Unser tops memorable list of NASCAR debuts in D500 (NASCAR.com)
February 9, 2010
Since 1959, 119 drivers—some famous, some not so much and others virtually unknown—all share a common bond: their Cup debuts came in the Daytona 500.
The list includes several future champions and 500 winners, drivers who represent five foreign countries, a combined 15 Indianapolis 500 victories, two famous racing families and host of champions from different series and disciplines. It also includes several drivers who never returned to the speedway after their brief moment in the Florida sun.
The list shows just how hard it's been to do well in NASCAR's most prestigious race. Of the 119, only seven led a lap in their inaugural Daytona 500 appearance, and just three finished in the top 10 at the end of 500 miles. More than half raced before what's commonly referred to as the Modern Era, before tragedies in qualifying races caused series officials to tighten rules on big-track experience.
In addition, until 1971, the qualifying races counted toward the championship, so another 35 drivers technically made their debuts without advancing to the 500-miler later in the week. That list includes two-time Indy 500 winner Rodger Ward, dirt late model Hall of Famer Gene Petro—perhaps the most famous driver from Columbus, Ind., not named Tony Stewart—and Michigan's Cy Fairchild, who completed an unusual double when he finished 27th in the 1966 Daytona qualifying race, then failed his rookie test at Indianapolis in 1969.
But what of the 119? Here's a rundown, year-by-year:
The 2.5-mile, high-banked superspeedway west of downtown Daytona Beach debuted in 1959, and eight new drivers came to try their luck in the 500, including a pair of Peruvians, an Olympic bobsledder and the first—and only—Edsel ever entered in a Cup race to date. Billed as an "international sweepstakes," Peru was represented by rally driver Raul Cilloniz, who finished 12th, and Eduardo "Chachi" Dibos Chappui, who would later gain fame as mayor of Lima.
Road racer Bob Said, a native of Greenwich, Conn., who won the 1953 Rouen Grand Prix and competed at Sebring, finished 50th after spinning on the first lap. He never raced in NASCAR again, but later competed in two Winter Olympics as a bobsledder. His son, , will be in Sunday's race.
Indianapolis' Paul Bass made a bit of unusual history when he drove an Edsel convertible to a 46th-place finish in his only NASCAR start. Others debuting in '59 include Jim McGuirk, who also raced in the '62 and '63 500s; Ohio's Harold Smith, who finished fourth at Rockingham in 1966; IMCA stock-car ace Bob Potter; and Colorado's Fred "Fritz" Wilson, who finished a stunning second in his qualifying race, only to have engine issues just 15 laps in, leaving him 56th.
The success of the 1959 race brought even more cars and drivers to the speedway in 1960, including a young, talented driver from Spartanburg, S.C., named David Pearson, who drove his own car to a 28th-place finish. He'd go on to win quite a few races, including the 1976 500 in one of the greatest finishes in the event's history.
Omaha's John "Bud" Burdick finished 11th in the car brother Roy built for Johnny Beauchamp a year earlier, loser to Lee Petty in a photo-finish. Iowa's Darrell Dake, a trio of drivers from Illinois—William "Whitey" Gerken, Gene Marmor and Arnold Gardner—and Florida fishing shop owner Charles "Reb" Wickersham all made it to the end.
Dick Dixon, who would be killed at Thompson Speedway in 1967, finished 42nd. Eleven-time Sunset Speedway champ bob Kosiski of Nebraska wound up 44th. Two-time NASCAR Midget champ (yes, NASCAR had a Midget series in its early days) Jim Whitman finished 47th. Atlanta's Johnny Sudderth, who never cracked the top 30 in six other Cup starts, was 48th, followed by Dave Hirschfield in 63rd and Mooresville, N.C., resident Homer "Burrhead" Nantz in 66th.
A pair of Pennsylvanians broke on the scene in 1961. Julian Buesink, owner of Bill Rexford's 1950 championship car, put Tom Dill behind the wheel and he responded with a 17th-place finish. He'd be replaced later in the season by a young Cale Yarborough. A former stunt driver named David Houpt—who drove under the name "Gentleman Joe Kelly"—finished 19th in a Don House Ford.
But it was a young driver from Hialeah, Fla., Bobby Allison, who made $200 for finishing 31st in his Daytona debut who would go on to bigger and better things as the founding member of the Alabama Gang.
