March 10, 2025 | Alex Summers

NASCAR’s Greatest Repeat Victories


When Once Wasn’t Enough

It’s tough to get to the top of NASCAR. Just winning a first race is a major career milestone. There are plenty of great drivers that have never even won once. Others have risen to the top again and again. William Byron’s recent win at the Daytona 500 was his second in a row, only the fifth time the feat has been done in over 65 years! We’ve looked at NASCAR’s greatest firsts; now let’s look at the great repeat performances of NASCAR history.

Nascarrepeatmsn

1957: Buck Baker Repeats As Champ

One of the early NASCAR era’s greatest drivers, Buck Baker was the first to win the Cup (then called the Grand National Series) a second straight year. Baker took three of the season’s last eight races, finishing with an impressive 10 wins on the year.

Portrait Screenshot of American stock car racer Buck BakerBuck Baker Hall of Fame induction, NASCAR

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1959: Lee Petty Repeats

Lee Petty took his second straight Cup in 1959 to cap an exceptional year for him that started with his win by inches in the first-ever Daytona 500. Petty finished the season with a solid 11 wins.

Portrait Screenshot of American stock car racing driver Lee PettyNASCAR Past Champions: Lee Petty, HODIUSDUDE

1963: Joe Weatherly Again

One of NASCAR’s most outgoing and unpredictable characters, Joe Weatherly was all business behind the wheel, winning his second straight Grand National title in 1963 driving for Bud Moore. He was all set to try for a third, but tragically lost his life in an accident at Riverside early the following year.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of  Joe Weatherly 1963RacingOne, Getty Images

1967: Richard Petty Takes 10 Straight Races

There are breakout years, and then there’s Richard Petty’s breakout year: 1967. This season saw Petty win 10 straight races, a remarkable accomplishment on the way to his insane season total of 27 victories. It was in 1967 that Petty became known as “King”!

Grayscale Portrait Photo of American stock car racing Richard PettyState Archives, Wikimedia Commons

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1969: David Pearson Takes Two Straight

David Pearson was recognized by Richard Petty as the greatest driver in NASCAR. Check out Pearson’s 1969 season to find out why. Pearson took 11 wins and an amazing 42 top-fives in capturing his second straight Grand National championship.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver David PearsonFreewheeling Daredevil, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1972: Petty Wins Second Straight Winston Cup

A drastic reduction in the number of races in the season and the removal of dirt tracks from the schedule didn’t change the outcome, as Richard Petty won the championship (now called the Winston Cup) for the second straight year.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Richard PettyTed Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1974: Petty Repeats At Daytona

Richard Petty became the first competitor to take the Daytona 500 for the second year in a row. A blown engine by driver Bob Burcham caused hard-luck driver Donnie Allison to blow a tire and the lead with 11 laps remaining. Petty took over the lead from there for the incredible victory.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Richard PettyZach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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1978: Yarborough Wins Three Straight Winston Cups

Cale Yarborough wasn’t satisfied with repeating as champion in 1977, carrying over into 1978 with 10 wins and a comfortable lead over second-place Bobby Allison. Yarborough’s three straight Winston Cups remains one of the greatest achievements in NASCAR annals.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Cale YarboroughTed Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1982: Darrell Waltrip Repeats

From also-ran to a repeat Winston Cup winner, Darrell Waltrip’s move from DiGard Racing to Junior Johnson was a huge success, bringing him double-digit win totals in 1981 and 82. 1982 saw Waltrip hold off a strong charge by his rival, Bobby Allison.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Darrell WaltripTed Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1984: Cale Yarborough Wins The Daytona 500 Two Years In A Row

Yarborough passed Darrell Waltrip on the last lap to take the Daytona 500 for the second year in a row, and third time in his career. Waltrip would finally end his Daytona frustrations with a win in 1989.

Cale Yarborough stands beside his race car prior to the start of the 1984 Daytona 500Robert Alexander, Getty Images

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1985: Richie Evans: Eight Straight Championships In Modified

Evans took his eighth consecutive National Modified Championship, continuing his dominance of this NASCAR division beginning back in the late 70s. He likely would’ve won more, but for a tragic crash that claimed his life in October 1985. Evans’s streak remains one of the greatest, not just in NASCAR, but in all of racing.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Richie EvansRacingOne, Getty Images

1987: Dale Earnhardt Takes Two Cups In A Row

The late 80s and early 90s were the heyday of Dale Earnhardt. He had one of the best seasons of his career with 11 wins, including an incredible streak of four consecutive wins and another of three in a row later in the year.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Dale EarnhardtTed Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1990: Ken Schrader Takes Third Pole In A Row At Daytona

