# 1971 Daytona 500

29°11′8″N 81°4′10″W﻿ / ﻿29.18556°N 81.06944°W﻿ / 29.18556; -81.06944
The 1971 Daytona 500, the 13th running of the event, was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race held on February 14, 1971 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Spanning 500 miles (800 km) on the paved oval track, it was the first Daytona 500 in the Winston Cup era of NASCAR. During this time, Richard Petty (the race winner and the eventual Winston Cup champion) was becoming one of the winningest veterans on the NASCAR circuit.

## Background

Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida that is one of six superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the others being Michigan International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway. The standard track at Daytona is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long. The track also features two other layouts that utilize portions of the primary high speed tri-oval, such as a 3.56-mile (5.73 km) sports car course and a 2.95-mile (4.75 km) motorcycle course. The track's 180-acre (73 ha) infield includes the 29-acre (12 ha) Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The track was built by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. to host racing that was being held at the former Daytona Beach Road Course and opened with the first Daytona 500 in 1959. The speedway has been renovated three times, with the infield renovated in 2004, and the track repaved in 1978 and 2010.
The Daytona 500 is regarded as the most important and prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar. It is also the series' first race of the year; this phenomenon is virtually unique in sports, which tend to have championships or other major events at the end of the season rather than the start. Since 1995, U.S. television ratings for the Daytona 500 have been the highest for any auto race of the year, surpassing the traditional leader, the Indianapolis 500 which in turn greatly surpasses the Daytona 500 in in-track attendance and international viewing. The 2006 Daytona 500 attracted the sixth largest average live global TV audience of any sporting event that year with 20 million viewers.

## Race report

The manufacturers that were involved included Chevrolet, Mercury, Ford, Plymouth, and Dodge. For the 500 miles the average speed was 144.462 miles per hour (232.489 km/h).
The fastest qualifying speed for the 1971 Daytona 500 was more than 190 miles per hour (310 km/h). The forty car field included legends like A. J. Foyt and David Pearson, both eventually acquiring top-five finishes. A.J. Foyt in the Wood Bros. Mercury had the car to beat all day, but the crew had trouble filling it with gas. He ran out while leading on lap 162. Foyt's crew found out someone crushed the filler neck on the gas tank. There were 34 lead changes in the first 250 miles of the race.
First Daytona 500 starts for Bill Dennis and Maynard Troyer. Only Daytona 500 start for Pedro Rodriguez, Freddy Fryar, Marv Acton, and Larry Baumel. Last Daytona 500 starts for Fred Lorenzen, LeeRoy Yarbrough, and Friday Hassler.
Drivers who failed to qualify for the race were: Ed Negre (#8), Vic Elford (#59), Charlie Roberts (#63), Dick May (#67), J.D. McDuffie (#70), Bill Shirey (#74), Dick Poling (#78), Joe Hines (#80), Bobby Mausgrover (#84), Butch Hirst (#87), Leonard Blanchard (#95), Robert Brown (#58), E.J. Trivette (#56), Roy Mayne (#46), Jimmy Crawford (#02), Pedro Rodríguez (#14), Dub Simpson (#16), Fritz Schultz (#23), Earl Brooks (#26), Bill Hollar (#28), Walter Ballard (#30), Wendell Scott (#34), Blackie Wangerin (#38) and Ken Meisenhelder (#41).
Notable crew chiefs for this race were Paul Goldsmith, Junie Donlavey, Harry Hyde, Dale Inman, Tom Vandiver, Vic Ballard, Jake Elder among others.