Other 1961 debuts included Robert Roeber, who finished 28th in his only Cup start; Ed Livingston, perhaps better remembered for his career-best finish of fourth at Jacksonville in 1964, a race won by Wendell Scott; England's Brian Naylor, who raced in seven Grands Prix; and Chattanooga's Red Hollingsworth, who ran later at Darlington.
Daytona's debut class of 1962 included such luminaries as Dan Gurney, whose accomplishments in the sport are so numerous and varied that they deserve an entire column of their own, 1963 NASCAR rookie of the year Billy Wade—who would be killed in a Daytona tire test in January of 1965—and Indy-car star Wally Dallenbach Sr., a five-time winner whose son would go on to race and work as a television analyst in NASCAR. Two Illinois natives, Paul Barrow and Art Brady, would also made their only NASCAR starts in that season's 500.
Driving for Smokey Yunick, young Texas sprint-car ace Johnny Rutherford—a future three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500—would make a major splash at Daytona in 1963 by winning his qualifying race and then finishing ninth in the 500. Midwestern supermodified champ Dick Good spun and finished 37th, while Virginia racing patriarch and Southside Speedway star Ted Hairfield—father of Bugs and grandfather of Chris—had clutch problems and wound up 49th.
The 1964 racing season was overshadowed by tragedy, and the Daytona 500 was no exception. In addition to the May crashes at Charlotte and Indy that would lead to the deaths of Fireball Roberts and Dave MacDonald, France's Jo Schlesser and Pennsylvania's Bobby Marshman would sadly share the same fate. Schlesser, tabbed by Bondy Long to drive his Ford, finished 13th. He would be killed four years later in a fiery accident in the French Grand Prix. Marshman, a rising open-wheel star and co-rookie of the year at Indy in 1961, had overheating problems in his Holman-Moody Ford and finished 35th. He would die in a tire test at Phoenix in December.
Two other drivers in the '64 field would go on to Hall of Fame careers. Nathan "Smokey" Boutwell is a member of the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, while Jim McElreath, 1962 Indy 500 rookie of the year, was later inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
In addition, Houston native Ronnie Chumley, two days younger than , finished 34th in one of H.B. Bailey's Pontiacs, and Tennessee's Bill McMahan struggled with handling problems and wound up 41st. He'd make 21 career starts, including a fifth at Moyock later that season.
The influx of open-wheel stars would continue throughout the rest of the decade. Jerry Grant, who nearly won the 1972 Indy 500 in his Mystery Eagle, made his Cup debut in 1965, finishing 16th. One year later, future two-time Indy 500 champ Gordon Johncock would visit as the driver of Nord Krauskopf's brand-new No. 71 Dodge team. (Bobby Isaac would pilot it later to a NASCAR title.) It was Gary Bettenhausen's turn in 1967, finishing 31st in Harry Rainer's Ford.
Then a pair of brothers from Albuquerque, N.M., would try their hand at stock-car racing. Driving one of Cotton Owens' Dodges, Al Unser Sr. started eighth and finished fourth in the 1968 Daytona 500—what remains the best finish of any driver making their Cup debut there. And one year later, older brother Bobby Unser showed up with Yunick and qualified eighth, only to crash out 56 laps in.
However, the southern contingent was still very much in evidence. The class of 1965 included North Carolina's Donald Tucker, Larry Hess and Ned Setzer, South Carolinians Jeff Hawkins and Barry Brooks and Earl "Bub" Strickler of Virginia, along with New Jersey's Robert Vaughn, who lasted just one lap before the oil pressure went away in his Pontiac.
A number of talented short-track stars made the tow to Daytona in 1966, including William "Blackie" Watt from Pennsylvania and South Carolina's Calvin Kelly.
In 1967, Iowan Ramo Stott gave a hint as to his future success with a 23rd-place finish. He'd go on to win the pole for the 1976 race and score back-to-back top-five finishes in the mid-'70s. Also in the field, Ohio star Dorus Wisecarver and New Jersey's Bob Pickell. Surrey, England's Innes Ireland, who won the 1961 U.S. Grand Prix, drove Ray Fox's Dodge to a 27th-place finish. He'd later report on the sport as a long-time correspondent and columnist for "Road & Track."
