1975 Daytona 500
Encyclopedia
The 1975 Daytona 500 was a crucial race in NASCAR
Winston Cup Series history.
victory as he built a sizable lead on second place Benny Parsons
late in the race. However, Richard Petty
, who was eight laps behind the leaders on his way to finishing seventh, and Parsons hooked up in a draft and began reeling in Pearson who was slowed by lapped traffic. The key moment of the race occurred two laps from the end when contact with Cale Yarborough in traffic sent Pearson spinning on the backstretch. Parsons avoided the accident and went on to take the win. As per the list below, 26 of the 40 drivers failed to finish the race for various reasons, including a huge crash on the fourth lap, which took out nine cars, nearly one quarter of the field. Among those involved were famous country music singer Marty Robbins, who also crashed out of the 1973 Daytona 500. At the time, it was the biggest crash in terms of number of cars involved in race history. Donnie Allison started on the pole, but only led the first lap and was sidelined by mechanical problems, as was DiGard Racing teammate Johnny Rutherford, the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion. Another that failed to finish was Buddy Baker, who led 46 laps. As a result, a record-low 14 cars, including that of Pearson, were classified as running at the finish.
Note: * denotes that the driver failed to finish the race.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Winston Cup Series history.
Summary
From the start, it appeared that David Pearson was on his way to his first Daytona 500Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
victory as he built a sizable lead on second place Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
late in the race. However, 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...
, who was eight laps behind the leaders on his way to finishing seventh, and Parsons hooked up in a draft and began reeling in Pearson who was slowed by lapped traffic. The key moment of the race occurred two laps from the end when contact with Cale Yarborough in traffic sent Pearson spinning on the backstretch. Parsons avoided the accident and went on to take the win. As per the list below, 26 of the 40 drivers failed to finish the race for various reasons, including a huge crash on the fourth lap, which took out nine cars, nearly one quarter of the field. Among those involved were famous country music singer Marty Robbins, who also crashed out of the 1973 Daytona 500. At the time, it was the biggest crash in terms of number of cars involved in race history. Donnie Allison started on the pole, but only led the first lap and was sidelined by mechanical problems, as was DiGard Racing teammate Johnny Rutherford, the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion. Another that failed to finish was Buddy Baker, who led 46 laps. As a result, a record-low 14 cars, including that of Pearson, were classified as running at the finish.
Finishing order
- Benny ParsonsBenny ParsonsBenjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
- Bobby AllisonBobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
- Cale YarboroughCale YarboroughWilliam 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...
- David Pearson
- Ramo StottRamo StottRamo Stott is a retired American stock car driver from Keokuk, Iowa. He competed in NASCAR Winston Cup, USAC stock car, and ARCA.-USAC:...
- Dave MarcisDave MarcisDave Marcis is a retired driver on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit whose career spanned five decades. Marcis won five times over this tenure, twice at Richmond, including his final win in 1982...
- Richard PettyRichard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
- Richie PanchRichie PanchRichard "Richie" Panch was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver from 1973 to 1976. Panch had officially raced a grand total of 9295 laps - the equivalent of of stock car racing. His average start is 18th place while his average finish is 23rd place. Total earnings for Richie Panch were $90,842 USD...
- G.C. SpencerG.C. SpencerG. C. Spencer July 9, 1925 in Owensboro, Kentucky – September 20, 2007 in Johnson City, Tennessee was a NASCAR driver who competed in 415 Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1977...
- James HyltonJames HyltonJames 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...
- A.J. Foyt*
- Bruce JacobiBruce JacobiHarold Bruce Jacobi is a former NASCAR driver, from Salem, Indiana, United States. In 1987, he died at age 51 because of head injuries from a crash during a race at the Daytona International Speedway in 1983...
- Bob BurchamBob BurchamRobert Wayne "Bob" Burcham, Sr. was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1968 to 1979. His primary ride was the #19 Belden Asphalt-sponsored Chevrolet of Mr. Henley Gray. Jack White was Burcham's other employer in NASCAR.-Summary:His parents were Mr. Robert "Bobby" and Mrs...
* - Ed NegreEd NegreEd Negre is a retired NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver who raced from 1955 to 1979....
- Cecil GordonCecil GordonCecil Gordon was a NASCAR driver. He is not related to Sprint Cup driver Jeff Gordon although the two drivers drove in car number 24....
* - Ferrel HarrisFerrel HarrisFerrel Harris was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1975 to 1982 .-Summary:...
- Coo Coo MarlinCoo Coo MarlinClifton "Coo Coo" Marlin was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who spent 14 years in the series.-Local track history:...
* - Richard ChildressRichard ChildressRichard Childress is a former NASCAR driver and the current team owner of Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. As a business entrepreneur, Childress became one of the wealthiest men in North Carolina...
- Lennie PondLennie PondLennie Pond is a former NASCAR driver. He won NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 1973, and won his only race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1978 for Ronnie Elder and Harry Ranier....
* - Buddy BakerBuddy BakerElzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
* - David Cisco*
- Dick BrooksDick BrooksRichard "Dick" Brooks was an American NASCAR driver. Born in Porterville, California, he was the 1969 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and went on to win the 1973 Talladega 500...
* - Tommy GaleTommy GaleThomas "Tommy" Gale was an English footballer who played for Sheffield Wednesday and York City in the Football League.-Career:...
* - George FollmerGeorge FollmerGeorge Follmer is a retired American race car driver, and one of the most successful road racers of the 1970s. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona....
* - Walter BallardWalter BallardWalter Ballard is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver from Houston, Texas.He made a single Grand National start in 1966 and did not return to the series until 1971 when he ran a nearly full season in a car owned by his father Vic capturing 11 top tens on his way to Rookie of the Year honors and a...
* - Darrell WaltripDarrell WaltripDarrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
* - Johnny RutherfordJohnny RutherfordFor the Major League Baseball pitcher, see Johnny Rutherford . For other people with a similar name, see John RutherfordJohn Sherman Rutherford III , better known as Johnny Rutherford, and also known as "Lone Star JR" is a former U.S...
* - Donnie AllisonDonnie AllisonDunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
* - Randy Tissot*
- Hershel McGriffHershel McGriffHershel McGriff won four races during his brief career in the NASCAR Grand National series, and later in the NASCAR Winston West Series.-Racing career:...
* - Rick NewsomRick NewsomRick Newsom , was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver from Fort Mill, South Carolina.Newsom competed in 82 Winston Cup races from 1972–1986.He was killed in a private plane crash on August 16, 1988.-References:...
* - Bruce HillBruce HillBruce Edward Hill is a former professional American football player who selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL Draft with a draft pick the Buccaneers had received for trading Steve Young. A 6'0", 175-lb. wide receiver from Arizona State, Hill played his entire NFL...
* - J.D. McDuffieJ.D. McDuffieJohn Delphus McDuffie was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He raced in the top division of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career...
* - Joe Mihalic*
- Jim VandiverJim VandiverJim Vandiver is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup driver that raced from 1968 to 1983.-Summary:...
* - Dick TrickleDick TrickleRichard "Dick" Trickle is a retired American race car driver. He raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin, winning many championships along the way. Trickle has competed in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.In more than an estimated 2,200 races, Trickle has logged...
* - Grant AdcoxGrant AdcoxGrant Adcox was a stock car racing driver who died in a single-car accident in the 1989 Atlanta Journal 500 in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.-Career:...
* - Dan Daughtry*
- Marty RobbinsMarty RobbinsMartin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
* - Warren Tope*
Note: * denotes that the driver failed to finish the race.