Stock Car Racing's Super Bowl-The Daytona 500

The DAYTONA 500---The Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing

On Sunday February 11, 2007, the Super Bowl of Stock Car
Racing kicks off the beginning of this years Nascar
Nextel Cup Series. Unlike other sports, where their
biggest event is usually held at the end of the season,
this race is one of the largest in fan support,
viewership and purse, with International coverage.

The Daytona 500 was first held in 1959 and was won by Lee
Petty, the father of Richard Petty. Prior to racing at
this track the races were held on the beach, as early as
1903.From beaches to a 2.5 mile tri-oval superspeedway
which covers nearly 500 acres.

The track is banked from only 3 degrees to 31 degrees in
the turns with aprons of 12-30 feet. The backstretch is
3400 feet long with a 3-degree bank. The infield is 180
acres with a 29-acre lake named Lake Lloyd.

To Qualify some teams must race their way into the Daytona 500 field, while all exempt teams (the top 35 teams of the previous year in owner points) are guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500.

Row One is set by one round of qualifying, normally held one week before the race. The remainder of the field is set by qualifying races, about a week before the Daytona 500. After the exempt teams and top two non-exempt cars are added to the field, the top three non-exempt cars are added by fastest qualifying laps. A former Nextel Cup champion, if necessary, is added. Otherwise, the fourth fastest car is added to the field.

In 1959 the purse of $19,050 was awarded to the winner
Lee Petty. Last year's winner, Jimmy Johnson was awarded
$1,505,124, and went on to become the Nascar Nextel Cup
Champion.

Richard Petty has won the race 7 times, ran 4,860 laps
for 12,150 miles and led the most laps with 780.

The late Benny Parsons led the fewest laps in 1975 and
still won the race, by only leading 4 laps.

Dale Earnhardt started 20 times before he won in 1998.
Although it took him many years before he made it onto
Victory Lane he completed all 500 miles 14 different
times.

The fastest winning speed for the race was recorded by
Buddy Baker in 1980.

For more information about the track, the race or
accommodations you can go to:
http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/