From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

1966 Daytona 500

Auto race run in Florida in 1966

Field	Value
Year	1966
Details ref
Type	CUST
Description	Race 5 of 49 in the [1966 NASCAR Grand National Series](1966-in-nascar) season
Image	1966_Daytona_500_program_cover_and_logo.jpg
Caption	1966 Daytona 500 program cover
Fulldate
Distance_laps	198
Distance_mi	495
Distance_km	796.625
Scheduled_laps	200
Weather	Temperatures reaching as high as 60.1 F; wind speeds approaching 12 mph
Avg	160.927 mi/h
Pole_Driver	Richard Petty
Pole_Team	Petty Enterprises
Duel1	Paul Goldsmith
One_Team	Ray Nichels
Duel2	Earl Balmer
Two_Team	Ray Fox
Most_Driver	Richard Petty
Most_Team	Petty Enterprises
Most_laps	108
Car	43 Plymouth
First_Driver	Richard Petty
First_Team	Petty Enterprises

The 1966 Daytona 500, the 8th running of the event, was won by Richard Petty driving a 1966 Plymouth on February 27, 1966. Petty drove his number 43 to victory in just over three hours after starting the race on the pole. There were four caution flags which slowed the race for 22 laps. Petty came from two laps down to win the event after 198 laps were completed. The race was shortened by two laps due to rain. The win was Petty's second victory of the season.

1966 season

Main article: 1966 in NASCAR

The 1966 season marked the return of the Chrysler Hemi engine in NASCAR competition, while Ford took a one-year leave from competition before realizing that the ploy was detrimental to their sales. The 1966 Daytona 500 was the fifth event of 49 in the 1966 season, which included the two qualifying races for the 500. The 1966 season opened in Augusta with Petty taking the win in the season inaugural event. Dan Gurney followed with a win in Riverside before the drivers and their teams ventured to Daytona International Speedway for the 500 mi event. NASCAR ran a total of 49 events, ending at the Rockingham Speedway in October. David Pearson won the NASCAR Grand National Series Championship after winning 15 events while 168 drivers competed in at least one event during the 1966 season.

Background

Qualifying

Richard Petty captured the pole position for the event with a speed of 175.165 mph. The two 100 mile qualifying events were won by Paul Goldsmith driving a number 99 1965 Plymouth, who bested second-place finisher Richard Petty, and Earl Balmer driving his number 3 1965 Dodge. A total of 50 drivers started the Daytona 500 in 1966, and a total of 18 cars were still running at the conclusion of the race.

Qualifying race results

First qualifier

#99 – Paul Goldsmith
#43 – Richard Petty
#7 – Don White
#21 – Marvin Panch
#28 – Fred Lorenzen
#98 – Sam McQuagg
#71 – Gordon Johncock
#16 – Darel Dieringer
#9 – Larry Frank
#27 – Cale Yarborough

Second qualifier

#3 – Earl Balmer
#56 – Jim Hurtubise
#29 – Dick Hutcherson
#12 – LeeRoy Yarbrough
#11 – Ned Jarrett
#6 – David Pearson
#26 – Bobby Isaac
#14 – Jim Paschal
#49 – G.C. Spencer
#79 – Frank Warren

The Race

Richard Petty, winner of the 1966 Daytona 500

After starting on the 1966 Daytona 500 pole, Petty went on to lead the first six laps of the event, before relinquishing the lead to Paul Goldsmith, who had started in the third position. Petty and Goldsmith swapped the lead back and forth a total of four times before Dick Hutcherson drove his number 29 1966 Ford into the lead on lap 34. Petty suffered from tire problems early in the race, yet work by his pit crew, and having one of the fastest cars allowed him to work his way back to the front of the field. In 2008 Petty said: "...we was the quickest car all week long. That car, again, like the '64 car, was just a real fast car, and we just outrun everybody." Petty returned to the lead on lap 97 when he overtook Goldsmith. A total of 6 drivers exchanged the lead 15 times throughout the event, with Petty, Goldsmith, Hutcherson, Cale Yarborough, Marvin Panch, Jim Hurtubise all leading at least one lap. On lap 113 Petty took the lead for the final time, and went on to finish more than a full lap ahead of second-place finisher Yarborough. Petty went on to lead a race-high 108 laps by the time the checkered flag fell.

