Camping World 300 (Daytona)
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| Venue | Daytona International Speedway |
| Corporate sponsor | Camping World and Chevrolet |
| First race | 1959 |
| Distance | 300 miles (482.8 km) |
| Number of laps | 120 |
| Previous names | Modified Sportsman Race (1959-1965) Daytona Permatex 300 (1966-1977) Sportsman 300 (1978-1981) Goody's Sportsman 300 (1982-1984) Goody's 300 (1985-1995) Goody's Headache Powder 300 (1996) Gargoyles 300 (1997) NAPA Auto Parts 300 (1998-2001 EAS/GNC Live Well 300 (2002) Koolerz 300 (2003) Hershey's Kisses 300 (2004) Hershey's Take 5 300 (2005) Hershey's Kissables 300 (2006) Orbitz 300 (2007) |
The Camping World 300 presented by Chevrolet is the first race of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season, held at Daytona International Speedway. It is held the day before the Daytona 500, and is considered the most prestigious event on the Nationwide Series calendar. Until 2002, it was the only Nationwide Series event to be held at Daytona International Speedway.
The race originates back to the Daytona Beach & Road Course during the 1948 NASCAR Modified series season, the first sanctioned races held by the organization. In 1950-1958, the race was held as part of the Modified/Sportsman Series, at the Beach Course. It was held the Saturday or Friday before the Grand National Series race also at the Beach course.
In 1956-1959, a race in the short-lived NASCAR Convertible Division was also held.
The race moved to the new 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway for 1959. It was scheduled the day before the Daytona 500, and ran a distance of either 200 or 250 miles. In 1966, the race became known as the Permatex 300, making it only the second race on the NASCAR schedule to be named for a corporate sponsor (the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside being the first). In 1968 the Permatex 300 was shifted from the Modifieds division to the newly organized NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Division. In 1982, the Late Model Sportsman Division was reorganized into the modern day NASCAR Busch Grand National Series, and the race was sponsored by Goody's for several years. For 2008, the series becomes known as the NASCAR Nationwide Series, but its organizational structure remains the same.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, the race was often ridiculed and exploited by local media for its frequent crashes and massive pileups. Several major accidents and fires over the years were blamed on the low level of experience by several of the drivers, and the older equipment used. Inclement weather also plagued many early runnings.
In 1981 and 2004, the race started on Saturday, but was halted by rain, and finished Monday, the day after the Daytona 500. The 1969 race was red flagged three times for rain.
In the early 1990s, ESPN began airing the race same-day tape delay. In 1997-2000, the race was shown live on CBS, which also held broadcast rights to the Daytona 500 at the time. From 2001-2006, the live television rights to the race were held by FOX/FX (odd years) and NBC/TNT (even years). Under the current NASCAR television contract, the race is shown on ESPN/ABC. It is the only event of Speedweeks not shown on the FOX family of networks.
[edit] Past winners
- ^ 1955: Shortened from 125 miles due to a large crash and fire on the 17th lap which injured 3 drivers and 3 spectators.
- ^ 1964: Shortened from 100 laps / 200 miles due to late start caused by three hour rain delay
- ^ 1969: Three red flags during the race due to rain
- ^ 1974: Scheduled for 108 laps / 270 miles due to energy crisis
- ^ 1979: Shortened to 69 laps / 172 miles due to rain
- ^ 1981: Race started on Saturday February 14, halted after 11 laps due to rain, completed Monday February 16
- ^ 2004: Race scheduled for Saturday February 14, but rescheduled to Monday February 16 due to rain
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- http://racing-reference.info
- Orlando Sentinel; microfilm; (1959-1981)
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