In addition to Al Unser, two other Midwestern drivers who went on to lengthy and successful careers made the field in 1968: Wisconsin's Dave Marcis and Michigan's Bob Senneker. Marcis, best known for wearing wingtips instead of racing shoes, went on to set records for the most Daytona 500 starts (33) and most consecutive starts (32). Senneker made his mark as the all-time victory leader in the American Speed Association series. Georgia's Charles Burnett and Maine's Stan Meserve also made the grid that season.
The British invasion continued in 1969, with former Formula 1 racer Vic Elford finishing 11th in a Dodge owned by H.B. Ranier. He did one better in 1972, finishing 10th behind winner Foyt.
Porterville, Calif.'s Dick Brooks showed up for the first of his 358 career starts that season, along with Bill Kimmel, whose son Frank would go on to win nine ARCA titles. Three other driver debuts were less successful: Dick Poling would make all of 15 career starts, while George Bauer and Billy Taylor would not return.
Dick Trickle, who claims to have won more than 1,200 features in his career, made his NASCAR debut in the 1970 Daytona 500, finishing 26th. Oddly enough, the Wisconsin Rapids native was 47 years old when he earned rookie of the year honors 19 years later. Ron Keselowski, whose son Brad will race Sunday, ran the first of five Daytona 500s, finishing 34th. USAC stock car champ Paul Feldner, Butch Hirst and Leonard Blanchard also debuted.
But the increased speed brought about by improved aerodynamics and more powerful engines during that era also brought a higher level of danger. That was never more evident than the crash in one of the 1970 qualifiers which killed Georgia car dealer Talmadge "Tab" Prince, who had virtually no experience on a track like Daytona. From that point forward, NASCAR added more stringent guidelines, requiring drivers to show substantial experience before being allowed to enter.
Maynard Troyer, who would go on to become one of most respected chassis builders in the Northeast, was a talented driver in his own right. But his Daytona debut in 1971 was anything if not spectacular. On the 10th lap, his Ford blew an engine, sending him into a series of flips—some sources claim as many as 18—along the backstretch. Amazingly, he suffered only a concussion. Also that year, Brooks called on another driver from his hometown, Marv Acton, to drive his Plymouth, and he responded with a 19th-place finish.
Larry Dickson, who wound up with eight Indy 500 starts and 43 career sprint car wins, was the only driver to debut at Daytona in 1972, finishing 21st. Earl Ross, the only Canadian-born driver to win a Cup race, debuted in 1973, along with Tennessee's John Utsman.
Jackie Rogers had an unusual Daytona debut in 1974. He was injured midway through the race when a piece of metal went through his windshield and struck him in the right shoulder. Other drivers that season included Joe Mihalic and Dan Daughtry.
Two of the three drivers who debuted in 1975 met a tragic end. Indianapolis native Bruce Jacobi finished 12th and seemed destined for bigger things, but he was severely injured in a wreck in one of the 1983 qualifying races and remained in a coma until his death four years later. Warren Tope, son of a Ford vice president, was a talented road racer. He crashed early in the '75 race, but finished 18th at Atlanta. However, he was killed during a race on a street circuit in Pontiac, Mich., that summer.
Ferrel Harris, who finished 16th, went on to score five top-10 finishes, including a ninth in the 1978 500.
Davenport, Iowa's Terry Ryan had the kind of NASCAR debut most only dream of in 1976. He qualified on the front row, led a lap during the race and his sixth-place finish was somewhat overshadowed by the David Pearson-Richard Petty crash coming to the checkered flag. Just to prove that wasn't a fluke, Ryan finished fifth at Talladega. But after 12 career starts, he couldn't land a sponsor and disappeared from the scene.
Others in the Class of '76 include Englishman David Hobbs, who went on to broadcast the race for CBS; Tighe Scott, who might have won the '79 race if not for missing his pit stall at the end of the race; and Jimmy Means, who went on to make 455 career starts.
Sports car specialist Elliott Forbes-Robinson made the 1977 Daytona 500 field and finished 40th after the engine let go in his Dodge. The two-time Daytona 24 Hour winner also replaced Rick Hendrick at Riverside in 1988.
Another veteran of endurance racing, France's Claude Ballot-Lena, finished 22nd in 1978 in his Daytona debut, and followed that up with an 18th at Talladega. Colorado's Jerry Jolly made the first of five career starts in the same race, finishing 20th.
