Daytona 500 – Surprising Winners and Losers of the ‘Great American Race’

Drivers get geared up for the Daytona 500 more than any other race in NASCAR. But, it might surprise you who's won and who hasn't won the 'Great American Race'.

Top 5 Suprising Winners

Trevor Bayne

In only his second Sprint Cup start ever, Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500 by using the tandem draft on the last two laps in one of the most surprising wins in NASCAR history. Unfortunately for him, it's his only career win to this day.

Derrike Cope

Cope basically stole one from Dale Earnhardt Sr. back in 1990. On the last lap of the race, 'The Intimidator' was leading on the last lap when he cut a tire, and Cope cruised to a gifted win.

Michael Waltrip

Waltrip had one of the most bitter sweet wins in NASCAR history. The winner of, now two, Daytona 500's, got his first one in 2001. That was the same year that his boss and friend, Dale Earnhardt Sr. lost his life on the last lap of the race.

Ward Burton

The older brother of Jeff Burton won the Daytona 500 in 2002. It was the first year without longtime favorite Dale Earnhardt Sr, who crashed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. He won one more time that year but hasn't tasted victory since then.

Dale Earnhardt

It wasn't so much a surprise that he won the Daytona 500 in 1998, but it was how long it took for him to win it. Earnhardt lost the Daytona 500 in every way a driver can lose a race. Either he would cut a tire, crash, or simply be passed on the last lap. It is sort of ironic, that the track that took him so long to win the big race on, was the track that sadly took his life.

Top 5 Drivers Who Have Not Won

Tony Stewart

Stewart has won over 17 different events at the track, but has never won the Daytona 500. He almost won the 2012 race, only to lose because of the tandem drafting that NASCAR had installed at that time. Stewart went on to win 2 more times that year. But, since 2012, his best finish at Daytona was 35th.

Rusty Wallace

In 23 races, Wallace could never get a win, even though he came close several times. The good thing for him, as that his 55 races won, were enough to get the ESPN analyst into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Terry and Bobby Labonte

The Labonte brothers have a combined 43 starts in the Daytona 500, but zero wins. Ouch.

Mark Martin

Martin almost won the 2007 Daytona 500, but saw Kevin Harvick take the win from him on the very last straightaway by just inches. Like other drivers, the win has escaped him in so many ways.

Ned Jarrett

'The Gentlemen' was inducted into NASCAR's Hall of Fame back in 2011, but is another driver that has surprisingly not won the Daytona 500. However, one consolation is that he is the father of retired driver Dale Jarrett, who won the event 3 times - one of those times while Ned was in the booth calling the race. So, there's that.

So, there is a look at some surprising wins by drivers, as well as some surprising non winners at the Daytona 500.

Who do you think will win this year's Daytona 500?