1959 Daytona 500

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The 1959 Daytona 500 was the second race of the 1959 NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) season. It was held on February 22, 1959 in front of 41,921 spectators.^[1] It was the first race held at the 2.5 mile (4.0 kilometer) Daytona International Speedway.

1 Qualifying
2 Race
3 Official results
4 References

[edit] Qualifying

Cotton Owens had the fastest qualifying lap 143.198 miles per hour (mph) (230.45 kilometres per hour [km/h]). The race had one qualifying race for Convertibles and one for the hardtop Grand National cars. Bob Welborn, winner of the 100-mile (160 km) Grand National qualifying race earlier in the week, started on the pole position.^[2] Shorty Rollins won the Convertible qualifying race and started second. 20 of the 59 cars in the Daytona 500 were convertibles.^[3]

[edit] Race

There were no caution periods in the race. Welborn led the early laps in the race but his race ended after 75 laps (of 200) with engine problems. Other leaders in the first 22 laps of the race were "Tiger" Tom Pistone and Joe Weatherly. Fireball Roberts took over the lead in lap 23, leading the next 20 laps before dropping out of the race on lap 57 due to a broken fuel pump.. Johnny Beauchamp led several laps before Pistone and Jack Smith battled for the lead during the next 100 miles (160 km).

Petty battled with Beauchamp during the final 30 laps of the race, and they were the only two drivers to finish on the lead lap. Petty took the lead with 3 laps left, and led at the start of the final lap. Petty and Beauchamp drove side by side across the finish line at the end final lap for a photo finish. Beauchamp was declared the unofficial winner by NASCAR officials who felt he had won by 12 inches (30 centimeters), and he drove to victory lane. Petty protested the results, saying "I had Beauchamp by a good two feet. In my own mind, I know I won."^[2] Beauchamp replied "I had him by two feet. I glanced over to Lee Petty's car as I crossed the finish line and I could see his headlight slightly back of my car. It was so close I didn't know how they would call it, but I thought I won."^[2] Early leader Fireball Roberts, who was standing by the finish line, said "There's no doubt about it, Petty won."^[2] It took NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. three days to decide the winner the following Wednesday.^[2] In the end, with the help of photographs and newsreel footage, Petty was officially declared the winner.

The controversial finish helped the sport. The delayed results to determine the official winner kept NASCAR and the Daytona 500 on the front page of newspapers.