The two drivers who made the 1979 Daytona 500 field as true NASCAR rookies wound up taking very different career paths. Future Daytona 500 winner Geoffrey Bodine piloted Jack Beebe's Oldsmobile to a 29th-place finish in 1979, while Gary Balough, who crashed Billie Harvey's Olds, was later arrested as part of a drug smuggling ring. After serving several years in federal prison, he was released, only to violate the terms of his parole. He's currently awaiting release later this spring.
The 1980 Daytona 500 was the first in which no drivers made their NASCAR debuts. Ronnie Sanders did it in 1981, finishing 18th for Henley Gray. He would compete in three 500s, and be running at the finish of each.
Two years later, Phil Parsons, Dean Roper, Ronnie Hopkins and Clark Dwyer added their names to the list. Parsons went on to have 203 career starts, including a win at Talladega in 1988, and is now a car owner and commentator. Roper, a three-time USAC stock-car champion, was the father of Tony Roper, tragically killed at Texas Motor Speedway in 2000. Hopkins made just 13 starts and Dwyer's lone top-10 came at Dover later in the season.
Doug Heveron was just 19 when he made his NASCAR debut at Daytona in 1984, finishing 23rd in his family-owned Chevy. The Liverpool, N.Y., native made 31 starts, including 15th in the '86 500.
Larry Pearson joined father David on the list in 1986, although his debut wasn't much to write home about. Engine problems sidelined him 29 laps into the race, leaving him 40th. He scored three top-10s in 57 career starts. Kirk Bryant's day was even shorter, as he crashed out five laps earlier and was credited with 41st in his only Daytona appearance.
The next Daytona debut came in 1989, courtesy of Dayton, Ohio's Lee Raymond. The two-time ARCA champion finished 26th in his only Cup appearance.
Jack-of-all trades Robby Gordon made his stock-car racing debut in the 1991 Daytona 500, finishing 18th in one of Junie Donlavey's Fords. His best 500 finish to this point was a sixth in the rain-shortened 2003 edition. Al Unser Jr. joined his father and uncle in 1993, crashing one of Rick Hendrick's Chevrolets on Lap 157 in his lone NASCAR start to date. In 1994, Robert Pressley made the first of 205 career starts, finishing 40th.
Twenty-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser decided to give NASCAR a try in 1995 with Kenny Bernstein's operation, crashing early in the 500. Kinser, along with Chicago's Davy Jones, later drove in the Indianapolis 500.
Johnny Benson parlayed his Busch Series championship into a Cup ride in 1996, finishing three laps down in 23rd position. His one Cup win came at Rockingham in 2002. Three years later, Tony Stewart made a huge splash in his NASCAR debut, qualifying on the front row before winding up 28th.
The new millennium saw just eight more names added to the rolls. Scott Pruett (2000), Jason Leffler (2001), Casey Mears (2003), Brendan Gaughan (2004), Scott Riggs (2004), Kasey Kahne (2004), Brent Sherman (2006) and Dario Franchitti (2008) are the latest to use the Daytona 500 as their entry into stock-car racing's premier series, while Terry Cook is poised to do the same on Sunday.
YearDriverFinStMoneyNotes1959Raul Cilloniz1235$500Only NASCAR start, winner of the 1959 and 1965 Peru rallies1959Jim McGuirk2353$150Also in the '62 and '63 500s, best was 11th at Atlanta (Lakewood) in 19591959Harold Smith3150$1109 career starts, best of 4th at Rockingham in 19661959Paul Bass4640$100Only NASCAR start, car was a convertible1959Eduardo "Chachi" Dibos Chappui489$100Mayor of Lima from 1970 to 1973; finished 5th in the '59 Firecracker 2501959Bob Said5020$100Only Cup start; won '53 Rouen Grand Prix, competed in '59 Sebring, spun on first lap; bobsleds1959Bob Potter5345$15010th in '60 qualifier; 15th in 500; Drove IMCA