The Daytona 500 is the best stock-car spectacle on the earth — and as such, it has attracted a large swath of drivers over time trying to qualify for the sphere.
Lots of these tales — like these of Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon — are well-known. Others are a bit extra distinctive.
We analyzed each driver who has pushed within the “Nice American Race” and chosen 10 whose tales need to be informed.
Beneath are 10 of probably the most distinctive drivers to ever compete within the Daytona 500.
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Maynard Troyer
There are few drivers extra intently related to Modified racing than Maynard Troyer.
Troyer is properly often called the founding father of Troyer Engineering, a chassis and elements enterprise he shaped in 1977.
Nonetheless, lengthy earlier than that, he was a fierce competitor at tracks up and down the East Coast. From his dwelling base in Spencerport, New York, Troyer competed in opposition to the very best Modified rivals of the period, together with NASCAR Corridor of Famers Richie Evans and Jerry Cook dinner.
Troyer was a observe champion at New York venues like Spencer Speedway and Lancaster Motorplex, and his orange No. 6 Modified was well-known throughout the area with main victories coming within the Race of Champions and the Spring Sizzler.
In 1971, Troyer moved as much as the Cup Sequence and made his Daytona 500 debut. Nonetheless, issues took a disastrous flip solely 9 laps into the race when an engine failure on his No. 60 Ford resulted in a horrible crash that noticed Troyer flip greater than a dozen instances.
Troyer was severely damage however was again racing by April. He returned to Daytona in 1973 for his second and ultimate begin within the “Nice American Race,” ending twenty third after an engine failure knocked him out of the race after 150 laps.
Troyer would stay concerned within the motorsports trade for years via his enterprise, Troyer Engineering. He died in 2018 at age 78.Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega
Many years earlier than Daniel Suárez turned the primary Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Sequence race, Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega turned the primary Mexican-born driver to compete in a NASCAR Cup Sequence occasion years earlier than making his Daytona 500 debut.
Born in Mexico Metropolis, Mexico, he started racing at an early age. Alongside his brother Ricardo, who was additionally a famend racer, the brothers captured nationwide motorbike championships within the early Fifties in Mexico.
By 1959, he started racing in Europe, however that didn’t cease him from competing in North America. In 1959, the then 19-year-old made his Cup Sequence debut throughout an occasion at New Jersey’s Trenton Speedway, ending sixth in a discipline that included winner Tom Pistone, Lee Petty, Cotton Owens, Richard Petty and Junior Johnson.
That was the primary of six Cup Sequence occasions he would compete in throughout his profession, which included a fifth-place effort within the 1965 World 600.
Away from NASCAR, Rodríguez made a reputation for himself in sports activities automobiles and Formulation One. He gained two Formulation One Grands Prix and captured victories within the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Weeks after successful the Rolex 24 in 1971, he made his Daytona 500 debut. He initially tried to qualify for the Daytona 500 in a automotive ready by Invoice Ellis, however an engine failure prevented him from doing so.
Fortunately, Jabe Thomas agreed to step out of the No. 25 owned by Don Robertson, and Rodríguez drove Robertson’s Plymouth to a Thirteenth-place end.
Rodríguez’s life got here to a tragic finish only some months later when he was killed whereas competing in a sports activities automotive occasion on the Norisring in Nuremberg, West Germany. He was 31.
Eduardo Dibós Chappuis
One of many extra distinctive tales to return out of the primary Daytona 500 in 1959 facilities round Eduardo Dibós Chappuis, who was identified professionally as Eduardo Dibós or by the nickname “Chachi.”
Born in Lima, Peru, Dibós was the son of former Lima mayor Eduardo Dibós Dammert and Rina Chappuis Castagnino.
He turned occupied with racing at an early age, and within the Nineteen Sixties, he raced sports activities automobiles in opposition to the best drivers of the period, together with Pedro Rodríguez, Phil Hill, Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt.
His NASCAR participation started in 1959 when he, alongside fellow Peruvian driver Raul Cilloniz, traveled to Florida to compete within the inaugural operating of the Daytona 500.
Driving the No. 37 Thunderbird for staff proprietor Van Acker, Dibós completed fifth within the 40-lap Daytona 500 qualifying race held on Feb. 20, outlasting Lee Petty, Rex White, Speedy Thompson, Junior Johnson, Tim Flock, Fireball Roberts and Buck Baker.
His success within the qualifying race didn’t transition to the Daytona 500. Beginning ninth within the 59-car discipline, Dibós fell out of the race early with a suspension challenge and completed forty eighth.
