Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 9 days to go

The No. 9 car holds significant historical value in the DAYTONA 500 as the first single-digit numeral to win the Great American Race.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott won the 1985 DAYTONA 500 driving the Melling Racing No. 9 Ford – the first of a season-best 11 victories on the year.

Elliott’s son Chase, 28, now drives the famed No. 9 – for Hendrick Motorsports’ Chevrolet team, and on Feb. 18, the two-time DAYTONA 500 pole-winner will race again for his first Harley J. Earl trophy. His best DAYTONA 500 finish in the No. 9 is runner-up in 2021.

If Chase Elliott were to win the DAYTONA 500 this season, the Elliotts would become the fourth father-son duo to win the DAYTONA 500 (all-time), joining the Pettys (Lee and Richard), the Allisons (Bobby and Davey) and the Earnhardts (Dale and Dale Jr.).

WDUN will carry live MRN Radio coverage of the February 18 Daytona 500 on 102.9 FM, AM 550, and streaming live on AccessWDUN.

Hall of Famer Bill Elliott scored his first of two Daytona 500 wins in 1985. Photo: NASCAR Media

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