## Race results

| Pos | Grid | No. | Driver | Entrant | Manufacturer | Laps | Winnings | Laps led | Time/Status |
| 1 | 5 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | 1971 Plymouth | 200 | $45,450 | 69 | 3:27:40 |
| 2 | 6 | 11 | Buddy Baker | Petty Enterprises | 1971 Dodge | 200 | $16,100 | 16 | +10 seconds |
| 3 | 1 | 21 | A. J. Foyt | Wood Brothers Racing | 1969 Mercury | 200 | $14,500 | 36 | Lead lap, under green flag |
| 4 | 4 | 17 | David Pearson | Holman-Moody | 1969 Mercury | 199 | $4,225 | 6 | +1 Lap |
| 5 | 9 | 99 | Fred Lorenzen | Ray Nichels | 1971 Plymouth | 199 | $3,825 | 0 | +1 Lap |
| 6 | 32 | 31 | Jim Vandiver | O. L. Nixon | 1969 Dodge | 198 | $3,475 | 0 | +2 Laps |
| 7 | 8 | 22 | Dick Brooks | Mario Rossi | 1969 Dodge | 198 | $3,125 | 5 | +2 Laps |
| 8 | 24 | 20 | Jim Hurtubise | Jimmy McCain | 1970 Ford | 197 | $2,800 | 0 | +3 Laps |
| 9 | 15 | 48 | James Hylton | James Hylton | 1969 Ford | 197 | $2,600 | 4 | +3 Laps |
| 10 | 2 | 71 | Bobby Isaac | Nord Krauskopf | 1971 Dodge | 197 | $3,950 | 37 | +3 Laps |
| 11 | 14 | 7 | Ramo Stott | Ramo Stott | 1971 Plymouth | 195 | $2,350 | 0 | +5 Laps |
| 12 | 25 | 18 | Joe Frasson | Joe Frasson | 1970 Dodge | 194 | $2,200 | 0 | +6 Laps |
| 13 | 36 | 25 | Pedro Rodríguez | Don Robertson | 1970 Plymouth | 194 | $1,975 | 0 | +6 Laps |
| 14 | 16 | 64 | Elmo Langley | Elmo Langley | 1969 Mercury | 193 | $1,850 | 0 | +7 Laps |
| 15 | 34 | 04 | Freddy Fryar | Buster Davis | 1969 Dodge | 192 | $1,800 | 0 | +8 Laps |
| 16 | 27 | 10 | Bill Champion | Bill Champion | 1969 Ford | 191 | $1,700 | 0 | +9 Laps |
| 17 | 19 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | Cecil Gordon | 1969 Mercury | 187 | $1,750 | 0 | +13 Laps |
| 18 | 31 | 12 | Bobby Allison | Bobby Allison Motorsports | 1970 Dodge | 187 | $1,600 | 7 | +13 Laps |
| 19 | 38 | 40 | Marv Acton | Dick Brooks | 1970 Plymouth | 186 | $1,550 | 0 | +14 Laps |
| 20 | 26 | 07 | Coo Coo Marlin | H. B. Cunningham | 1969 Chevrolet | 184 | $1,500 | 0 | +16 Laps |
| 21 | 20 | 03 | Tommy Gale | Larry Jackson | 1969 Mercury | 183 | $1,475 | 0 | +17 Laps |
| 22 | 29 | 68 | Larry Baumel | Allan Schlauer | 1969 Ford | 179 | $1,525 | 0 | +21 Laps |
| 23 | 28 | 76 | Ben Arnold | Ben Arnold | 1969 Ford | 179 | $1,425 | 0 | +21 Laps |
| 24 | 37 | 79 | Frank Warren | Frank Warren | 1969 Plymouth | 178 | $1,400 | 0 | +22 Laps |
| 25 | 17 | 2 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | 1969 Dodge | 173 | $1,375 | 0 | Engine |
| 26 | 11 | 27 | Donnie Allison | Banjo Matthews | 1969 Mercury | 170 | $1,350 | 10 | Crash |
| 27 | 10 | 90 | Bill Dennis | Donlavey Racing | 1969 Mercury | 162 | $1,525 | 0 | Clutch |
| 28 | 3 | 6 | Pete Hamilton | Cotton Owens | 1971 Plymouth | 157 | $2,050 | 6 | Engine |
| 29 | 21 | 4 | John Sears | John Sears | 1969 Dodge | 126 | $1,275 | 0 | Engine |
| 30 | 35 | 45 | Bill Seifert | Bill Seifert | 1970 Ford | 111 | $1,250 | 0 | Steering |
| 31 | 40 | 19 | Henley Gray | Henley Gray | 1969 Ford | 93 | $1,225 | 0 | Steering |
| 32 | 22 | 44 | Red Farmer | Richard Giachetti | 1971 Ford | 91 | $1,200 | 0 | Engine |
| 33 | 13 | 3 | Cale Yarborough | Ray Fox | 1971 Plymouth | 61 | $1,375 | 0 | Engine |
| 34 | 7 | 98 | LeeRoy Yarbrough | Junior Johnson & Associates | 1969 Mercury | 45 | $1,150 | 4 | Oil line |
| 35 | 12 | 72 | Benny Parsons | L. G. DeWitt | 1969 Ford | 39 | $1,125 | 0 | Ignition |
| 36 | 33 | 39 | Friday Hassler | Friday Hassler | 1969 Chevrolet | 38 | $1,200 | 0 | Engine |
| 37 | 30 | 06 | Neil Castles | Neil Castles | 1969 Dodge | 24 | $1,075 | 0 | Ignition |
| 38 | 18 | 60 | Maynard Troyer | Joe Nagle | 1969 Ford | 9 | $1,050 | 0 | Crash |
| 39 | 23 | 55 | Tiny Lund | John McConnell | 1969 Dodge | 7 | $1,025 | 0 | Ignition |
| 40 | 39 | 88 | Ron Keselowski | Roger Lubinski | 1970 Dodge | 1 | $1,000 | 0 | Quit |
| Source: ||||||||||

