Even Americans who may not follow motor racing have heard of Mario Andretti, and why not? He is the only person ever to have won the Formula One World Championship, Indianapolis 500 and, yes, the Daytona 500.
Nowadays we look at Andretti, rightfully, as being one of the greatest racing drivers to have ever lived. However, he had to earn that status and, when he came into the 1967 Daytona 500, he was far from the favorite.
True, at the time, he had enjoyed a lot of USAC success. However, he had yet to turn a lap in a Formula One race and had no NASCAR victories to his name.
Curtis Turner led the 50-car-field away for the 500-mile race on the high banks of Daytona on Feb. 26, 1967. However, when the checkered flag flew, only 18 cars were left running.
Cold temperatures led to an abundance of spins throughout the duration of the event, leading the caution flag to fly six times. However, the race was far from dull, with the lead changing 36 times at the line.
In the end, however, Andretti’s Holman-Moody Ford was able to pull away in the final stint, leading the race by around half a lap when the race-ending caution flag flew.
Andretti led 112 of the 200 laps in his only NASCAR Cup series win, leading NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Fred Lorenzen home in second place.
Video by NascarAllOut.
