Most fans know the NASCAR Cup Series all-time wins list by heart. Richard Petty holds the crown with 200 victories, Dale Earnhardt has 76, and Jeff Gordon has 93. But what if those numbers were not quite as definitive as history suggests? A closer look at NASCAR’s record-keeping shows that some of the sport’s biggest legends may have been shortchanged by how wins were counted.

Dale Earnhardt’s résumé could potentially include 12 more victories. Richard Petty’s iconic 200 might be 201. Jeff Gordon could sit at 98, and Tony Stewart would have 52. So how did these discrepancies come about?

The Daytona Duel Rule Change

It all comes down to the history of the Daytona Duels. Since 1959, these 125-mile qualifying races have been a critical part of setting the lineup for the Daytona 500. From 1959 through 1971, each Duel winner was officially credited with a Cup Series victory. That meant the season-opening week at Daytona produced three separate Cup winners: the two Duel races and the 500 itself.

In 1972, NASCAR introduced its Modern Era rules. From that point forward, only points-paying events of 250 miles or longer were counted as official wins. Although that distance rule was later relaxed for road and street courses, the decision to exclude Duel victories stuck. For drivers competing after 1971, no matter how many times they won a Duel, those races never counted toward their Cup totals.

Who Lost Out On Wins?

No driver was more affected than Dale Earnhardt. The Intimidator won 12 Duels during his career, more than anyone else. Had those been tallied as official victories, Earnhardt would sit at 88 career wins, tied with Cale Yarborough and ahead of Jimmie Johnson on the all-time list.

Richard Petty also saw history altered. His Duel win in 1977 went uncounted, which means his career mark could be 201. That small change would have shifted the narrative around his 200th win, which famously came at the 1984 Firecracker 400 in front of President Ronald Reagan.

Jeff Gordon, one of the sport’s modern icons, would see his total rise from 93 to 98, while Tony Stewart would gain three more victories for a career mark of 52. Junior Johnson, often celebrated for reaching 50 career wins, actually had four of those come in Duels before 1972. Under today’s rules, his official count would be 46.

Junior Johnson in one of his early modified stock cars at Hickory Motor Speedway.

For some racers, the Duels played a crucial role in determining their recognition as winners or their lack thereof. IndyCar legend Johnny Rutherford scored his only Cup win in a 1963 Duel, as did Shorty Rollins in 1959 and Earl Balmer in 1966. Because those came before the 1972 cutoff, their careers include at least one official NASCAR victory.

Others were less fortunate. Coo Coo Marlin and Mike Skinner both won Duels after 1971, but because of the rule change, they remain winless in the record books despite their achievements at Daytona.

What If The Old Rules Still Applied?

The impact of counting post-1971 Duel wins would be dramatic. Petty would stand at 201 wins, Pearson at 106, Gordon at 98, and Dale Earnhardt at 88. Even modern names would shift, with Kyle Busch climbing to 67 and Denny Hamlin to 61. Stewart, overlooked at times in these debates, would secure a 52-win legacy that matches his reputation as one of the fiercest competitors of his era.

The Duels may only set the Daytona 500 grid today, but their place in NASCAR’s record books carries lingering significance. If the pre-1972 standards had never changed, the history of the sport and the all-time wins list that defines it would look very different.