Dillon looking for rare repeat in Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. — Austin Dillon does not want to be a one-hit wonder.

The Daytona 500 has produced its share.

The reigning champion of the Great American Race wants to make another kind of history on Sunday. Dillon looks to become just the fourth repeat winner, joining Hall of Famers Richard Petty (1973-74) and Cale Yarborough (1983-84), as well as Sterling Marlin (1994-95).

“That would be very cool,” Dillon said. “It seems like a hard thing to do. This place is not easy to win at. That’s why it’s so special, so many people haven’t won here.”

Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Rusty Wallace are among 14 drivers with at least 49 career wins without a Daytona 500 victory.

The unpredictability of restrictor-plate racing leads to plenty of wrecks and overtime finishes.

Since 2005, eight of the past 14 races were lengthened because of the greenwhite-checker finish.

Even when the 2017 race ended after 200 laps, winner Kurt Busch’s car was banged up virtually beyond recognition, his No. 41 barely discernible.

“This place, everything has got to line up,” Dillon said. “Everything has got to line up just perfectly for you to go to Victory Lane, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Last February everything fell into place for Dillon.

The race featured eight caution flags and wrecks of seven and 12 cars. Busch, his brother, Kyle, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott were among the big names out of the race by the time it went to extra laps.

Dillon had been a lap down with 17 to go, but found himself in position to win when it mattered.

Aric Almirola led the race with a lap to go. But Dillon passed Almirola and turned him into a wall when he mistimed blocking Dillon on the backstretch.

Based on his experience, the 28-year-old Dillon knows it will be impossible to follow a script come Sunday.

“It’s definitely very hard to make a game plan that’s predictable,” he said.

AP Austin Dillon found himself in Victory Lane at last year’s Daytona 500 after passing Aric Almirola in the final lap. Only three drivers have ever won the race back to back.