The Daytona 500 is one of NASCAR’s crown jewel events, celebrated not only for its rich history but also for the perpendicular excitement it delivers. While Richard Petty dominates the record books with the most Daytona 500 victories, achieving his first win in the prestigious race in 1964 when he was 27, still, he is not the youngest one to win the race. But, if not him, who holds the record as the youngest driver to triumph at the Daytona 500?
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Trevor Bayne claimed the accolade just one day after turning 20, on February 20, 2011, by winning the 500 in what was both his Daytona 500 debut and his first win in the Cup Series. During the final laps of the race, Bayne managed to hold off Carl Edwards, following a crash by Dale Earnhardt Jr., leading the Wood Brothers team to its fifth Daytona 500 win — their first since David Pearson’s victory in 1976.
Meanwhile, Bobby Allison has the record as the oldest driver to win the Daytona 500. He claimed the honor when he secured his 3rd victory in the event on February 14, 1988, when he was 50 years, 2 months, and 11 days.
In an inciting climax to the race, Allison fiercely competed against his son, Davey Allison, ultimately joining Lee and Richard Petty as the second father-son duo to finish 1-2 in a Cup race.
The age gap between the oldest and youngest winners of the 500 spans three decades.
The 2025 Daytona 500 is set to break records with the largest lineup in a decade, featuring 45 entries vying for a spot in the 40-car field. This season, 9 open drivers will attempt to clinch one of the four available spots, with an additional slot potentially opening up if Helio Castroneves does not race or qualify on his own merits; otherwise, he might claim the provisional entry.
The 45-car entry list is the highest since 2015 when 50 cars competed for a place in the 43-car field. It will be intriguing to see if newcomers like Riley Herbst, Shane van Gisbergen, and others can clinch a victory and etch their names in the history book of the Daytona 500.
