During the start of the 1974 NASCAR season, many races had their distance cut ten percent in response to the energy crisis of the year.

The Twin 125 qualifying races (won by Bobby Isaac in a Banjo Matthews Chevrolet and Cale Yarborough in the Richard Howard Chevy prepared by Junior Johnson) were also shortened to 45 laps (112.5 miles).

[4] First Daytona 500 starts for Bob Burcham, Richie Panch, George Follmer, Lennie Pond, Jackie Rogers, Joe Mihalic, and Richard Childress.

Only Daytona 500 starts for Jimmy Crawford, L. D. Ottinger, Dick Simon, Tony Bettenhausen Jr., and Dan Daughtry.

Richard Petty cut a tire and had to pit under green with 19 laps to go, putting Donnie Allison into the lead.