Daytona 500

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**Daytona 500**

Venue	Daytona International Speedway
Corporate sponsor	None
First race	1959
Distance	500 miles (805 km)
Number of laps	200
Previous names	Daytona 500 by STP (1991-1993)

The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap, 500 mile (805 km) NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule.

The Daytona 500 is widely considered to be NASCAR's most important and prestigious race, and has the largest purse, although it is equivalent to other races on the calendar for championship purposes. It is also the circuit's first race of the year; this phenomenon is virtually unique in sports, which tend to have championships or other major events at the end of the season rather than the start. Since 1995, U.S. television ratings for the Daytona 500 have been the highest for any auto race of the year, surpassing the traditional leader, the Indianapolis 500.

The event serves as the final event of Speedweeks and is known as "The Great American Race" and the "Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing."

The winner of the Daytona 500 is presented with the Harley J. Earl Trophy in Victory Lane, and the winning car is displayed, in race-winning condition for one year at Daytona USA, a museum and gallery adjacent to Daytona International Speedway.

1 Memorable Daytona 500s
2 Qualifying procedure
3 Television
4 List of Daytona 500 winners
5 See also
6 External links
7 Notes

[edit] Memorable Daytona 500s

The race is the direct successor of shorter races that were held on Daytona Beach itself; however, the Daytona 500 has been held at the Daytona International Speedway since its inaugural run in 1959.

[edit] 1959-1969

1959 Daytona 500

Lee Petty, patriarch of a famous racing family whose most renowned member was his son Richard, won the first Daytona 500 on February 22, 1959 defeating Johnny Beauchamp in a highly unusual manner. Petty and Beauchamp were lapping the car of Joe Weatherly at the finish, when officials initially called Beauchamp the winner as the three cars crossed the line. After reviewing photographs and film of the finish for three days, the call was reversed, and Petty won the first Daytona 500.

The first rain-shortened Daytona 500 was the 1965 event. Leader Marvin Panch and Fred Lorenzen made contact on Lap 129, as rain began to fall; Panch spun out, and Lorenzen won when the race was finally called on Lap 133. The 1966 Daytona 500, won by Richard Petty, was also shortened to 198 laps due to rain.^[1]

[edit] 1970-1979

Daytona 500, circa 1977

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. As a result, the 1974 Daytona 500, won by Richard Petty, was shortened to 180 laps (450 miles), as symbolically, the race "started" on Lap 21. The Twin 125 qualifying races were also shortened to 45 laps (112.5 miles).^[2]

In the 1976 Daytona 500, Richard Petty was leading on the last lap when he was passed on the backstretch by David Pearson. Petty tried to turn under Pearson coming off the final corner, but didn't clear Pearson. The contact caused the drivers to spin in to the grass in the infield just short of the finish line. Petty's car didn't start, but Pearson was able to drive his wrecked car just enough to limp over the finish line for the win.

The 1979 Daytona 500 was the first 500-mile race to be broadcast live on national television. (The Indianapolis 500 was only broadcast on a tape delay that evening during the time; most races were broadcast only through the final quarter to half of the race, as was the procedure for ABC's Championship Auto Racing broadcasts; with the new CBS contract, the network and NASCAR agreed to a full live broadcast.) A final lap crash and subsequent fight between leaders Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison (along with Donnie's brother Bobby Allison) brought enough publicity to put NASCAR on the national radar. Donnie Allison was leading the race on the final lap with Yarborough drafting him tightly. As Yarborough attempted a slingshot pass at the end of the backstretch, Allison attempted to block him. Yarborough refused to give ground and as he pulled alongside Allison, his left side tires left the pavement and went into the wet and muddy infield grass. Yarborough lost control of his car and contacted Allison's car halfway down the backstretch. As both drivers tried to regain control, their cars made contact several more times before finally locking together and crashing into the outside wall in turn three. After the cars settled in the grass, Allison and Yarborough began to argue. After they had talked it out, Bobby Allison, who was lapped at that point, pulled over and began defending his brother, and a fight broke out. Richard Petty, who was over half a lap behind at the time of the crash, went on to win the race. |}

[edit] 1980-1989

The 1988 Daytona 500 was the first race requiring the use of new restrictor plates. Before the race, there was much uncertainty about how well the restrictor plates would work. They were mandated because it was felt the speeds were getting too high at the superspeedways, as demonstrated at Bobby Allison's crash at Talladega in 1987. In the 1988 Daytona 500, Bobby Allison beat his son Davey Allison to the finish line for the win; father and son celebrated together in Victory Lane. Bobby Allison thus became the oldest driver to win the Daytona 500. The race is also remembered for Richard Petty's wild accident on lap 106. Petty spun, got airborne and tumbled along a large section of catch fence before his car came to a stop. The car was then torn nearly in half from hits by A. J. Foyt and Brett Bodine. Petty escaped without serious injury.