Stock Cars in Midwest1959Fred "Fritz" Wilson563$1002nd in '59 qualifier; DNQ in '60; 4ths at Phoenix and Hanford '601960John "Bud" Burdick1118$600Drove car brother Roy built for Johnny Beauchamp in 19591960Darrell Dake1612$32546th in 1961 (fuel pump)1960William "Whitey" Gerken1731$325Killed in crash during USAC Stock Car race at Illiana Speedway in 19731960David Pearson2833$20022 500s, won in 19761960Gene Marmor2916$200Four career starts, 11th at Martinsville in '601960Charles "Reb" Wickersham3349$70041 career starts, best of 8th in '65 Firecracker 4001960Arnold Gardner3856$300Also ran Martinsville and Charlotte in 1960, won $575 in total1960Dick Dixon4243$200Killed at Thompson Speedway in 19671960Bob Kosiski4436$20011-time Sunset Speedway champ; IMCA stock car winner; Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame1960Jim Whitman4741$700Five career starts in 1960, best of 16th at Darlington; two-time NASCAR Midget champ (57-59)1960Johnny Sudderth4826$200Never cracked the top-30 in six more starts at Atlanta and Charlotte1960Dave Hirschfield6366$100Ran NASCAR Convertibles, USAC Stock Cars; Crashed in qualifier1960Homer "Burrhead" Nantz6640$200Only other start, 20th at N. Wilkes1961Tom Dill1732$325Owner of Bill Rexford's 1950 championship car, Yarborough drove later in '611961Joe Kelly (David Houpt)1949$300Former stunt car driver in California, career ended after 1970 crash1961Robert Roeber2826$200Only start1961Ed Livingston2934$20032nd in '62, 22nd in '63; 47 career starts, best 4th at Jacksonville in 1964 (Wendell Scott win)1961Bobby Allison3136$200 1961Brian Naylor4258$200Tried to qualify Pontic for Fred Lovette but only ran 1 lap; Ran 7 Grands Prix as driver-owner1961Red Hollingsworth4851$200Only other start was Darlington1962Billy Wade1845$4251963 ROTY, killed in tire test at Daytona in Jan. 19651962Paul Barrow1946$425Only NASCAR start1962Art Brady2143$400Only NASCAR start1962Dan Gurney277$400All five wins at Riverside1962Wally Dallenbach3714$400Five-time winner in Indy-cars1963Johnny Rutherford94$1,250Won '63 qualifying race, finished 10th in 1981; three-time Indy 500 winner1963Dick Good3719$550Four-time supermodified and Sprint car winner in 19611963Ted Hairfield4924$550Southside Speedway veteran; Son Bugs and grandson Chris continue tradition1964Jo Schlesser1318$1,200Only Cup start, killed in 1968 French Grand Prix1964Nathan "Smokey" Boutwell2029$1,0001960 Empire State champ; New England Auto Racers hall of fame1964Jim McElreath2526$72515 Indy 500 starts, 1962 Indy ROTY, five wins, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame1964Ronnie Chumley3427$725Born two days after A.J. Foyt; finished 44th in '66 (engine)1964Bobby Marshman3516$725Co-rookie of the year at Indy in 61; Killed in tire test at Phoenix in December1964Bill McMahan4144$72521 career starts, 5th at Moyock in '641965Donald Tucker158$1,2754th in qualifer, 8ths at Charlotte and Bristol later in '651965Jerry Grant1617$1,170Finished 5th in 1967 500; 10 Indy 500 starts; Mystery Eagle 19721965Larry Hess1921$1,155Three top-10s, including 7th in 1965 Firecracker 4001965Earl "Bub" Strickler2530$1,225DNQ in '66; 8th at Weaverville, 10th at Atlanta in '651965Jeff Hawkins3343$1,0855th and 9th at Greenville in 19661965Ned Setzer3434$1,08030th in 1966; finished 6th in 1965 World 600, one of three career top-10s1965Barry Brooks3535$1,150Four DNFs in four career starts, crashed at Weaverville1965Robert Vaughn4325$1,0356 career starts, best 10th at Beltsville in 19651966Gordon Johncock2913$1,105Debuted No. 71, to be later driven by Bobby Isaac1966William "Blackie" Watt3148$1,09524 career starts, 9 top-10 finishes1966Calvin Kelly4627$1,020Finished 45th in the 1967 Modified race1967Dorus Wisecarver1429$2,225Only Cup start; 3rd in the '67 ARCA race preceding1967Ramo Stott2325$1,135Pole