Sunday 18th February 1962
After 3 years of being the best driver never to win the Daytona 500, Fireball Roberts came to the 1962 edition race of the 500 on a hot roll, he won the American Challenge for winners of 1961 NASCAR events, the pole position for the 500, and the Twin-100 mile qualifier. In the race, he dominated the race leading 144 of the 200 laps and finally won his first (and eventually his only) Daytona 500 win. Richard Petty, who finished second protested Roberts’ win, claiming the Yunikcs team used more than six pit crewmen during the race. Roberts’ win was upheld three days later.