It's often called the Super Bowl of stock car racing, and with good reason. The Daytona 500 is the crown jewel in NASCAR's schedule, and has overtaken the Indianapolis 500 in recent years to become the most famous American race of any kind.
Winning the Daytona 500 is an honor second only to winning the series championship for NASCAR drivers, and it's quite possible some of them would rather hoist the Harley J. Earl trophy than the Sprint Cup. Jimmie Johnson summed up the status a winner earns when he told a reporter before the 2007 race that once he won, he was introduced as "Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson" - and that says a lot from someone who's won three series championships in a row.
Plenty of big names in NASCAR, including former series champs Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth, have yet to find their way to Victory Lane in their sport's biggest race. And even with another exciting finish in 2008, there are just six active drivers who have taken the checkered flag.
With a total of just 11 rookie cards among them, it wouldn't be too hard to put together a complete set of RCs from the active Daytona 500 winners. Here are the drivers and cards to hunt down.
Ryan Newman
The Toyotas of Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch looked like the cars to beat late in the 50th Daytona 500, but Newman got a late push from his teammate - Kyle's big brother Kurt - to make it to the finish line first. The victory had to feel extra sweet for Newman as it was his first in more than two years.
Always a threat to wind up on the pole, Newman will be hoping that his Daytona victory is the sign of better finishes as the decade comes to a close. He has just one rookie card, dating from 2001.
Ryan Newman 2001 Rookie Card
- Press Pass Optima # 37
Kevin Harvick
Where did Harvick come from? Pulling up on the outside line on the final lap of the 2007 Daytona 500, Harvick raced pass the mess that was developing behind him and outdueled sentimental favorite Mark Martin in one of the most exciting finishes in recent memory.
Harvick has already had plenty of success and his win at Daytona will probably end the label he carried as "the guy who replaced Dale Earnhardt" once and for all. He's a sure bet to add more victories and should be a contender for the Sprint Cup for years to come, which can only mean good things for his two rookie cards.
Kevin Harvick 1999 Rookie Cards
- Press Pass # 76
- Wheels # 88
Jimmie Johnson
Johnson shook off a suspension to crew chief Chad Knaus and drove to a season-opening victory in 2006. For an encore, he took home the Sprint Cup (his first of three straight) at season's end, making his year one to remember.
The defending champ has the most different rookie cards among this group, entering the racing card scene in 2000 during Upper Deck's brief tenure producing NASCAR cards. Johnson's most desirable rookie is his 2000 SP Authentic # 39.
Jimmie Johnson 2000 Rookie Cards
- Maxx # 60
- Maxximum # 38
- SP Authentic # 39
- Upper Deck Racing # 38
Jeff Gordon
He's got plenty of people cheering and booing him each week, but Jeff Gordon takes it all in stride. He definitely knows his way around Daytona, coming in first in 1997, 1999 and 2005.
Gordon has been off a bit by his standards the past few seasons, but his experience and talent ensure he remains a threat to add a fourth 500 title. His lone rookie card was printed way back in 1991 when he was a baby-faced newcomer.
Jeff Gordon 1991 Rookie Card
- Traks # 1
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Quite simply the most popular driver in NASCAR today, Junior won a Daytona 500 much quicker than his famous dad. The driver of the No. 88 took the checkered flag in 2004, just four years after he first participated in NASCAR's top series.
Still looking for his first Sprint Cup title while driving for powerful Hendrick Motorsports, Junior is always dangerous at the restrictor plate races, including the Daytona 500. He has a pair of rookie cards produced several years before he drove a Cup car for the first time.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1994 Rookie Cards
- Press Pass Optima XL # 46
- Wheels High Gear # 183
Michael Waltrip
Waltrip hasn't had too much success since forming his own race team, but before Michael Waltrip Racing became one of the first Toyota teams, he had much better luck at Daytona driving for DEI. Waltrip first took the checkers in the 500 in 2001, then repeated the feat two years later.
He may never be one of the favorites in the sport's biggest race again, but Waltrip knows the way to Victory Lane, so you can't count him out entirely.
Michael Waltrip 1998 Rookie Card
- Maxx Charlotte # 98