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The 25 Greatest Daytona 500 Drivers Of All-Time by Ron Thornton

The countdown continues as we near the 49th edition of the Great American Race. With the anticipation building, combined with my (moparornocar) love for history, statistics, and possibly for causing trouble, I thought I would take a crack at coming up with a list to honor the 25 greatest Daytona 500 drivers of all-time.

How successful was I in coming up with a method of making such a determination that most, though understandably not all, might agree with?  Well, the 25 best I came up with represent 38 Daytona 500 victories and include 20 of the 50 best drivers as decided during NASCAR's 50th anniversary celebrations nine years ago. As for the five not on that 1998 chart, they managed to combine for six wins and 38 Top Ten finishes when it came to competing in the February spectacle.

David Pearson

10. DAVID PEARSON - 110 Points
1 Win (1976)
3 Top Threes (1966, 70, 76)
6 Top Fives (1966, 68, 70-71, 75-76)
10 Top Tens (1962, 66, 68-71, 75-76, 83-84)

9. JEFF GORDON - 113 Points
3 Wins (1997, 99, 2005)
5 Top Fives (1993-94, 97, 99, 2005)
7 Top Tens (1993-94, 97, 99, 2002, 04-05)

8. TERRY LABONTE - 118 Points
4 Top Threes (1986, 90, 94, 97)
6 Top Fives (1982, 86, 88, 90, 94, 97)
12 Top Tens (1980, 82-83, 86, 88-90, 92, 94-95, 97, 2000)

7. BENNY PARSONS - 130 Points
1 Win (1975)
5 Top Threes (1975-78, 87)
8 Top Fives (1972, 75-78, 80, 86-87)
9 Top Tens (1969, 72, 75-78, 80, 86-87)

6. BUDDY BAKER - 133 Points
1 Win (1980)
4 Top Threes (1971, 77, 80, 83)
8 Top Fives (1969, 71, 77, 80-81, 83, 85, 87)
12 Top Tens (1969, 71, 73, 77-78, 80-83, 85, 87-8

Bill Elliott

5. BILL ELLIOTT - 159 Points
2 Wins (1985, 87)
5 Top Threes (1983, 85, 87, 90, 2000)
9 Top Fives (1982-85, 87, 90, 97, 2000-01)
14 Top Tens (1978, 81-85, 87, 90, 94, 96-98, 2000-01)

4. BOBBY ALLISON - 188 Points
3 Wins (1978, 82, 8
8 Top Threes (1968, 70, 75, 78, 80-82, 8
10 Top Tens (1968, 70, 75, 78, 80-83, 87-8

3. DALE EARNHARDT - 197 Points
1 Win (1998)
7 Top Threes (1984, 89, 93, 95-96, 98-99)
12 Top Fives (1980-81, 84, 87, 89-91, 93, 95-96, 98-99)
16 Top Tens (1979-81, 84, 87-96, 98-99)

2. CALE YARBOROUGH - 235 Points
4 Wins (1968, 77, 83-84)
9 Top Threes (1966, 68, 74-75, 77-78, 82-84)
10 Top Fives (1966, 68, 74-75, 77-79, 82-84)
14 Top Tens (1965-66, 68, 72, 74-75, 77-79, 81-84, 87)

1. RICHARD PETTY - 299 Points
7 Wins (1964, 66, 71, 73-74, 79, 81)
11 Top Threes (1960, 62, 64, 66, 71, 73-74, 76, 79, 81, 87)
16 Top Tens (1960, 62-64, 66-69, 71, 73-76, 79, 81, 87)

see the full article and top 25 at,

http://castlemarlin.jojomontana.com/viewtopic.
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