for '76 500, finished 3rd in '74, 5th in '751967Innes Ireland2720$1,115won '61 U.S. Grand Prix, wrote for Road & Track1967Gary Bettenhausen3121$1,095Fourth at Michigan in 1974 for Roger Penske1967Bob Pickell4149$95011th at Bristol in only other start1968Al Unser48$6,250Four-time Indy 500 winner1968Bob Senneker1334$3,200Only 500 start; All-time leader with 85 ASA victories, 1990 ASA national champion1968Dave Marcis2035$2,015Still holds 500 record for most starts (33), and most consecutive starts (32)1968Charles Burnett2344$1,135Only other start was 30th at Atlanta later in 19671968Stan Meserve4143$95031 starts in '68, with best of 10th at Weaverville1969Vic Elford1123$2,65010th in '72 500, 18 laps behind Foyt; 13 F1 starts1969George Bauer2143$2,205Only NASCAR start1969Dick Brooks3233$1,345358 career starts; only win at Talladega in 19731969Bobby Unser428$1,400Three-time Indy 500 winner1969Bill Kimmel4645$900Father of Frank Kimmel, nine-time ARCA champ1969Billy Taylor4828$870Only Cup start1969Dick Poling4946$76015 career starts, 15th twice; 29th in 71 5001970Butch Hirst2339$1,1856 career starts, best 16th at Talladega in 19701970Paul Feldner2420$1,1801977 USAC Stock Car division champion1970Dick Trickle2636$1,17089 Cup ROTY; America's winningest driver with more than 1,200 Late Model features1970Leonard Blanchard3337$1,13516th in the '71 qualifier but missed the race1970Ron Keselowski3438$1,230Five 500s, best of 20th in 1973; father of Brad1971Marv Acton1938$1,550Only 500 start; drove for Rod Osterlund in 1977 at Richmond and Dover1971Maynard Troyer3818$1,050Wild wreck in '71 race (18 flips); major chassis builder in Northeast1972Larry Dickson2130$1,535Eight Indy 500 starts, 43 career Sprint car wins1973John Utsman2425$1,780Finished 28th in '79 and '80; 14 career starts1973Earl Ross3930$1,38526 starts, win at Martinsville 19741974Jackie Rogers3214$3,50010 top-10s in 41 career starts; hit in right shoulder by piece of metal through windshield1974Joe Mihalic3725$3,36538 career starts, 2 top-10s; 17th ('76) in four 500s1974Dan Daughtry3827$3,23010 total starts, best of 10th at Charlotte in 19741975Bruce Jacobi1239$4,935Severely injured in '83 qualifier, in coma until death in 19871975Ferrel Harris1616$2,8005 top-10s including 9th in 1978 5001975Warren Tope4029$1,47018th at Atlanta, son of a Ford VP, killed in July in Pontiac street circuit race1976Terry Ryan62$13,80012 career starts, 5th at Talladega (4 top-10 finishes)1976David Hobbs3416$1,9006 F1 starts, four Indy 500s best of fifth in 19741976Tighe Scott3518$2,3403 top-5s in 89 career starts, 10th in '78 500, 6th in '79 (missed pit stall on last stop)1976Jimmy Means4020$1,60017 top-10s in 455 career starts1977Elliott Forbes-Robinson4016$2,02582 Trans-Am champ; two-time winner Daytona 24 Hours; replaced Hendrick at Riverside in '881978Jerry Jolly2026$3,720Best of five career starts between 78-841978Claude Ballot-Lena2235$2,835Won 1969 Spa 24 Hours, 1983 Daytona 24 Hours; 18th at Talladega in 19781979Geoffrey Bodine2916$3,275 1979Gary Balough3527$3,425Currently incarcerated in Florida on drug charges; release date this spring1981Ronnie Sanders1817$7,6353 career starts, all in 500 (running at finish)1983Phil Parsons1332$13,700203 career starts; won at Talladega in 19881983Dean Roper1527$12,800Five career starts, all at Daytona or Talladega; Three-time USAC Stock Car champion1983Ronnie Hopkins1928$9,40013 starts, third in ROTY1983Clark Dwyer2140$7,10059 career starts, only top-10 (10th at Dover, 1983)1984Doug Heveron2323$9,15019 years old; 31 career starts; 15th in 1986 5001986Larry Pearson4023$9,3103 top-10s in 57 career starts1986Kirk Bryant4132$10,995Only Daytona appearance; five career starts1989Lee Raymond2621$13,530Only Cup start; 1982 ARCA ROTY, 1985-86 ARCA champion1991Robby Gordon1835$23,740 1993Al