The victory by Petty was his second at the Daytona International Speedway, having won the event in 1964. Richard Petty's victory at the 1966 Daytona 500 was the first and only time that he captured the pole position, despite winning the event a record seven times. As of 2009, Richard Petty is the only driver to win the event seven times: 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, and 1981. The driver with the second highest number of victories would be Cale Yarborough, with a total of 4 victories; 1968, 1977, 1983 and 1984. The 1966 Daytona 500 was the first time that a driver won the event for a second time.

Race results

Pos	Grid	No.	Driver	Entrant	Manufacturer	Laps	Winnings	Laps led
1	43	Richard Petty	Petty Enterprises	1966 Plymouth	198	$28,150	108	3:04:54
19	27	Cale Yarborough	Banjo Matthews	1966 Ford	197	$12,800	33	+1 Lap
12	6	David Pearson	Cotton Owens	1966 Dodge	196	$7,950	0	+2 Laps
9	28	Fred Lorenzen	Holman-Moody	1966 Ford	196	$4,250	0	+2 Laps
11	98	Sam McQuagg	Ray Nichels	1966 Dodge	195	$3,600	0	+3 Laps
6	56	Jim Hurtubise	Norm Nelson	1966 Plymouth	195	$2,700	4	+3 Laps
10	11	Ned Jarrett	Bondy Long	1966 Ford	195	$2,100	0	+3 Laps
8	12	LeeRoy Yarbrough	Jon Thorne	1966 Dodge	193	$1,750	0	+5 Laps
23	48	James Hylton	Bud Hartje	1965 Dodge	193	$1,500	0	+5 Laps
17	9	Larry Frank	Ray Nichels	1966 Plymouth	192	$1,425	0	+6 Laps
16	14	Jim Paschal	Tom Friedkin	1966 Plymouth	192	$1,350	0	+6 Laps
15	16	Darel Dieringer	Bud Moore Engineering	1966 Mercury	192	$1,275	0	+6 Laps
28	34	Wendell Scott	Wendell Scott	1965 Ford	184	$1,250	0	+14 Laps
37	19	J. T. Putney	J. T. Putney	1965 Chevrolet	184	$1,225	0	+14 Laps
43	25	Jabe Thomas	Jeff Handy	1964 Ford	182	$1,200	0	+16 Laps
20	79	Frank Warren	Harold Rhodes	1964 Chevrolet	177	$1,170	0	+21 Laps
31	97	Henley Gray	Henley Gray	1966 Ford	172	$1,165	0	+26 Laps
3	99	Paul Goldsmith	Ray Nichels	1966 Plymouth	153	$2,060	43	+45 Laps
33	38	Wayne Smith	Archie Smith	1966 Chevrolet	148	$1,155	0	Fuel line
44	24	Bobby Allison	Betty Lilly	1965 Ford	143	$1,150	0	Engine
14	26	Bobby Isaac	Junior Johnson & Associates	1966 Ford	141	$1,145	0	Crash
32	87	Buck Baker	Buck Baker	1966 Oldsmobile	136	$1,140	0	Ignition
45	0	Johnny Allen	Reid Shaw	1964 Ford	132	$1,135	0	Overheating
18	49	G. C. Spencer	G. C. Spencer	1965 Plymouth	129	$1,130	0	Engine
21	41	Curtis Turner	Wood Brothers Racing	1966 Ford	122	$1,125	0	Windshield
7	21	Marvin Panch	Wood Brothers Racing	1966 Ford	119	$1,820	8	Windshield
5	07	Don White	Ray Nichels	1965 Dodge	115	$1,115	0	Ignition
42	33	Johnny Rutherford	Curtis Satterfield	1966 Chevrolet	115	$1,110	0	Crash
13	71	Gordon Johncock	Nord Krauskopf	1965 Dodge	112	$1,105	0	Engine
29	61	Ned Setzer	Toy Bolton	1966 Chevrolet	110	$1,100	0	Wheel
48	93	Blackie Watt	Harry Neal	1964 Ford	107	$1,095	0	Piston
36	88	Buddy Baker	Buck Baker	1965 Chevrolet	69	$1,090	0	Oil leak
22	47	A. J. Foyt	Junior Johnson & Associates	1966 Ford	46	$1,085	0	Head gasket
35	04	John Sears	L. G. DeWitt	1964 Ford	40	$1,080	0	Head gasket
2	29	Dick Hutcherson	Holman-Moody	1966 Ford	38	$1,075	2	Windshield
40	22	Bunkie Blackburn	Bob Rosenthal	1965 Chevrolet	36	$1,070	0	Engine
39	13	Mario Andretti	Smokey Yunick	1966 Chevrolet	31	$1,065	0	Crash
30	72	Bill Champion	Bill Champion	1964 Ford	29	$1,060	0	Head gasket
46	57	Lionel Johnson	Clay Eastridge	1964 Ford	28	$1,055	0	Engine
47	18	Stick Elliott	Toy Bolton	1966 Chevrolet	28	$1,050	0	Transmission
4	3	Earl Balmer	Ray Fox	1965 Dodge	21	$1,045	0	Engine
38	44	Larry Hess	Larry Hess	1964 Ford	19	$1,040	0	Engine
25	46	Roy Mayne	Tom Hunter	1966 Chevrolet	13	$1,035	0	Transmission
49	76	Ronnie Chumley	H. B. Bailey	1964 Pontiac	8	$1,030	0	Engine
26	64	Elmo Langley	Elmo Langley / Henry Woodfield	1965 Chevrolet	4	$1,025	0	Oil pressure
27	23	Calvin Kelly	Hubert Howard	1964 Ford	4	$1,020	0	Clutch
50	90	Sonny Hutchins	Donlavey Racing	1964 Ford	3	$1,015	0	Oil pressure
34	08	Bob Derrington	Bub Strickler	1964 Ford	2	$1,010	0	Clutch
24	36	H. B. Bailey	H. B. Bailey	1966 Pontiac	1	$1,005	0	Engine
41	03	Rene Charland	Ed Ackerman	1964 Ford	1	$1,000	0	Vibration

