Countdown to the Daytona 500

As soon as the NASCAR season ends the countdown begins to the Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 is the most coveted race on the NASCAR circuit. Teams come from everywhere trying to race their way into one of the 43 starting spots for the event. The weeks prior to the Daytona 500 weed out the competition and set the starting grid. For the 2011 Daytona 500 things may get interesting and set the pace for the rest of the season. There is a new NASCAR Sprint Cup points system, new race starting times, schedule changes, new tracks and changes to the cars.

The Shootout - February 12, 2011 @ 8:10p.m. EST on FOX

On February 12, 2011, the Budweiser Shootout is a non-points race that is for nothing except cold hard cash and bragging rights. For a driver to be eligible to race in the 2011 Budweiser Shootout the must meet the criteria that seems to be changing on a yearly basis lately. For 2011, the drivers eligible to race are the 12 Race to the Chase drivers from 2010, past champions from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, past champions of the Budweiser Shootout, past champions of the Coke Zero 400, past champions of the Daytona 500, and Rookie of the Year drivers from the 2001-2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The Daytona 500 Qualifying - February 13, 2011

Unlike most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying, the qualifying for the Daytona 500 only sets the first 2 positions for the race. The other positions are set by the finish of both thr Gatorade Duel races.

The Gatorade Duel 1 & 2 - February 17, 2011 @ 2p.m. EST on SPEED

The Gatorade Duels are the set of 150-miles races that set the field for the Daytona 500 except for the Pole and outside pole which are set by qualifying. All entries into the Daytona 500 must race in one of the two Duel races. The drivers from the Gatorade Duel 1 set the inside row or odd positions. The drivers from the Gatorade Duel 2 set the outside row or the even positions.

The Daytona 500 - February 20, 2011 @ 1p.m. EST on FOX

The Daytona 500 is the biggest race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. It carries a large purse, a prestigious finish and, most importantly, bragging rights. It is the first of 36 points races of the season. Past races have proved that pole winners don't seem to have an advantage on the track. The last driver to win the Daytona 500 after starting on the pole was Dale Jarrett in 2000. And in 2009, Matt Kenseth won the race after starting in the 39^th position, so it is anyone's game.