Unser Jr.3640$23,005Two-time Indy 500 winner1994Robert Pressley4019$28,49014th in 2001 500; 5 top-5s, 11 top-10s in 205 career starts1995Davy Jones3333$34,2907 career starts in 95, 20th at Darlington; 2nd in 96 Indy 500; won 96 24 Hours of Le Mans1995Steve Kinser4042$40,45520-time World of Outlaws champ, also made 1997 Indy 500 field1996Johnny Benson2327$51,775 1999Tony Stewart282$102,204 2000Scott Pruett1915$98,475Only 500 start; Indy 500 co-rookie 1989, two-time IMSA GTO champ; three-time Trans-Am champ2001Jason Leffler3415$124,88436th in 2005; three-time USAC Midget champ2003Casey Mears2729$194,920Won 2007 Coke 600; 2006 Rolex 242004Brendan Gaughan1917$225,887Finished 28th in points in '04 (runner-up ROTY); two-time West Series champ2004Scott Riggs3436$231,328175 career starts, 4 top-5s, 16 top-10s2004Kasey Kahne4127$231,887ROTY; 7th in 2007, 20082006Brent Sherman2129$274,7666 career starts for BAM; ran Indy Pro Series in 20082008Dario Franchitti3340$270,6132009 IRL champ; won 2007 Indy 500Daytona 500 Daytona Debuts Qualifier races YearDriverFinishStartMoneyNotes 1960Buzz McCann359$033rd in 61 qualifier after 1 lap1960John Rostek3910$0Won at Phoenix in 1960, killed in crash of private plane in Vermillion, S.D. in 19691960Johnny Dollar4040$0Only other start, 30th at Darlington (crashed on lap 3)1961Jim Hendrickson1716$75Only other start, 23rd at Atlanta in 1961 1961Pete Boland2725$0Four other starts, best of 12th at Winston-Salem in 19611961Tubby Gonzales2811$0Finished 31st in 1962 Firecracker 250; Lorenzen finished 4th in 1961 in his car1961Dave Mader3421$0Six career starts, 16th at Darlington in 1961; son Dave III has won over 200 features1962John Rogers2016$5035th in 1963 5001963Roy Mayne1624$100139 career starts, 22 top-10s1963Chuck Daigh2015$75Drove in six F1 races in 1960, won Sebring in 19591963Rodger Ward2717$0Only Daytona appearance, 1962 Indy 500 winner1963Paul Clark285$0Atlanta, Bristol and Charlotte in '63, all DNFs1963Al Terrell3126$0Only Cup start, member of Peoria Racing Hall of Fame1964Roy Gemberling1617$100Won 1957 ARCA at Canfield Speedway1965Billy DeCoster178$100Only other start, 11th at Atlanta later in 19651965Harold Painter2012$100Only start1966Paul Connors1727$10031st in the 1969 Firecracker 4001966Jim Malloy2130$100Killed at Indianapolis 19721966Gene Petro2232$100Inducted into National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 20071966Blaine Kauffman2726$0Only other starts, 12th at Martinsville, 17th at Trenton in 19681966Nick Rampling2730$03 career starts, best of 12th at Islip1966Cy Fairchild3028$0Failed driver's test at Indy in '69; Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame 19881966T.L. Blakely3232$0Only appearance1966Gene Cline3226$0Two top-10s in 13 starts in 1966 (Greenville, N. Wilkes)1967Tom Raley2121$1009 career starts, best of 15th at Richmond1967Don Stives2825$1003 career starts, best of 8th at Winston-Salem 19671970Dick May1927$225Missed field in 71 as well; 38th in '76, 18th in 1978; eight top-10s in 185 career starts1970Raymond Williams2113$21593 career starts, 8 top-10s; 40th in '72 (only 500 start)1970Jimmy Crawford2226$210Failed to qualify in '71; finished 19th in 19741970Harry Shipe2431$200Finished 24th at 1970 Beltsville in only other Cup start1970Talmadge "Tab" Prince2811$0Killed in qualifier1970Arnold Bennett3026$0Only appearance1971Fritz Schultz2327$205Only Cup appearance, German Touring Car series1971Robert Brown2430$200Nine career starts, best of 19th at Nashville in 19731971Blackie Wangerin2925$0Made three 500 starts, with best of 20 in '79 Best in Show Top finishes in D500 debut YearDriverFinish 1968Al Unser41976Terry Ryan61963Johnny Rutherford91960John "Bud" Burdick111969Vic Elford111959Raul Cilloniz121975Bruce Jacobi121964Jo Schlesser131968Bob Senneker131983Phil Parsons13
