Without a doubt, the Daytona 500 has long been considered a prestigious race among those who follow the world of American racing. In fact, it is right up there with the Indianapolis 500. Over the course of its NASCAR Cup Series tenure since 1959, the race has borne witness to 41 different race winners. However, in recent times, people have begun to question the iconic race’s status. As per a “hot take,” it is a great addition to the calendar, but winning this race does not guarantee a driver’s status as a top driver.

Surprisingly, there were plenty of people in the NASCAR community who agreed. A few people name-dropped a few drivers whose only claim to fame was a Daytona 500 win. This included the likes of Michael McDowell, Derrike Cope, Michael Waltrip, and Trevor Bayne. Bayne actually went down in history as the youngest Daytona 500 winner, but that was his only win.

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How else did NASCAR fans react to the Daytona 500 question?

According to some people, winning a Daytona 500 requires the right package and relies on a lot of luck. For this very reason, drivers from other racing series are not particularly enthusiastic about racing there. There have been so many occasions where the race ends up turning into a question of survival, with wrecks piling up.

Another argument is that, while the tradition is great, the Daytona 500 is no less difficult compared to other races on the calendar.

Furthermore, the luck factor isn’t just a Daytona 500 thing. The same rings true for any kind of superspeedway. There’s no denying that winning the Daytona 500 is a great achievement. However, some believe that winning the Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway is more impressive. Few people confessed that this kind of opinion is a reality, as much as they do not want it to be true.

A few fans even declared that the once iconic race has been reduced to a series of crash reels. Previously, the race needed skill and strategy to win, but now it is more akin to surviving a “demolition derby.” Finally, some people acknowledged that winning a Cup championship means more than winning a race like the Daytona 500.

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