Ken Schrader took the pole position at Daytona for the third year in a row, with a qualifying run of 196.5 miles per hour. The feat equalled Bill Elliott’s record Daytona pole three-peat, set back in 1987.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Ken SchraderTaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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1991: Harry Gant Wins Four Races In A Row

In one of NASCAR’s greatest exploits, Harry Gant won all of September’s races, four in a row, one of only a handful to ever do it. At age 51, Gant remains the oldest driver to accomplish the incredible mark.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Harry GantTed Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1991: Earnhardt Repeats Again

Earnhardt followed up his 1990 championship with a repeat win in 1991. The fifth Winston Cup of his career, he held off strong season showings by Ricky Rudd and Davey Allison. He would accomplish the feat again in 1993-1994.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Dale EarnhardtDarryl Moran, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1992: Bill Elliott Wins Four Straight Races

In Bill Elliott’s first season driving for Junior Johnson, he took four straight races to put him in contention for the rest of one of NASCAR’s most memorable and hard-fought seasons. Darlington’s Goodyear 400 on March 29 was the site of win number four, topping off the streak.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Bill ElliottRoyalbroil, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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1993: Mark Martin Wins Four Races In A Row

The “Four Wins In A Row Club” was getting a little more crowded as the 90s rolled on. Mark Martin pulled away from the pack in the last 10 laps to take victory in that year’s Southern 500, marking an amazing fourth straight win for him.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Mark MartinIndianapolis Motor Speedway, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

1995: Sterling Marlin Repeats At Daytona

Sterling Marlin led for 105 of 200 laps to take first place at Daytona for the second straight year. Marlin became only the third driver to do so, joining Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Sterling MarlinEd McDonald, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1998: Jeff Gordon Repeats

The late 90s were the days of wine and roses for Jeff Gordon as he drove one of the most dominant seasons in NASCAR history in 1998 for a second straight Winston Cup win. He reeled off an incredible 13 wins, including a streak of four in a row.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Jeff GordonDarryl Moran, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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2000: Bill Elliott Is Most Popular Driver For 10 Straight Years

Not only was Bill Elliott one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers, he was also its most popular. Elliott was voted by fans the Most Popular Driver award 10 years in a row. In 2001, he finally withdrew himself from voting just so someone else would have a chance to win!

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Bill ElliottZach Catanzareti, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

2010: Jimmie Johnson: Five Straight Championships

Jimmie Johnson had already surpassed Cale Yarborough’s record of three championships in a row, but he added to the mark in 2010 with his fifth consecutive Sprint Cup victory. Johnson’s dominance included six wins and 17 top-five finishes. This is one record that should remain secure for many years to come.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Jimmie JohnsonRaniel Diaz, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

2014: Matt Crafton: Back-To-Back Craftsman Truck Series Wins

Crafton became the first (and so far the only) driver to win the Craftsman Truck Series two years in a row. Crafton’s consistent driving over the year allowed him to breeze to the championship as he pulled up ninth in that year’s finale, the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Matt CraftonScottBonin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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2017: Dale Earnhardt, Jr: 15 Straight Most Popular Driver Wins

Dale Earnhardt, Jr was named on 68% of the ballots cast by fans as he returned to the winner’s circle as most popular driver on the circuit for the 15th consecutive year. Earnhardt stressed the award’s importance as an indicator of not just driver popularity, but accessibility to the sport’s fans.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.Morrison_2001, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

2020: Denny Hamlin Claims Second Straight Daytona

A rain delay, a hotly contested overtime, a spectacular crash by Ryan Newman, and the second-closest finish in Daytona 500 history were the biggest events of the day that saw Denny Hamlin emerge with his second consecutive Daytona 500 victory.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver Denny HamlinZach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

2025: Byron Again

A seven-car wreck on the final lap with no caution flag is a rare occurrence in NASCAR, and a driver winning a second consecutive Daytona 500 is just as unusual. But that’s exactly what took place just three weeks ago to ring in this year’s NASCAR Cup season.

Portrait Photo of American stock car driver William ByronZach Catanzareti Photo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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NASCAR Is Full Of Surprises

NASCAR is as unpredictable as it is competitive, with new drivers rising up to challenge the established stars and set new records. While a lot of the old records seem unbeatable, recent events show that we should expect the unexpected amid the roar of the engines. It’s only a matter of time before another NASCAR driver goes on a roll!

Photo of NASCAR Sonoma Raceway Back Side, Blurred BackgroundDon Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19


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