DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As NASCAR reflects on its history to start its 75th anniversary season, nine legends of the sport – all of whom have won the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR Cup Series championship – will come together to serve as grand marshals for the 65th running of the “Great American Race.”
Five NASCAR Hall of Famers and four future Hall of Famers in Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Joey Logano will collectively give the command to fire engines for the Daytona 500 on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR).
“If a driver has won both a Daytona 500 and a NASCAR Cup Series championship, they have accomplished the two most difficult feats possible in our sport and deserve to be put on a pedestal,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “As we start NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season, it’s important to honor these legends. There’s no better time to give fans the chance to celebrate the past than before a sold-out crowd at Daytona International Speedway.”
The grand marshal corps represents Daytona 500 champions across six decades. Their accomplishments are outlined below:
1960s – Richard Petty
NASCAR’s first seven-time Cup Series champion (1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979) is a member of the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010. Petty’s 200 Cup Series wins are the most all-time and include seven Daytona 500 victories (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1982).
1970s – Bobby Allison
A three-time Daytona 500 champion (1978, 1982, 1988), Allison won the 1983 Cup Series championship. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011 after compiling 84 career Cup Series wins.
1980s – Bill Elliott
Elliott’s two Daytona 500 wins (1985, 1987) preceded his Cup Series championship in 1988. The 16-time Most Popular Driver was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.
1990s – Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon
Jarrett (1993, 1996, 2000) and Gordon (1997, 1999, 2005) have three Daytona 500 wins apiece. Jarrett, a 2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, captured his Cup Series title in 1999 and had 32 Cup victories. Gordon sits third on the all-time wins list with 93, and won four Cup championships (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001) en route to his 2019 induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
2000s – Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick
NASCAR’s most recent seven-time champion (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016), Johnson has a pair of Daytona 500 wins (2006, 2013) out of his 83 victories, which are tied for fifth all-time. Harvick is tied for seventh on the all-time wins list with 60, including a 2007 Daytona 500 win. He was the 2014 Cup Series champion.
2010s – Kurt Busch and Joey Logano
Busch won the 2004 Cup Series championship and the 2017 Daytona 500, and has tallied 34 Cup Series victories in his career. Logano is the reigning Cup Series champion, and also won the championship in 2018. His Daytona 500 win came in 2015.
The action during Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth kicks off on Wednesday with Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light determining the front row for the Daytona 500. Then on Thursday, it’s high stakes on the high banks in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel, as drivers such as Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana battle it out for the chance to race on Sunday.
Friday sees the return of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the Next Era Energy 250. Then, the racing continues with a doubleheader on Saturday, with the ARCA Menards Series Race followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner 300.
Then, on Sunday, the drivers of the NASCAR Cup Series will make their 2023 season debut in the 65th running of the Daytona 500.
Fans are encouraged to reserve their place in history during Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth by logging on to Daytona500.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Additionally, fans can buy or sell reserved seats for the Daytona 500 by visiting SeatGeek, the Official Ticket Marketplace of NASCAR.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway via daytonainternationalspeedway.com, on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as the NASCAR Tracks App, for the latest speedway news.
******************************************************
Know some top athletic performances? Seeing some great teams in action?
We can use your help, and it’s simple. Witness some great performances? Hear about top athletes and top teams in our area?
Athlete of the Week and Team of the Week:
Nominate an athlete or team: HERE
**********************************************
Pancakes or Waffles! We feature top area athletes with our world-renowned feature. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
College Athlete Roundup! We want to recognize student-athletes from the area who are competing at the college level. Send us information on college athletes from the area with our simple form HERE
Where are they Now? We feature athletes and difference makers from the past, standouts in sports who excelled over the years and have moved on. Know of a former athlete, coach, or difference maker who we should feature? Know of a former standout competitor whose journey beyond central Wisconsin sports is one we should share? Send us information on athletes and difference makers of the past with our simple form HERE
Baked or Fried! We also feature difference makers throughout central Wisconsin: coaches, booster club leaders, administration, volunteers, you name it. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
We welcome your stories! Contact us at [email protected]!
Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
