What’s in a number? The numerology of Daytona 500 winners

A quantity is every part in NASCAR. From automobile quantity to position within the subject to podium-decider — some carry with them almost 80 years of inventory automobile racing historical past, evoking robust feelings each time they seem on the observe. Others have but to seek out their place within the pages of inventory automobile racing greatness, however numerology has all the time been an attention-grabbing pattern to observe in a sport the place the automobile numbers are an integral a part of every driver and staff’s id.

Traditionally, no quantity has earned extra victories than the No. 11, whereas none have run extra races than the No. 43, and a few have reached a stage of idolatry that almost all drivers can solely dream of — like the enduring No. 3, which nonetheless graces the again home windows of passenger automobiles throughout America at the moment.

Dale Earnhardt

Picture by: Basic Motors

In trendy NASCAR numerology, Ross Chastain turned the primary driver to ever win greater than 4 Cup races within the No. 1 automobile, with a number of drivers reaching 4 however by no means extra. Past that, Joey Logano can solely make the Championship 4 in even-numbered years, and the No. 22 even gained the crown in ‘22. Chase Elliott and his father Invoice each gained Cup titles within the No. 9, whereas Austin Dillon gained the 2018 Daytona 500 within the RCR No. 3, — 20 years after Dale Earnhardt’s triumph, who himself solely gained it himself after 20 years of attempting.

Is it attention-grabbing? Sure! However does it actually imply a lot? No, not significantly. However as somebody who loves parallels and discovering curious developments, we simply needed to dive into the numerology of NASCAR’s greatest race – the Daytona 500. Particularly, the numbers pushed by the race winners within the earlier 66 editions of this prestigious occasion. To place all of it in perspective, 22 Daytona 500-winning numbers are current on this 12 months’s subject, and doubtlessly 23 if Justin Allgaier makes the reduce within the No. 40. Solely seven numbers previously victorious within the 500 should not a part of this 12 months’s quite giant entry listing.

The ‘King’ of Daytona numbers

The winningest quantity within the Daytona 500 ought to come as no shock to anybody. Seven occasions the No. 43 has pushed to Victory Lane at Daytona, and all seven events had been courtesy of ‘The King’ Richard Petty. The longtime rival of that Petty No. 43 is after all the Wooden Brothers-owned No. 21, which trails simply behind with 5 victories within the 500. However not like Petty profitable seven all on his personal within the No. 43, 5 totally different drivers have wheeled the No. 21 to victory between Tiny Lund in 1963 and Trevor Bayne in 2011. Maybe that’s an much more spectacular feat. The No. 28 additionally has 5 wins within the 500 however none since 1992, and because it’s now not actively used within the Cup Sequence, that’s not prone to change anytime quickly. The No. 11 is one other with 5 victories within the 500 — and three within the final decade because of the success of Denny Hamlin.

The unfold between wins is one thing else the No. 11 can take pleasure in with 53 years between its first and most up-to-date 500 victories [1967 – 2020]. No quantity crosses a higher time frame however curiously, the No. 22 has achieved the identical feat with 53 years between its first and most up-to-date 500 win as properly [1962 – 2015]. Each have an excellent probability of visiting Victory Lane but once more this weekend with Hamlin and Logano representing these iconic palindromic race numbers. Now, these information may very well be toppled by different numbers in the event that they win all of it this 12 months and they’re the Nos. 20, 21 , 42, 40, and 43. For Christopher Bell, he’s attempting to steer the No. 20 to victory within the 500 for the primary time since Marvin Panch in 1961, however the No. 42 of John-Hunter Nemechek (shockingly) hasn’t gained the large prize for the reason that inaugural race with Lee Petty in 1959.

Predicting the winner, by way of a automobile quantity?

The palindromic numbers aren’t performed holding sure information both because the No. 11 and No. 88 are the one numbers to have really gained a 500 in 4 separate a long time. However do the latest developments give any nod to who could also be topped winner on the finish of this week? Properly, we did uncover one thing that one would possibly dare to name a pattern. The 1995, 2005, and 2015 Daytona 500 had been all gained by numbers that had beforehand gained the five hundred earlier than, which doesn’t actually slender it down till you understand the profitable quantity in every of those situations collected its third 500 win that 12 months. Ought to that pattern in some way proceed in 2025, the one potential winners are as follows: Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, or Austin Dillon. They’re the one drivers with numbers that enter this 12 months’s 500 with two wins and searching for a 3rd.

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Staff Penske Ford

Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos

Whereas 30 totally different automobile numbers have gained the Daytona 500, a quantity within the 50s or 60s has by no means really performed it. Whereas the numerology favors the likes of Elliott and Blaney, it’s working towards drivers similar to Ty Gibbs [No. 54] and Ryan Preece [No. 60].

When digging via all of this, one rapidly notices the rising unpredictability in latest profitable numbers, which follows a really actual pattern of shock victors within the trendy Daytona 500. The race has develop into radically unpredictable in recent times, and three of the final 4 500s have been gained by numbers which have by no means gained it earlier than (Nos. 2, 34, 47). Simply have a look at the numbers that earned a 500 win for the primary time throughout the twenty first century as solely one in all them has gone on to win a number of occasions over the previous two-and-a-half a long time — the No. 48 with Jimmie Johnson. So maybe we must be trying to a quantity that hasn’t but gained the five hundred on Sunday.

So near victory…

What about these unlucky numbers that stay related within the subject every weekend, however nonetheless have by no means identified Daytona 500 glory? Of them, the Nos. 6, 16, and 99 have been the closest through the years with two runner-up finishes apiece. They, together with the No. 97 (which isn’t getting used), are the one numbers to have multiple runner-up end within the 500 with out ever really profitable the large race. We’ll see if Brad Keselowski [No. 6], A.J. Allmendinger [No. 16], or Daniel Suarez [No. 99] can change that this 12 months.

However after all, the true keys to victory in NASCAR’s crown jewel occasion is not the quantity on the door, however the execution by the motive force, staff, and generally intercession of Woman Luck. The historical past of the Daytona 500 is written by these numbers – some way more well-known than others – and each has a driver behind them hoping to jot down their very own little bit of historical past this weekend.