The 2009 Daytona 500 Fan Guide

Welcome to The 2009 Daytona 500 Fan Guide. This will be a brief guide to many things you may or may not know about the Daytona 500.

Daytona 500 History

Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, but the history of auto racing at Daytona goes back much farther than that.

In 1936, the precursor to today's Daytona 500 was born on a course that went down 1.5 miles of highway, then turned and came the same distance back up the beach.

William H.G. France, a mechanic and racer who'd moved south from Washington, D.C., eventually took over the job of running the beach races on the second of two courses used for those events. In 1947, he presided over a meeting at Daytona's Streamline Hotel where NASCAR was born.

A decade later, France began working on his showplace. "Big Bill" France was building it, and he insisted on 31-degree banking in the corners. That's as steep as he could make the turns and still keep the machines putting down the asphalt from tipping over.

When drivers gathered for the first Daytona 500, it was an eye-popping experience. Drivers were more accustomed to half-mile dirt tracks and saw the 1.366-mile paved track at Darlington as vast. A trip around Daytona International Speedway was 2.5 miles -- nearly twice that.

Bob Welborn ran 140.121 mph to win the pole for the first Daytona 500, and Lee Petty won in a photo finish over Johnny Beauchamp.

It was at Daytona International Speedway where Junior Johnson discovered that if he tucked his car right behind another one, he could go faster than he could run by himself. And drafting became a part of the sport. It was also at Daytona where Cale Yarborough topped 200 mph on his first qualifying lap in 1983 and then, as he went even faster on a second lap, his car took off and flew, turning upside down before crashing.

Bill Elliott set the Daytona track record in 1987, running 210.364 mph, just before restrictor plates were introduced to the sport.

The Daytona 500, considered NASCAR's biggest event, has hosted some of NASCAR's greatest moments -- and maybe its greatest tragedy.

The Famous Cale Yarborough/Donnie Allison Fight After The 1979 Daytona 500

 

Daytona International Speedway

 

Configuration

Location

1801 W. International Speedway Blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Completed

1959

Shape

Tri-oval

Distance

2.5 miles

Banking 

Turns: 31 degrees; In Tri-oval: 18 degrees; On Backstretch: 3 degrees

Frontstretch

3,800 feet

Backstretch

3,000 feet

Seating

168,000

Track Records

Qualifying Record

Bill Elliott – 210.364 mph (42.783 seconds); Set February 9,1987

Race Record (500 miles)

Buddy Baker - (177.602 mph); Set February 17, 1980

Daytona International Speedway From Above

 

 

The Last Ten Winners

Year	Driver	Car	Avg. Speed
2008	Ryan Newman	Dodge	152.672
2007	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet	149.335
2006	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	142.667
2005	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	135.173
2004	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	156.345
2003	Michael Waltrip	Chevrolet	133.870
2002	Ward Burton	Dodge	142.971
2001	Michael Waltrip	Chevrolet	161.783
2000	Dale Jarrett	Chevrolet	154.308
1999	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	161.551

 

 

2009 DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY SCHEDULE

SPRINT CUP SERIES

Wednesday, February 11

11-11:55 am — Third practice

2-2:50 pm — Fourth practice

 

Thursday, February 12

2 pm — Gatorade Duels At Daytona

 

Friday, February 13

1:40-2:40 pm — Fifth practice

 

Saturday, February 14

11 am - 12:30 pm — Sixth practice

 

Sunday, February 15

2 pm — Daytona 500 coverage begins on FOX

3:40 pm — Green Flag for the 51st Daytona 500 (LIVE Coverage on FOX)

 

NATIONWIDE SERIES

Wednesday, February 11

3-4:50 pm — First practice

 

Thursday, February 12

9:30-10:50 pm — Final practice

 

Friday, February 13

3:10 pm — Qualifying

 

Saturday, February 14

1:15 pm — Camping World 300

 

CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Wednesday, February 11

Noon-1:50 pm — First practice

5-5:50 pm — Second practice

 

Thursday, February 12

11:15 am - 1:20 pm — Final practice

6:10 pm — Qualifying

 

Friday, February 13

8 pm — Daytona 250

 

I hope you find this brief guide helpful for the upcoming Daytona events. It should prove to be an exciting Speed Week….it already has with the racing we have seen thus far!