The Daytona 500: A History of the Most Prestigous 500-Mile Race in the U.S

For racing fans the annual Daytona 500 is the most important race within the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. This first NASCAR race of the year in conducted in Daytona Beach, Florida at the Daytona International Speedway. Making the race even more attractive, the Daytona 500 has the largest payout of any motorsports event in the United States.

The race consists of 200 laps, which is a total of 500 miles (800 kilometers). The winner of the race is presented with the Harley J. Early Trophy for winning the most-watched auto race to be televised yearly. Another benefit for the winner is that the car the winning driver was in is displayed for a complete year at the Daytona 500 museum, called the Daytona 500 Experience. The winner also puts his or her mark on history by placing their handprints, right footprint (the one used for accelerating, clutching, and braking), and autograph on the Daytona 500 Champion's Walk of Fame.

The Daytona 500 began as several small races conducted on both the sand beaches of Daytona as well as the highway near the beach. The first official running of the Daytona 500 was held on February 22, 1959, in the very same place that houses the race to this day. In this inaugural race 59 cars began the race. The finish of the race will go down as one of the most controversial of all Daytona 500 races. Three cars, driven by Lee Petty, Johnny Beauchamp, and Joe Weatherly (the lap car) crossed the finish line at approximately the same time. Weatherly was a little behind the other two drivers, and was not in contention for the top prize. However, Beauchamp was announced as the winner of the race. In spite of this, officials continued to review photos of the race's finish for three days and overturned their decision. After Beauchamp spent 61 hours as the race winner, Lee Petty was awarded the win.

Some of the most memorable wins began with the first race that was shortened by rain, which was the 1965 race. Fred Lorenzen won the race after it was called on Lap 129. The following year (1966), the race was also shortened due to rain in which Richard Petty won on Lap 198. In 1972 winner A. J. Foyt lead the race with after about 200 miles, and never looked back. In 1974, Richard Petty won his second straight time in a race shortened to 180 laps, due to the energy crisis. The 1979 Daytona 500 was broadcast live for the first time, and was the first 500-mile race to do so. Richard Petty, who was a full half lap behind leaders Cale Yarbrough and Donnie Allison, won the race after a fight instilled after Yarbrough and Allison were involved in a collision. In the 1981 Daytona 500, Richard Petty won his seventh 500 race. 1997 saw Jeff Gordon become the youngest participant to win the Daytona 500. In 1998, after twenty years of trying Dale Earnhardt finally won the Daytona.

Changes were instituted in the mid-2000's, which allowed the race to continue into the darkness. 2005 saw Jeff Gordon win his third Daytona with the assistance of the green-white-checker-flag rule. This rule allows a race not to run the entire slated distance, by being stopped during a yellow (caution) flag. Instead, the green flag is waved, signaling to drivers that there are two laps remaining. A white flag is then waved signaling the final lap and the checkered flag signals the end of the race.

Sources:

Brief History of the 500, http://www.daytona500.com/content-display.cfm/cat/Brief-History-of-the-500, Daytona 500

Green-White-Checker Finish, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-white-checker_finish, Wikipedia.org

Daytona 500, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytona_500, Wikipedia.org