| Venue | Daytona International Speedway |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| First race | 1959 |
| Distance | 300 miles (482.803 km) |
| 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) Camping World 300 (2008-2009) |
The DRIVE4COPD 300 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.
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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. The level of prestige held by the event, along with the relatively large purses, attracted numerous independent and one-off entries, contributing to the inexperience.
Inclement weather also plagued many early runnings.
The 1960 race is notable for having the largest pileup in NASCAR history. On the first lap, 37 cars crashed in turn four (out of a starting field of 68).
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.
Since its inception, due to its prestige and prominent position on the Speedweeks calendar, the race has long attracted Sprint Cup Series regulars, known as Buschwhackers. Sprint Cup regulars have dominated the race over the past 30 years, winning all but three runnings since 1981. Notable Cup regulars who have won the race multiple times include Dale Earnhardt (7 wins), Tony Stewart (6), Darrell Waltrip (5), and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (3).
Several Cup Buschwhackers have swept the weekend, winning both the 300 and the Daytona 500: Bobby Allison (1988), Darrell Waltrip (1989), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (2004), Kevin Harvick (2007)
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.
| Year | Date | Driver | Manufacturer | Distance Miles |
Average Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | February 15 | Red Byron | Ford | 98.4 | |
| 1948 | August 8 | Fonty Flock | Ford | 98.4 | |
| 1950 | February 4 | Gober Sosebee | Ford | 98.4 | |
| 1951 | February 10 | Gober Sosebee | Ford | 159.9 | 83.37 |
| 1952 | February 9 | Tim Flock | 98.4 | 87.55 | |
| 1953 | February 14 | Cotton Owens | Plymouth | 98.4 | 91.54 |
| 1954 | February 20 | Cotton Owens | Plymouth | 125 | 93.87 |
| 1955 | February 26 | Banjo Matthews | Ford | 95* | N/A |
| 1956 | February 24 | Tim Flock | Chevrolet | 127.1 | 89.41 |
| 1957 | February 15 | Speedy Thompson | Plymouth | 127.1 | 99.097 |
| 1958 | February 21 | Banjo Matthews | Ford | 127.1 | 97.381 |
| Year | Date | Driver | Manufacturer | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | ||||||
| 1959 | February 21 | Banjo Matthews | Ford | 80 | 200 (321.868) | 146.484 | |
| 1960 | February 13 | Marion Farr | Ford | 100 | 250 (402.336) | 116.610 | |
| 1961 | February 25 | Jimmy Thompson | Ford | 100 | 250 (402.336) | 141.732 | |
| 1962 | February 16 | Lee Roy Yarbrough | Ford | 100 | 250 (402.336) | 146.723 | |
| 1963 | February 23 | Lee Roy Yarbrough | Studebaker | 100 | 250 (402.336) | 147.010 | |
| 1964 | February 22 | Tiny Lund | Ford | 80* | 200 (321.868) | 104.506 | |
| 1965 | February 13 | Marvin Panch | Ford | 100 | 250 (402.336) | 129.533 | |
| 1966 | February 27 | Curtis Turner | Ford | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 144.520 | |
| 1967 | February 25 | Jim Paschal | Plymouth | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 148.188 | |
| 1968 | February 24 | James Blackburn | Dodge | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 140.423 | |
| 1969* | February 22 | Lee Roy Yarbrough | Ford | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 105.365 | |
| 1970 | February 21 | Tiny Lund | Ford | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 133.316 | |
| 1971 | February 13 | Red Farmer | Ford | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 140.936 | |
| 1972 | February 19 | Bill Dennis | Mercury | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 135.627 | |
| 1973 | February 17 | Bill Dennis | Mercury | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 134.161 | |
| 1974 | February 16 | Bill Dennis | Mercury | 108* | 270 (434.522) | 140.462 | |
| 1975 | February 15 | Jack Ingram | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 138.107 | |
| 1976 | February 14 | Joe Millikan | Dodge | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 145.928 | |
| 1977 | February 19 | Donnie Allison | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 154.396 | |
| 1978 | February 18 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 162.675 | |
| 1979 | February 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | 69* | 172 (276.807) | 93.778 | |
| 1980 | February 16 | Jack Ingram | Ford | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 128.817 | |
| 1981 | February 14/16* | David Pearson | Pontiac | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 129.419 | |
| 1982 | February 13 | Dale Earnhardt | Pontiac | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 1:56:29 | 154.529 |
| 1983 | February 19 | Darrell Waltrip | Pontiac | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:01:55 | 147.642 |
| 1984 | February 18 | Darrell Waltrip | Pontiac | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 1:54:56 | 156.613 |
| 1985 | February 16 | Geoffrey Bodine | Pontiac | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 1:54:33 | 157.137 |
| 1986 | February 15 | Dale Earnhardt | Pontiac | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:00:52 | 148.924 |
| 1987 | February 14 | Geoffrey Bodine | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 1:56:03 | 155.106 |
| 1988 | February 13 | Bobby Allison | Buick | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:15:09 | 132.825 |
| 1989 | February 18 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:17:11 | 131.211 |
| 1990 | February 17 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:00:31 | 149.357 |
| 1991 | February 16 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:04:50 | 144.192 |
| 1992 | February 15 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:15:55 | 132.434 |
| 1993 | February 13 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:02:55 | 146.440 |
| 1994 | February 19 | Dale Earnhardt | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:04:53 | 144.135 |
| 1995 | February 18 | Chad Little | Ford | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 1:59:25 | 150.732 |
| 1996 | February 17 | Steve Grissom | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:07:52 | 140.722 |
| 1997 | February 15 | Randy LaJoie | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:00:15 | 149.688 |
| 1998 | February 14 | Joe Nemechek | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:11:11 | 137.213 |
| 1999 | February 13 | Randy LaJoie | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:10:04 | 138.391 |
| 2000 | February 19 | Matt Kenseth | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:07:54 | 140.735 |
| 2001 | February 17 | Randy LaJoie | Pontiac | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:13:11 | 135.152 |
| 2002 | February 16 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:01:54 | 147.662 |
| 2003 | February 15 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:05:12 | 143.770 |
| 2004 | February 16* | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:21:32 | 127.179 |
| 2005 | February 19 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 1:59:59 | 150.021 |
| 2006 | February 18 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:23:49 | 125.159 |
| 2007 | February 17 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 1:55:13 | 156.227 |
| 2008 | February 16 | Tony Stewart | Toyota | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 1:56:46 | 154.154 |
| 2009 | February 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:09:59 | 138.479 |
| 2010 | February 13 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:25:32 | 123.683 |
| 2011 | February 19 | Tony Stewart* | Chevrolet | 120 | 300 (482.803) | 2:08:52 | 139.679 |
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