### Timeline

Section reference:
* Start: A.J. Foyt was leading the race as the checkered flag was being waved, Ron Keselowski quit the race.
* Lap 7: Tiny Lund's vehicle had some ignition problems.
* Lap 9: Maynard Troyer spun to the apron of Turn Two and tumbled to the entry to the backstretch, rolling 15 times.
* Lap 24: Neil Castles' vehicle had some ignition problems.
* Lap 38: Friday Hassler fell out with engine failure.
* Lap 39: Benny Parsons' vehicle had some ignition problems.
* Lap 45: An oil line problem forced LeeRoy Yarborough out of the race; the car caught fire before Yarbrough could reach the pits.
* Lap 61: Cale Yarborough fell out with engine failure.
* Lap 91: Red Farmer managed to ruin his vehicle's engine.
* Lap 93: Henley Gray just could not steer his vehicle properly.
* Lap 111: Bill Seifert just could not steer his vehicle properly.
* Lap 126: John Sears managed to ruin his vehicle's engine.
* Lap 157: Pete Hamilton managed to ruin his vehicle's engine.
* Lap 162: Bill Dennis' vehicle developed a problematic clutch.
* Lap 170: Donnie Allison had a terminal crash, forcing him to leave the event early.
* Lap 173: Dave Marcis managed to ruin his vehicle's engine.
* Finish: Richard Petty was officially declared the winner of the race.

## Post-race report
### Winnings and championship potential

The winner's purse for the 1971 Daytona 500 was $45,450 American dollars ($341,939 when inflation is taken into effect). Last place finisher received $1,000 ($7,523 with inflation). Richard Petty would go on to win four more Daytona 500 races (1973, 1974, 1979, and 1981). There were seven cautions for forty-four laps.

### Attendance

Attendance for the 1971 Daytona 500 reached 80,000 spectators; Expansion in the next eighteen years would bring attendance up to 180,000 people. ABC's Wide World of Sports televised the race. The commentary was done by the legendary Chris Economaki who did the Daytona 500 races in the 1970s.

### End of a tradition

All of the vehicles utilized during that running of the Daytona 500 were based on street version sheet metal and engine blocks of cars manufactured between 1969 and 1971. Deviation of up to two or three model years was expected because parity wasn't enforced by NASCAR during that era and different teams had different budgets from each other.
Out of the forty racers competing in the 1971 Daytona 500, thirty-nine were American and one was Mexican. Pedro Rodriguez (who would finish in thirteenth place) would have an asphalt racing course named after him after he died six months later in Germany during a sports car race (along with his older brother Ricardo Rodríguez).
In this race, Dick Brooks would be the final driver to make a competitive run with a winged vehicle. Following the 1970 season, special, limited production 'aero' cars such as the Dodge Daytona and Plymouth Superbird, as well as the Ford Torino Talladega and Mercury Spoiler II, were restricted to a 305 ci engine. Brooks' Mario Rossi team was the only team to run a winged car in the race, and although they had a 7th-place run in the race, elected to run a conventional big-block powered car the rest of the season. Rear wings would not appear again in NASCAR until 2008 with the 'Car of Tomorrow'.