Pontiac |
| 1957 | Cotton Owens | Pontiac |
| 1956 | Tim Flock | Chrysler |
| 1955 | Tim Flock | Chrysler |
| 1954 | Lee Petty | Chrysler |
| 1953 | Bill Blair | Oldsmobile |
| 1952 | Marshall Teague | Hudson |
| 1951 | Marshall Teague | Hudson |
| 1950 | Harold Kite | Lincoln |
| 1949 | Red Byron | Oldsmobile |
NASCAR crash
In 1960 Daytona Superspeedway hosted the second Daytona 500, 68 cars entered into the race, back then there were a maximum of 68 cars in a superspeedway race. Coming out of turn four 37 cars get into a massive wreck where at least six cars get on their roofs.
Video: Largest crash in NASCAR history