The 1989 Daytona 500 was won by Darrell Waltrip, his first Daytona 500 victory after 17 attempts. (Coincidentally, the car he drove to victory wore the number 17.) Fans loudly cheered the child-like exuberance of Waltrip's victory celebration. As he was being interviewed by CBS pit reporter Mike Joy, Waltrip shouted, "I won the Daytona 500! I won the Daytona 500!" Shortly after, an exuberant Waltrip performed an "Ickey Shuffle" dance in Victory Lane.

[edit] 1990-1999

After years of trying to win the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt appeared headed for certain victory in the 1990 event until a series of events in the closing laps. On lap 193 Geoff Bodine spun in the first turn, causing the third and final caution of the race. Everyone pitted except Derrike Cope, who stayed out on the track. On the lap 195 restart, Earnhardt retook and held the lead. On the final lap, Earnhardt punctured a tire when he drove over a piece of metal bell housing that had fallen from the failed engine of Rick Wilson's car. As Earnhardt's damaged car slowed, Cope drove past and earned his first Winston Cup (now NEXTEL Cup) victory. It was the first of two victories for the relatively unknown Cope in the 1990 season.^[3]

In 1998, Dale Earnhardt finally won the Daytona 500 after 20 years of trying. Though Earnhardt had usually been a strong competitor in the Daytona 500, mechanical problems, crashes or bad luck had prevented him from winning the race. In 1998, however, Earnhardt was leading when Lake Speed and John Andretti made contact on Lap 198, causing the race to end under caution. After his victory, a joyous Earnhardt drove slowly down pit road, where members of other race teams had lined up to give him handshakes and high-fives. The victory was widely celebrated, even by people who weren't his fans, and was a defining moment in Earnhardt's career and legacy.^[4]

[edit] 2000-present

On the last turn of the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash. This was the second restrictor-plate race run under a rules package (discontinued after the 2001 season) that included a small strip atop the car's roof and a small lip on the rear spoiler.^[5] Though it was meant to give power back to the drivers and help produce more lead changes, critics charged that it created dangerous racing conditions. An 18-car crash on lap 173, which sent Tony Stewart's car flying end-over-end, caused the race to be red-flagged (stopped) while the track was made safe. Michael Waltrip, making his first start for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., won the race, with his teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finishing second, in cars that were both owned by Dale Earnhardt, who had been running third prior to his fatal crash in Turn 4.^[6]

The 2001 Daytona 500 was also the first NASCAR Winston Cup (now Nextel Cup) points race to be televised by the Fox Network, which covered the other major Cup events during Speedweeks, as well as the previous day's Busch Series race. Fox's commentators and reporters included Darrell Waltrip, Michael's brother, and Larry McReynolds, who had been Dale Earnhardt's crew chief at the 1998 Daytona 500.

Sterling Marlin was battling Jeff Gordon for the lead of the 2002 Daytona 500 when they made contact. Gordon spun while a multi-car crash broke out behind them. NASCAR red-flagged the race so it could be raced to completion, and stopped the field on the backstretch. Marlin had been told that the right front fender on his car had been knocked into the right front tire, and jumped out of the car to pull the fender away from the tire. NASCAR officials in the safety vehicle immediately jumped out and stopped him. Since no one is allowed to work on a car during red-flag conditions, Marlin was sent to the back of the field. Marlin's move led to Ward Burton's win.

In 2003, Michael Waltrip won when rain shortened the race to 109 laps,^[7] and in 2004, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won the race three years after his father's death and exactly six years to the date that his father won the Daytona 500.

