1976 Daytona 500 was an epic battle between NASCAR's two greatest drivers

Sports fans have always been infatuated with Cinderella stories. 

Whether it be George Mason's improbable run in the 2006 NCAA Tournament, the New York Giants' Super Bowl victory over the 18-0 Patriots or Appalachian State taking down Michigan in the Big House, David vs. Goliath stories will always have a stronghold on those who enjoy parity in sports. 

But every now and then, two giants will clash in a marquee event for the ages. 

That begs the question: What is NASCAR's version of a Yankees-Dodgers World Series, a Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals or a Steelers-Cowboys Super Bowl? 

The answer can be found in the history books. Specifically, the chapter devoted to Feb. 15, 1976. 

Today, the NASCAR record books will show Richard Petty and David Pearson as the two winningest drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history. Petty's 200 victories and Pearson's 105 give them the honor of being the only drivers to ever visit victory lane in the Cup Series 100 times. Their 10 combined championships — seven for Petty, three for Pearson — make their epic battles even more legendary in hindsight.

But on Feb. 15, 1976, with the 18th running of the Daytona 500 as their canvas, Pearson and Petty crafted a masterpiece rivaling those created by Van Gogh and Da Vinci. 

Petty and Pearson's iconic duel nearly didn't happen, however. A.J. Foyt, who won the 1972 Daytona 500, looked to have the fastest car, leading for 66 circuits before an engine failure took him out of the race on Lap 144.

Foyt's mechanical issue thrust Petty and Pearson into the limelight for the final quarter of the race. Both drivers already knew how to win at the 2.5-mile venue — Petty had already won five Daytona 500s in 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973 and 1974, while Pearson beat Petty in the 1974 Firecracker 400 — and were accustomed to battling each other for wins.

As The King and the Silver Fox prepared to take the white flag, the finish was shaping up just like the aforementioned 1974 Firecracker 400. Pearson trailed Petty, waiting for the right moment to slingshot by. 

Half a lap later, Pearson made his move. After darting to the inside of Petty's blue-and-red-clad No. 43, Pearson's red and white Ford cleared his rival's vehicle entering Turn 3. 

Unlike the 1974 Firecracker 400, however, Petty had a response to Pearson's jaw-dropping move. 

With every bit of horsepower his car could muster, Petty pulled off a perfectly executed crossover move, one that would be described by a modern racing analyst as "textbook." 

The only problem? This page of the textbook had a line missing. 

As Petty attempted to clear Pearson on the exit of turn four, both cars snapped loose, spinning into the infield grass after making heavy contact with the outside wall. 

Unlike the 1979 Daytona 500 — where Petty would be the beneficiary of Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison's last-lap incident — third-place driver Benny Parsons was not close enough to take advantage of the crash. The 1976 Daytona 500 was going to be decided between two cars that were ready for the junkyard. 

Petty's momentum was nearly enough to carry him across the finish line, but it was Pearson's No. 21 that cranked first. As Pearson rolled across the line at a paltry 20 miles per hour, Petty's pit crew ran helplessly to his stalled car in an attempt to push him across the line. 

In one of the craziest finishes in NASCAR history, The King had been denied another Daytona crown. 

The race served as the only Daytona 500 win of Pearson's career.