That wasn’t the top of his NASCAR journey, nonetheless. He returned to Daytona Worldwide Speedway later that yr to compete within the inaugural Firecracker 250. Once more, driving for Acker, Dibós certified third and completed fifth. It was his ultimate Cup race.
Robert McGregor Innes Eire
Within the early days of the Daytona 500, it wasn’t unusual for drivers from different racing disciplines to enter NASCAR’s largest occasion.
Robert McGregor Innes Eire, or just Innes Eire, is a kind of drivers.
Born in Mytholmroyd, Yorkshire, England, Eire served within the British Military within the Fifties. Throughout this time, he additionally expressed an curiosity in racing, and by 1957, he started to pursue it as a profession.
He ultimately reached Formulation One, however in 1961, Eire was severely injured in a crash within the Monaco Grand Prix. Regardless of this, Eire returned to competitors and scored his lone Formulation One victory that very same yr throughout the USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen Worldwide.
He made his NASCAR debut in 1967 at Daytona. Driving the No. 31 Dodge owned and ready by the legendary Ray Fox, Eire completed tenth in his qualifying race to earn a spot within the Daytona 500.
Sharing his impressions of Daytona after his first laps on the observe, Eire informed Nationwide Pace Sport Information, “These banks look good from right here, however if you drive down the straightaway, they appear like bloody ribbons.”
Beginning twentieth, Eire failed to complete the 500-mile occasion after an engine failure. He was credited with ending twenty seventh.
Eire retired from driving shortly thereafter. He later turned a motorsports journalist and owned fishing trawlers that operated within the North Atlantic. He died after a battle with most cancers on Oct. 22, 1993, at age 63.
Sammy Swindell
When you’re a fan or perhaps a informal watcher of dirt-track racing, then odds are you recognize the identify Sammy Swindell.
Swindell is arguably one of many biggest dash automotive drivers ever. His accolades are plentiful and his victories numerous, however listed below are just a few examples simply to put the groundwork.
Swindell, who was given the nickname “Slammin’ Sammy” for his hard-nosed and aggressive driving fashion, captured three World of Outlaws Dash Automotive Sequence championships in 1981, 1982 and 1997. He additionally gained the 1983 Knoxville Nationals.
He’s additionally an ace in a midget automotive, which he proved by successful the Chili Bowl Nationals 5 instances, greater than every other driver in occasion historical past.
Swindell has by no means been afraid to strive one thing totally different. He made his Cup debut in 1985, driving a automotive fielded by Raymond Beadle at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the place he completed thirtieth after retiring early following a crash.
He made yet one more Cup begin, which got here in 1991 through the Daytona 500. On the wheel of the No. 20 Oldsmobile owned by Dick Moroso, Swindell’s lone Daytona 500 begin ended abruptly after 28 laps after he was concerned in not one however two totally different accidents.
Swindell stays lively within the racing world at the moment as a competitor, although he has backed off the fuel fairly a bit in comparison with the Nineteen Eighties and Nineties. He competed within the Chili Bowl Nationals in January in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the place, at 69 years previous, he raced his method to a D-Function on championship Saturday.
Bob Senneker
The Midwestern area of the USA has produced among the biggest short-track racers ever, together with Dick Trickle, Wealthy Bickle and the following man on this listing, Bob Senneker.
A Michigan native, Senneker started his racing profession in 1963 and shortly turned probably the most profitable racers within the Midwest, capturing the 1966 observe championship at Berlin Raceway.
In a profession that spanned greater than three a long time, Senneker competed in and gained among the largest short-track races in the USA, together with seven Winchester 400 wins and one triumph within the All American 400.
Senneker made his solely Daytona 500 begin early in his profession in 1968. Driving a 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle that he and his crew ready, Senneker began thirty fourth and completed Thirteenth, just one place behind the legendary A.J. Foyt.
Senneker would go on to make just a few extra Cup Sequence begins, together with 5 in 1983, however he was by no means capable of high that Thirteenth-place consequence within the 1968 Daytona 500.
His driving profession could also be lengthy over, however Senneker and his well-known “Bluebird” race automotive nonetheless make occasional appearances at tracks throughout the Midwest, the place his accolades are revered.
Al Holbert
Lower than a dozen drivers can say they’ve gained three of the largest sports activities automotive races on the earth — the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
A kind of drivers was Al Holbert.
The son of race automotive driver and Porsche dealership proprietor Bob Holbert, the youthful Holbert developed into the most effective American street racers of his period.
