| The Daytona 500 is a NASCAR sprint race that takes | | | | wipers and radiators to resist the sands. But since |
| place annually around the mid or end of February on | | | | 1959 it has been replaced by 500 miles. Hence the |
| a Sunday at the Daytona Speedway which is located | | | | name "Daytona 500" that it took on since 1961. |
| in Florida. This restrictor plate race features 200 laps | | | | The Daytona 500 race that was held in 2000 had |
| that amount to around 500 miles. It celebrated its | | | | upsetting results. Johnny Benson was leading until he |
| 50th anniversary in 2008. | | | | was overtaken by Dale Jarrett owing to a restart |
| Commonly known as "The Great American Race" and | | | | just four laps left. It resulted in a lead for Jarrett that |
| the "Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing", it is | | | | he maintained for the rest of the laps and |
| considered by several to be the most illustrious and | | | | successfully grabbed his third Daytona 500 title. |
| distinguished event on the NASCAR calendar. The | | | | The 2007 Daytona 500 race for the first time |
| scoring is similar to that of the average Sprint Cup | | | | featured a new foreign addition in the form of |
| races. Its importance can be judged from the fact | | | | Toyota. This race was held six years after the |
| that it is the annual opener of NASCAR events, | | | | demise of Dale Earnhardt. The race was finished by |
| instead of being held at the end of the year like the | | | | two of the total Toyotas that were contesting in |
| other preeminent events. Since 1995 it has been | | | | the race. The 2005 winner Dale Jarrett finished 23rd |
| posting the highest ratings for auto races of all kinds | | | | with Waltrip finishing at 30th. Tony Stewart who was |
| on US television, surpassing the ratings of Indianapolis | | | | initially leading the race fell out owing to a crash with |
| 500 that enjoys a higher track attendance. In 2006 | | | | Kurt Busch. The crash is said to be similar to the |
| Daytona 500 successfully managed to attract an | | | | crash that led to the sad demise of Dale Earnhardt. |
| audience of over 20 million which was the sixth | | | | But both the contestants luckily managed to escape |
| highest average of a television telecast that year. | | | | unscathed. |
| The winner bags the Harley J. Earl Trophy in Victory | | | | The 2008 Daytona 500 race celebrated the 50th |
| Lane and the winning car is put on display for a | | | | anniversary of this race which was first held in 1959. |
| whole year at the Daytona 500 Experience; which is | | | | This golden jubilee saw the inclusion of NASCAR's Car |
| a museum right next to the Daytona track. | | | | of Tomorrow for the very first time in the running, |
| Earlier this race was held on the sand and the | | | | after its introduction in 2007. It was also the first |
| highway that is adjacent to the beach. Instead of | | | | race that was being held under the banner of the |
| 500 miles it originally covered 200 miles that were | | | | "Sprint Cup", after the merger of Sprint and NEXTEL |
| raced in stock cars that were accoutered with | | | | that took place in 2005. |