References

Citations

| access-date = July 30, 2012

| access-date = August 16, 2009

| access-date = August 25, 2009

| access-date = July 30, 2012

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20010517064520/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/motorsports/2001/daytona500/news/2001/02/11/nascar_winners_ap/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = May 17, 2001 | access-date = June 10, 2009

| access-date = July 30, 2012

|access-date = August 25, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110718120940/http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/News/DAYTONA-500-History/DAYTONA-500-Winners/1966-Daytona-500-Results.aspx |archive-date = July 18, 2011 |url-status = dead

|access-date = August 25, 2009

|access-date = August 25, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101228073020/http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/News/DAYTONA-500-History/DAYTONA-500-Winners/Richard-Petty.aspx |archive-date = December 28, 2010 |url-status = dead

|access-date = August 25, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101227021826/http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/News/DAYTONA-500-History/DAYTONA-500-Winners.aspx |archive-date = December 27, 2010 |url-status = dead

| access-date = August 25, 2009

Bibliography

{{cite book | chapter-url-access = registration | chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/unauthorizednasc00/page/227
{{cite book --

References

"Weather of the ''1966 Daytona 500''". The Old Farmers' Almanac.
[https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1966_Daytona_500/W/ 1966 Daytona 500]

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

1966-in-sports-in-florida 1966-nascar-grand-national-series february-1966-sports-events-in-the-united-states nascar-races-at-daytona-international-speedway

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about 1966 Daytona 500 — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report