NASCAR Cup Series

Countdown to Daytona: Richard Petty becomes first back-to-back 500 winner

Published Feb. 10, 2017 9:46 a.m. ET

Tim Durr

With 16 days remaining until the Great American Race, we take a look at the 16th running of the Daytona 500, which elevated Richard Petty to even greater heights.

Heading into 1974, Petty was already the only driver to win the Daytona 500 multiple times and past the halfway point to his historic seven 500 victories.

He added another major accomplishment to his legend when he became the first driver to win the Great American Race in back-to-back seasons.

In a race that was filled with lead changes (59), Petty swapped the lead throughout the race with Donnie Allison, including the two trading the front spot with each other 18 times in the final 80 laps of the race.

Coo Coo Marlin snuck in and led one lap before the Allison-Petty show was back on.

The finish was nowhere near the excitement of the previous 80 laps as Allison fell a lap down and Petty beat Cale Yarborough by 47 seconds.

Petty captured his fifth win in the Great American Race and 10 years later Yarborough became the second driver in NASCAR history to win back-to-back 500s.

Speaking of Coo Coo Marlin, his son Sterling is the only other driver to win the Daytona 500 in back-to-back seasons.

The 59th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 on FOX will see Denny Hamlin attempt to become the fourth driver in history to win the Great American Race in back-to-back seasons.