Changes to the Daytona 500 meant the race could run into the dusk, with engines starting at 2:40 PM, and the green flag waving around 2:55 PM, meaning the race would finish under the lights as darkness fell at the finish. In 2005, Jeff Gordon won his third Daytona 500 in the first instance NASCAR used the green-white-checker finish rule in the 500. Jimmie Johnson took the honors in 2006, also under a nighttime green-white-checker finish.

Also in 2005, qualifying race distance was raised 20%, with the qualifying races now 60 laps (150 miles) and only the top two drivers making the field through the race under new NASCAR rules on exemptions.

[edit] Qualifying procedure

Qualifying is unique at Daytona for the 500. Some teams must race their way into the Daytona 500 field. However, since 2005, all exempt teams (the top 35 teams of the previous year in owner points) are guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500. The first row is set by one round of qualifying, normally held one week before the race. (Prior to 2003, this was two rounds; prior to 2001, it was three rounds.) The remainder of the field is set by qualifying races (these were 100 miles from 1959-1967; 125 miles from 1969-2004; and 150 miles, with two-lap overtime if necessary, beginning in 2005. These races were not held in 1968 because of rain), with the top two cars not exempt advancing. After the exempt teams and top two non-exempt cars are added to the field, the top three non-exempt cars are added by fastest qualifing laps. A former Nextel Cup champion, if necessary, is added. Otherwise, the fourth fastest car is added to the field.

Prior to 2005, after the top two cars were set, the top 14 cars in the qualifying races advanced to the field, and then between six (1998-2003), eight (1995-97, 2004), or ten (until 1994) fastest cars which did not advance from the qualifing race were added, and, since the mid-1980's, between two and seven cars were added by previous year's points performance and or championship.

[edit] Television

The Daytona 500 was the first 500-mile auto race to be televised live and in its entirety when CBS aired it in 1979. CBS continued airing the Daytona 500 until 2000. From 2001 to 2006, the race alternated between FOX and NBC under the terms of a six year, $2.48 billion NASCAR television contract. Starting in 2007, Fox will be the exclusive home of the Daytona 500 under the terms of NASCAR's new television package.

A byproduct of both the track's 1998 lighting and the 2001 television package has been later start times. The race started at 12:15 p.m. (Eastern United States time) from 1979 until 2000. The start time was moved to 2:30 p.m. for the convenience of West Coast fans. The 2005 race ended at sunset for the first time in its history, and in 2006 it ended in near-complete darkness. The changing track conditions caused by the onset of darkness in the closing laps force the crew chiefs to predict the critical car setup adjustments needed for their final pit stop.

It was announced in October 2006 the 2007 race will end at night; the start time was announced as 3:30 PM, and with pre-race festivities, the start of engines is expected around the time, with the start of the race near 4 PM, meaning the Daytona 500 will start in the late afternoon and finish in complete darkness after sunset. In 2007, the race will finish in prime-time television for the first time.

In 1986, the Daytona 500 paid tribute to astronauts who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, and many cars carried a decal in memory of the STS-51-L crew. Seventeen years later, in 2003, a similar tribute was paid to the astronauts who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. All cars carried a decal in memory of the STS-107 crew.

The television ratings for the Daytona 500 have surpassed those of the Indianapolis 500 since 1995, even though the 1995 race was available in fewer homes than in the past, Broadcaster CBS had lost affiliates in major markets as a result of realignment in the wake of FOX landing the NFL, and was actually not available in a NASCAR Busch Series market, Milwaukee and their new CBS affiliate, WDJT, was not available to some cable subscribers.

