What’s Happening?

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Daytona International Speedway this week, where the playoff field will be set. One of the most iconic racetracks in the world, Daytona has been the stage for some of stock car racing’s greatest moments, and its history is written in the book. Here, you will check out the iconic superspeedway’s greatest lap leaders and track records.

1st. Dale Earnhardt – 1286 [17.1%]

2nd. Richard Petty – 1278 [13.5%]

3rd. Cale Yarborough – 1252 [19.9%]

4th. Buddy Baker – 1126 [15.3%]

5th. Bobby Allison – 854 [12.0%]

6th. Jeff Gordon – 710 [9.2%]

7th. Fireball Roberts – 699 [49.9%]

8th. Denny Hamlin – 682 [10.4%]

9th. David Pearson – 674 [9.6%]

10th. Tony Stewart – 669 [12.3%]

Races	Laps Run	Wins	Poles	Avg. Finish	Avg. Start
31	5438	4	1	18.6	12.6

Top 10 Active Drivers Rank

• 1st. Denny Hamlin (682)
• 2nd. Kyle Busch (539)
• 3rd. Joey Logano (404)
• 4th. Brad Keselowski (356)
• 5th. Ryan Blaney (258)
• 6th. Chase Elliott (174)
• 7th. Ricky Stenhouse Jr (150)
• 8th. Austin Cindric (123)
• 9th. William Byron (115)
• 10th. Austin Dillon (89)

Track Records

• Most Races: Richard Petty (74)
• Most Laps Run: Terry Labonte (10,414)
• Most Laps Led: Dale Earnhardt (1286)
• Most Wins: Richard Petty (10)
• Most Poles: Cale Yarborough (12)
• Most Top 5s: Richard Petty (28)
• Most Top 10s: Richard Petty (37)
• Most Lead Lap Finishes: Jeff Gordon (35)
• Qualifying Lap Record: Bill Elliott | 42.783 seconds – 210.364 mph | February 9, 1987
• Worst Starting Position by a Winner: 42nd – Tony Stewart in July 2012
• Winners from Pole: 26 in 156 Races – Latest: Ryan Blaney on August 23rd, 2025
• Most Lead Changes in a Race: 59 on February 17th, 1974
• Fewest Lead Changes in a Race: 1 in 1960 and 1964
• Fun Fact: The 1960 February race fielded an astonishing 68 cars, the most ever at Daytona

Let us know your thoughts on this list. Are there any drivers that surprise you? What track record do you think will never be broken? Join the discussion on Discord or X, and remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more updates.