A World Of Bayne: Repeat A Statistical Long shot
Trevor Bayne hopes to repeat as Daytona 500 champion, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in nearly two decades. In fact, only three drivers, Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84) and Sterling Marlin (1994-95) have won back-to-back Daytona 500s.

Bayne, like Marlin, is a Tennessee native. He is the youngest Daytona 500 winner, last year’s victory coming a day after his 20th birthday. Bayne turned 21 on Feb. 19.

A win would extend 2012 NASCAR Hall of Famer Glen Wood’s win record at Daytona to 16, giving him five more than Petty Enterprises and six ahead of Rick Hendrick. They are the only owners with double-digit victories at the track.

The Wood Brothers have won the Daytona 500 five times.

• Perhaps more likely is a continuation of a streak of first-time Daytona 500 winners, which reached six a year ago. Jeff Gordon was the last repeat winner posting his third victory in 2005.
• The first and second starting position have accounted for the most wins in Daytona 500 history with nine and seven respectively, combining for 30 percent of the victories in the 53 previous events. Jarrett was the last to win the Daytona 500 from the pole in 2000. The winner’s average start since then is 17.6.
• Jimmie Johnson was the last winner of the Daytona 500 in a championship season (2006). Petty used the race as a title springboard a record four times in 1964, 1971, 1974 and 1979.