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  • Statistical Information
  • All Time Lists
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Honorary Starters

Year Car Type
1973 Joe Littlejohn, Former NASCAR Driver
1974 Brig. General Robert M. Montague
1975 Charlie Rich (C/W singer)
1977 Ken Stabler, NFL Quarterback
1978 James Michener, Author
1979 Ben Gazarra (actor)
1980 Hugh A. Carter, Jr., Special Assistant to the President, Carter Administration
1981 William E. Hoglund (Pontiac
1982 Joseph Block (Pepsi)
1983 Vice President George Bush
1984 William R. Howard (Piedmont)
1985 Jere W. Thompson (Southland Corp.)
1986 Dick Stegemeier (Unocal)
1987 Jon Mills (FL Speaker of the House)
1988 Roger Beech (Unocal)
1989 Neal Pilson (CBS)
1990 Anthony J. Celebrezze (Ohio Attorney General)
1991 Alfred E. Dudley (First Brands Corp.)
1992 Ray Pinion (First Brands Corp.)
1993 NASCAR legend Richard Petty
1994 NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman
1995 NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly
1996 Lawrence M. Higby (Unocal)
1997 Jim Keown (Pepsi)
1998 NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino
1999 NFL Quarterback Brett Favre
2000 Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee
2001 NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw
2002 Actress Angie Harmon
2003 Singer Mariah Carey
2004 Comedian Whoopi Goldberg
2005 Actor Ashton Kutcher
2006 Olympic snowboard medalists Hannah Teter and Gretchen Bleiler,
2007 Phil Parsons, former NASCAR driver
2008 Seven-time Daytona 500 champion Richard Petty

Daytona 500 photography © Motorsports Images and Archives, unless otherwise stated.