The Daytona 500 is an annual 500-mile NASCAR Cup Series race held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is considered one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR, being the season opener since 1982 and one of two Cup races at Daytona. The race was first held in 1959, coinciding with the speedway's opening. Known for its high speeds, the Daytona 500 was a restrictor plate race from 1988 to 2019.
1949: Beginning of NASCAR Grand National Races at Daytona
This marks the start of the NASCAR Grand National races held at the Daytona Beach and Road Course.
1958: End of NASCAR Grand National Races at Daytona Beach and Road Course
This year marked the conclusion of NASCAR Grand National races being held at the Daytona Beach and Road Course.
1980: Buddy Baker Sets Fastest Daytona 500 Record
Buddy Baker set a record for the fastest Daytona 500 in 1980, achieving a speed of 177.602 mph (285.823 km/h) before the implementation of the stages era.
1995: Daytona 500 Ratings Surpass Indianapolis 500
In a significant milestone for NASCAR, the television ratings for the Daytona 500 surpassed those of the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in 1995, despite challenges posed by affiliate switches and reduced broadcast coverage in certain markets.
2004: Earliest Daytona 500 Finish
The 2004 Daytona 500 holds the record for the race's earliest finish time.
2006: Daytona 500 Ends Under the Lights
The Daytona 500 concluded under the lights for the first time in its history in 2006, marking a departure from its traditional daytime finish.
2007: First Prime-Time Daytona 500
In 2007, the Daytona 500 made history by becoming the first to be broadcast in prime-time, concluding at 7:07 p.m. Eastern time.
2010: Daytona 500 Pushed to Prime-Time
Despite a scheduled 1:00 p.m. start, the 2010 Daytona 500 experienced significant delays due to track issues, resulting in a prime-time finish under the lights.
2012: First Monday Race and Night Race
Heavy rain forced the postponement of the 2012 Daytona 500 to Monday evening, marking the first time in history that the race was rescheduled to a Monday and run as a night race.
2013: Return to Late Afternoon Finish
Marking a return to tradition, the 2013 Daytona 500 concluded in the late afternoon, a departure from the previous years' trend of nighttime finishes.
2014: Record Delay and Late Finish
The 2014 Daytona 500 faced a record delay of over six hours due to heavy rain and a tornado warning, pushing its finish late into the evening and overlapping with the Winter Olympics closing ceremony.
2015: Green-White-Checkered Finish
The 2015 Daytona 500 concluded with a Green-White-Checkered finish after 203 laps.
2024: William Byron Sets Fastest Daytona 500 Record in Stages Era
In 2024, William Byron established a new record for the fastest Daytona 500 during the stages era, achieving a speed of 157.178 mph (252.953 km/h).