What is the best NASCAR race of all time?

Heartbreaking crashes on the last lap and the most emotional victories in stock car history — these races each have their own unforgettable chapter. Which one takes the flag?

1

1979 Daytona 500

The first 500-mile race broadcast live on national TV, forever putting NASCAR on the map — capped by a post-race brawl between the Allison brothers and Cale Yarborough.

2

2001 NAPA Auto Parts 500 at Atlanta

Three weeks after Dale Earnhardt's death, Kevin Harvick won in just his third Cup start by 0.006 seconds — one of the most emotional victories in sports history.

3

2010 Aaron's 499 at Talladega

A NASCAR record 88 lead changes among 29 different drivers, three overtimes, and a last-lap pass — the most chaotic and thrilling superspeedway race ever run.

4

1976 Daytona 500

Richard Petty and David Pearson crashed in Turn 4 on the final lap — Pearson limped his battered car across the line while Petty's sat stalled in the infield.

5

1988 Daytona 500

Bobby Allison won while his son Davey finished second — the only father-son 1-2 in Daytona 500 history, in a race watched by an emotional NASCAR nation.

6

2023 Daytona 500

Kyle Larson won by one thousandth of a second — the closest finish in Daytona 500 history — in a chaotic overtime finish that left fans stunned.

7

1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta

Richard Petty's emotional farewell race coincided with one of the most dramatic championship battles ever, decided in the final laps between five drivers.

8

2016 Daytona 500

Denny Hamlin edged Martin Truex Jr. by 0.010 seconds in a photo finish — the closest 1-2 in Daytona 500 history — at nearly 200 miles per hour.

9

1998 Daytona 500

Jeff Gordon's second Daytona 500 win was overshadowed by the unforgettable image of every NASCAR crew member lining pit road to congratulate him.

10

2011 AdvoCare 500 at Talladega

A massive last-lap crash triggered by an incredible 25-car pileup that produced one of the most spectacular finishes in superspeedway history.

11

2021 Daytona 500

Long-shot Michael McDowell won in one of the biggest upsets in Daytona 500 history when a last-lap crash between the two Penske cars cleared the path.