[edit] List of Daytona 500 winners

Year	Driver	Car #	Car Make	Start	Laps Led	Winner's prize	Average Speed (mph)
1959	Lee Petty	42	Oldsmobile	15th	38	$19,050	135.521
1960	Robert G. "Junior" Johnson	27	Chevrolet	9th	67	$19,600	124.740
1961	Marvin Panch	20	Pontiac	4th	13	$21,050	149.601
1962	Edward G. "Fireball" Roberts	22	Pontiac	1st	144	$24,190	152.529
1963	DeWayne L. "Tiny" Lund	21	Ford	12th	127	$24,550	151.566
1964	Richard Petty	43	Plymouth	2nd	184	$33,300	154.334
1965	Fred Lorenzen	28	Ford	4th	25 (of 129)	$27,100	141.539*
1966	Richard Petty	43	Plymouth	1st	108 (of 198)	$28,150	160.927*
1967	Mario Andretti	11	Ford	12th	112	$48,900	146.926
1968	Cale Yarborough	21	Mercury	1st	76	$47,250	143.251
1969	LeeRoy Yarbrough	98	Ford	19th	18	$38,950	157.950
1970	Pete Hamilton	40	Plymouth	9th	13	$44,850	149.601
1971	Richard Petty	43	Plymouth	5th	70	$45,450	144.462
1972	A.J. Foyt	21	Mercury	2nd	167	$44,600	161.550
1973	Richard Petty	43	Dodge	7th	17	$36,100	157.205
1974	Richard Petty	43	Dodge	2nd	73 (of 180)	$39,650	140.894*
1975	Benny Parsons	72	Chevrolet	32nd	4	$43,905	153.649
1976	David Pearson	21	Mercury	7th	37	$46,800	152.181
1977	Cale Yarborough	11	Chevrolet	4th	137	$63,700	153.218
1978	Bobby Allison	15	Ford	33rd	28	$56,300	159.730
1979	Richard Petty	43	Oldsmobile	13th	12	$73,900	143.977
1980	Buddy Baker	28	Oldsmobile	1st	143	$102,175	177.602
1981	Richard Petty	43	Buick	8th	26	$90,575	169.651
1982	Bobby Allison	88	Buick	7th	147	$120,360	153.991
1983	Cale Yarborough	28	Pontiac	8th	23	$119,600	155.979
1984	Cale Yarborough	28	Chevrolet	1st	89	$160,300	150.994
1985	Bill Elliott	9	Ford	1st	136	$185,500	172.265
1986	Geoff Bodine	5	Chevrolet	2nd	101	$192,715	148.124
1987	Bill Elliott	9	Ford	1st	104	$204,150	176.263
1988	Bobby Allison	12	Buick	3rd	70	$202,940	137.531
1989	Darrell Waltrip	17	Chevrolet	2nd	25	$184,900	148.466
1990	Derrike Cope	10	Chevrolet	12th	5	$188,150	165.761
1991	Ernie Irvan	4	Chevrolet	2nd	29	$233,000	148.148
1992	Davey Allison	28	Ford	6th	127	$244,050	160.256
1993	Dale Jarrett	18	Chevrolet	2nd	8	$238,200	154.972
1994	Sterling Marlin	4	Chevrolet	4th	30	$258,275	156.931
1995	Sterling Marlin	4	Chevrolet	3rd	105	$300,460	141.710
1996	Dale Jarrett	88	Ford	7th	40	$360,775	154.308
1997	Jeff Gordon	24	Chevrolet	6th	40	$377,410	148.295
1998	Dale Earnhardt	3	Chevrolet	4th	105	$1,059,805	172.712
1999	Jeff Gordon	24	Chevrolet	1st	15	$1,172,246	161.551
2000	Dale Jarrett	88	Ford	1st	87	$1,277,975	155.669
2001	Michael Waltrip	15	Chevrolet	19th	23	$1,331,185	161.783
2002	Ward Burton	22	Dodge	19th	5	$1,409,017	130.810
2003	Michael Waltrip	15	Chevrolet	4th	68 (of 109)	$1,419,406	133.870*
2004	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	8	Chevrolet	3rd	59	$1,495,070	156.341
2005	Jeff Gordon	24	Chevrolet	15th	28 (of 203)	$1,497,150	135.173*
2006	Jimmie Johnson	48	Chevrolet	9th	24 (of 203)	$1,505,120	142.734*

*All of the above races were 500 miles (200 laps) long, except those listed below:

1965: 322.5 Miles (129 laps) because of rain
1966: 495 Miles (198 laps) because of rain
1974: 450 Miles (180 laps) because of energy crisis
2003: 272.5 Miles (109 laps) because of rain
2005-2006: 507.5 Miles (203 laps) because of green-white-checker finish rule

NOTE: Effective July 25, 2004, NASCAR changed finish rules in Nextel Cup Series and Busch Series competition. If at any time during the penultimate lap the race is under caution, the race will end with two green flag laps or the next caution upon the ensuing restart. Craftsman Truck Series had already been using an unlimited green-white-checker finish rule since 1995.