Daytona 500
Daytona International Speedway — February 19, 2006
Jimmie Johnson
Winner
203
Laps
43
Entries
18
Leaders
Jimmie Johnson won the 2006 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2006, leading 24 of 203 laps. Casey Mears finished second; Ryan Newman rounded out the podium. The race featured 18 different leaders.
Race Details
Date
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Season
2006
Winner
Leaders
18 drivers
| Pos | Start | +/- | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | +8 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 2 | 14 | +12 | Casey Mears |
| 3 | 18 | +15 | Ryan Newman |
| 4 | 3 | -1 | Elliott Sadler |
| 5 | 15 | +10 | Tony Stewart |
| 6 | 37 | +31 | Clint Bowyer |
| 7 | 35 | +28 | Brian Vickers |
| 8 | 7 | -1 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |
| 9 | 23 | +14 | Ken Schrader |
| 10 | 25 | +15 | Dale Jarrett |
| 11 | 27 | +16 | Kasey Kahne |
| 12 | 10 | -2 | Mark Martin |
| 13 | 20 | +7 | Robby Gordon |
| 14 | 28 | +14 | Kevin Harvick |
| 15 | 11 | -4 | Matt Kenseth |
| 16 | 19 | +3 | Martin Truex, Jr. |
| 17 | 43 | +26 | Terry Labonte |
| 18 | 30 | +12 | Michael Waltrip |
| 19 | 33 | +14 | Bill Elliott |
| 20 | 42 | +22 | Kirk Shelmerdine |
| 21 | 29 | +8 | Brent Sherman |
| 22 | 34 | +12 | Dave Blaney |
| 23 | 4 | -19 | Kyle Busch |
| 24 | 24 | — | Mike Wallace |
| 25 | 31 | +6 | Kevin Lepage |
| 26 | 2 | -24 | Jeff Gordon |
| 27 | 40 | +13 | Travis Kvapil |
| 28 | 32 | +4 | David Stremme |
| 29 | 22 | -7 | Reed Sorenson |
| 30 | 17 | -13 | Denny Hamlin |
| 31 | 16 | -15 | Greg Biffle |
| 32 | 1 | -31 | Jeff Burton |
| 33 | 38 | +5 | Joe Nemechek |
| 34 | 39 | +5 | Sterling Marlin |
| 35 | 8 | -27 | Bobby Labonte |
| 36 | 26 | -10 | Jeremy Mayfield |
| 37 | 6 | -31 | Jamie McMurray |
| 38 | 13 | -25 | Kurt Busch |
| 39 | 12 | -27 | Kyle Petty |
| 40 | 41 | +1 | Hermie Sadler |
| 41 | 36 | -5 | J.J. Yeley |
| 42 | 21 | -21 | Jeff Green |
| 43 | 5 | -38 | Carl Edwards |
Model Performance
How well did the NR-Rating model predict this race? Across 6 matched drivers, the model averaged 12.7 positions off — worse than the season average of 8.5. Below Average
| Pos | Driver | Predicted | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 18.9 | 1 | +17.9 |
| 2 | Casey Mears | 18.5 | 2 | +16.5 |
| 16 | Martin Truex, Jr. | 20.1 | 16 | +4.1 |
| 23 | Kyle Busch | 15.1 | 23 | -7.9 |
| 30 | Denny Hamlin | 16.0 | 30 | -14.0 |
| 41 | J.J. Yeley | 25.2 | 41 | -15.8 |
Predicted finish from NR-Rating model. Delta = predicted − actual (positive = driver beat prediction). Confidence: High Confidence = low variance (stdDev ≤ 9), Moderate = medium variance, Coinflip = high variance.
Historical Context
- Jimmie Johnson: has 42 career starts at Daytona International Speedway with a 17.7 avg finish (3 wins) — the model may have underweighted this track history.
- Kyle Busch: was the model’s top pick based on 69 career starts at Daytona International Speedway with a 17.3 avg finish (3 wins), finishing P23 on the day.
Explore More
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2006 Daytona 500?
Jimmie Johnson won the 2006 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
Where was the 2006 Daytona 500 held?
The 2006 Daytona 500 was held at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2006.