1966 Daytona 500
Encyclopedia
The 1966 Daytona 500 was won by Richard Petty
driving a 1966 Plymouth
on February 27, 1966. Petty drove his number 43 to victory in just over three hours after starting the race on the pole. There were four caution flags which slowed the race for 22 laps. Petty came from two laps down to win the event after 198 laps were completed. The race was shortened by two laps due to rain. The win was Petty's second victory of the season.
marked the return of the Chrysler
Hemi engine
in NASCAR competition, while Ford took a one year leave from competition before realizing that the ploy was detrimental to their sales. The 1966 Daytona 500 was the fifth event of 49 in the 1966 season, which included the two qualifying races for the 500. The 1966 season opened in Augusta with Petty taking the win in the season inaugural event. Dan Gurney
followed with a win in Riverside
before the drivers and their teams ventured to Daytona International Speedway
for 500 miles (804.7 km) event. NASCAR ran a total of 49 events, ending at the Rockingham Speedway in October. David Pearson won the NASCAR Grand National Championship (now Sprint Cup) after winning 15 events while 168 drivers competed in at least one event during the 1966 season.
Richard Petty captured the pole position
for the event with a speed of 175.165 miles per hour (281.9 km/h). The two 100 mile qualifying events were won by Paul Goldsmith
driving a number 99 1965 Plymouth, who bested second place finisher Richard Petty, and Earl Balmer driving his number 3 1965 Dodge. A total of 50 drivers started the Daytona 500 in 1966, and a total of 18 cars were still running at the conclusion of the race.
After starting on the 1966 Daytona 500 pole, Petty went on to lead the first six laps of the event, before relinquishing the lead to Paul Goldsmith, who had started in the third position. Petty and Goldsmith swapped the lead back and forth a total of four times before Dick Hutcherson
drove his number 29 1966 Ford into the lead on lap 34. Petty suffered from tire problems early in the race, yet work by his pit crew, and having one of the fastest cars allowed him work his way back to the front of the field. In 2008 Petty said: "...we was the quickest car all week long. That car, again, like the '64 car, was just a real fast car, and we just outrun everybody." Petty returned to the lead on lap 97 when he overtook Goldsmith. A total of 6 drivers exchanged the lead 15 times throughout the event, with Petty, Goldsmith, Hutcherson, Cale Yarborough
, Marvin Panch
, Jim Hurtubise
all leading at least one lap. On lap 113 Petty took the lead for the final time, and went on to finish more than a full lap ahead of second place finisher Yarborough. Petty went on to lead a race high 108 laps by the time the checkered flag fell.
The victory by Petty was his second at the Daytona International Speedway, having won the event in 1964
. Richard Petty's victory at the 1966 Daytona 500 was the first and only time that he captured the pole position, despite winning the event a record seven times? As of 2009, Richard Petty is the only driver to win the event seven times: 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, and 1981. The driver with the second highest number of victories would be Cale Yarborough, with a total of 4 victories; 1968, 1977, 1983 and 1984. The 1966 Daytona 500 was the first time that a driver won the event for a second time.
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
driving a 1966 Plymouth
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
on February 27, 1966. Petty drove his number 43 to victory in just over three hours after starting the race on the pole. There were four caution flags which slowed the race for 22 laps. Petty came from two laps down to win the event after 198 laps were completed. The race was shortened by two laps due to rain. The win was Petty's second victory of the season.
1966 Season
The 1966 season1966 in NASCAR
1966 in NASCAR evolved into the first of three NASCAR Grand National championships for David Pearson, whose 15 wins through the season was second only to Tim Flock's 18 victories in 1955 at that time. NASCAR allowed the return of the Chrysler Hemi engine in 1966, and at the same time Ford decided...
marked the return of the Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
Hemi engine
Hemi engine
A Hemi engine is an internal combustion engine in which the roof of each cylinder's combustion chambers is of hemispherical form.- History :...
in NASCAR competition, while Ford took a one year leave from competition before realizing that the ploy was detrimental to their sales. The 1966 Daytona 500 was the fifth event of 49 in the 1966 season, which included the two qualifying races for the 500. The 1966 season opened in Augusta with Petty taking the win in the season inaugural event. Dan Gurney
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
followed with a win in Riverside
Riverside International Raceway
Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989...
before the drivers and their teams ventured to Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
for 500 miles (804.7 km) event. NASCAR ran a total of 49 events, ending at the Rockingham Speedway in October. David Pearson won the NASCAR Grand National Championship (now Sprint Cup) after winning 15 events while 168 drivers competed in at least one event during the 1966 season.