He captured the primary of his 5 IMSA championships in 1976 and added a second in 1977. He later added three extra championships in 1983, 1985 and 1986. He gained the Rolex 24 twice, the 12 Hours of Sebring twice and the 24 Hours of Le Mans thrice and even completed fourth within the 1984 Indianapolis 500.
Holbert dabbled in NASCAR through the Nineteen Seventies, largely driving for James Hylton. In his third Cup begin, he competed within the 1978 Daytona 500 aboard Hylton’s No. 48 Chevrolet.
He failed to complete the race after an engine failure, which left him twenty ninth. Holbert made a complete of 19 Cup begins, incomes a greatest end of seventh at Darlington Raceway.
Holbert’s life was tragically lower quick after he was killed in a aircraft crash on Sept. 30, 1988. He was 41.
Don Tilley
Tilley was an early pioneer in each inventory automotive and motorbike racing. It was via his time racing inventory automobiles that he turned associates with Richard Petty, for whom he labored as a mechanic throughout a few of Petty’s most profitable seasons.
As a part of his stock-car racing profession, Tilley competed in a number of occasions at Daytona Worldwide Speedway within the Nineteen Sixties, together with the 1965 Daytona 500.
Driving the No. 81 Dodge owned by Joe Keistler, Tilley drove from thirty third at the beginning to complete twenty second after rain halted the race after the completion of 133 laps. Fred Lorenzen was finally declared the winner, the primary time the Daytona 500 ended early due to climate.
Tilley made six Cup begins throughout his transient driving profession, incomes a greatest end of fifteenth at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Tilley was additionally a co-founder of the Kyle Petty Charity Experience Throughout America and at all times made room on his schedule for the journey.
Tilley and his spouse, Robinette, died following a bike accident on Aug. 29, 2014. Tilley was 78 years previous. Tilley Harley-Davidson, the enterprise he based in 1972, continues to function at the moment.
Invoice Kimmel Sr.
Followers of the ARCA Menards Sequence are very conversant in the Kimmel household, which incorporates the household patriarch Invoice Kimmel Sr.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Kimmel served in the USA Military earlier than pursuing a profession in motorsports.
For roughly three a long time, Kimmel made a dwelling via racing. It’s estimated he gained greater than 500 races at a wide range of tracks and is thought to have captured 12 observe championships. He additionally gained three races as a driver in what’s now often called the ARCA Menards Sequence.
In 1969, Kimmel traveled to Florida to qualify for the Daytona 500. Driving the No. 69 Chevrolet owned by Carl Manis, he efficiently made the race however completed forty sixth as a result of an engine failure.
After concluding his personal racing profession, he shifted his focus to serving to his sons Thom, Invoice Jr. and Frank as they pursued racing careers of their very own.
Essentially the most profitable of the trio was Frank, who gained 10 ARCA Menards Sequence championships and a series-best 80 races. Eight of these championships got here consecutively from 2000 to 2008.
Kimmel died of pure causes on July 30, 2020, at age 91. Kimmel Racing, the race staff he began within the Fifties, continues to function at the moment together with his grandson, Will Kimmel, on the helm.
Bernie Hentges
Race automotive drivers will do superb issues to ensure they get to the race observe. Then, there’s what Bernie Hentges did to ensure he raced within the inaugural operating of the Daytona 500 in 1959.
The Minnesota native raced efficiently on filth tracks in his dwelling state as a young person, successful greater than 100 races. He then acquired the itch to compete within the inaugural operating of what would ultimately grow to be NASCAR’s biggest occasion.
In early 1959, the 22-year-old Hentges walked into a neighborhood automotive dealership and bought a brand new DeSoto, which he then drove from Minnesota all the way in which to Daytona Seaside so he may drive the automotive within the first “Nice American Race.”
“You see these excessive banks, and also you say, ‘Wow. What am I doing right here?”” Hentges informed the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2008.
Hundreds of miles from dwelling, Hentges made probably the most of his time in Florida. He certified twelfth and completed twelfth in his qualifying race, which earned him the twenty third beginning place within the 59-car beginning discipline.
Driving the one DeSoto within the discipline, Hentges was aggressive till the engine in his automotive expired. He completed thirty seventh however forward of some notable names, together with Buck Baker, Fireball Roberts and Richard Petty.
Hentges by no means competed in NASCAR once more. After a stint within the Nationwide Guard, he ultimately settled in Vista, California, the place he labored as a mechanic and carpenter.