The Race
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
for the event with a speed of 175.165 miles per hour (281.9 km/h). The two 100 mile qualifying events were won by Paul Goldsmith
Paul Goldsmith
Paul Goldsmith is a motorcycle Hall of Famer, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee and former USAC and NASCAR driver.- Motorcycle career :...
driving a number 99 1965 Plymouth, who bested second place finisher Richard Petty, and Earl Balmer driving his number 3 1965 Dodge. A total of 50 drivers started the Daytona 500 in 1966, and a total of 18 cars were still running at the conclusion of the race.
After starting on the 1966 Daytona 500 pole, Petty went on to lead the first six laps of the event, before relinquishing the lead to Paul Goldsmith, who had started in the third position. Petty and Goldsmith swapped the lead back and forth a total of four times before Dick Hutcherson
Dick Hutcherson
Dick Hutcherson was an American businessman and a former stock car racer. A native of Keokuk, Iowa, Hutcherson drove in NASCAR competition from 1964 to 1967. In 1965 he finished second in the overall NASCAR Drivers Championship and had nine wins...
drove his number 29 1966 Ford into the lead on lap 34. Petty suffered from tire problems early in the race, yet work by his pit crew, and having one of the fastest cars allowed him work his way back to the front of the field. In 2008 Petty said: "...we was the quickest car all week long. That car, again, like the '64 car, was just a real fast car, and we just outrun everybody." Petty returned to the lead on lap 97 when he overtook Goldsmith. A total of 6 drivers exchanged the lead 15 times throughout the event, with Petty, Goldsmith, Hutcherson, Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough
William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
, Marvin Panch
Marvin Panch
Marvin Panch Marvin Panch Marvin Panch (born May 28, 1926, in Menomonie, Wisconsin, is a former NASCAR driver.-Early career:He started his racing career as a car owner in Oakland, California. One week, his driver did not show up, and he raced the car to a third place finish...
, Jim Hurtubise
Jim Hurtubise
In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.-Award:...
all leading at least one lap. On lap 113 Petty took the lead for the final time, and went on to finish more than a full lap ahead of second place finisher Yarborough. Petty went on to lead a race high 108 laps by the time the checkered flag fell.
The victory by Petty was his second at the Daytona International Speedway, having won the event in 1964
1964 Daytona 500
The 1964 Daytona 500 was a NASCAR race held at Daytona International Speedway in 1964. It was won by Richard Petty driving a 1964 Plymouth. Petty drove his number 43 to victory in three hours and 14 minutes. There were 2 caution flags which slowed the race for 10 laps....
. Richard Petty's victory at the 1966 Daytona 500 was the first and only time that he captured the pole position, despite winning the event a record seven times? As of 2009, Richard Petty is the only driver to win the event seven times: 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, and 1981. The driver with the second highest number of victories would be Cale Yarborough, with a total of 4 victories; 1968, 1977, 1983 and 1984. The 1966 Daytona 500 was the first time that a driver won the event for a second time.
Statistics
| Finish | Driver | Start | Car number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richard Petty Richard Petty Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series... |
1 | 43 |
| 2 | Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships... |
19 | 27 |
| 3 | David Pearson | 12 | 6 |
| 4 | Fred Lorenzen Fred Lorenzen Fred Lorenzen , nicknamed The Golden Boy, Fast Freddie, The Elmhurst Express and Flyin Freddy, is a former NASCAR driver active between 1958 and 1972. He won the 1965 Daytona 500. Lorenzen was born in Elmurst, Illinois.-Early career:Lorenzen first caught the car bug young, and had built his first... |
9 | 28 |
| 5 | Sam McQuagg Sam McQuagg Samuel "Sam" McQuagg was an American former NASCAR Rookie of the Year driver. He died of cancer on January 3, 2009 at the age of 73... |
11 | 98 |
| 6 | Jim Hurtubise Jim Hurtubise In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.-Award:... |
5 | 56 |
| 7 | Ned Jarrett Ned Jarrett Ned Jarrett is a retired race car driver and two-time NASCAR champion.Jarrett was best known for his calm demeanor, and he became known as "Gentleman Ned Jarrett", yet he was an intense competitor when he put his two hands on the steering wheel of a NASCAR Grand National stock car... |
10 | 11 |
| 8 | LeeRoy Yarbrough LeeRoy Yarbrough Lonnie "LeeRoy" Yarbrough was a NASCAR racer. His best season was 1969 when he won seven races, tallied 21 finishes in the top-ten and earned $193,211... |
8 | 12 |
| 9 | James Hylton James Hylton James Harvey Hylton is a part-time race car driver. He is a two-time winner in NASCAR and competes in the ARCA RE/MAX Series,finishing 16th in points in 2006. He made headlines while attempting to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500 at age 72... |
23 | 48 |
| 10 | Larry Frank Larry Frank Larry Frank was an American NASCAR Grand National driver. He is best known for winning the 1962 Southern 500.-Career:... |
17 | 9 |