History of Daytona 500 in Timeline
The Daytona 500 is a 500-mile NASCAR Cup Series race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. As one of two Cup races held at Daytona each year, it is a prominent event in motorsports. From 1988-2019, it was a restrictor plate race. The inaugural race occurred in 1959, coinciding with the speedway's opening. Since 1982, the Daytona 500 has marked the start of the NASCAR Cup Series season.
1949: NASCAR Grand National
NASCAR Grand National winners at Daytona from 1949 at Daytona Beach and Road Course.
1958: NASCAR Grand National
NASCAR Grand National winners at Daytona until 1958 at Daytona Beach and Road Course.
1959: Qualifying Races Distance
From 1959, the qualifying races distance was 100 miles.
1959: Race Considered Official After Halfway Point
From 1959, the race was considered official after halfway (100 laps/250 miles) had been completed.
1959: First 500-Mile Race at Daytona International Speedway
In 1959, the first 500-mile stock car race was held at Daytona International Speedway, marking the second 500-mile NASCAR race.
1959: Inaugural Daytona 500
In 1959, the inaugural Daytona 500 was held, coinciding with the opening of the Daytona International Speedway.
1961: Race Referred to as "Daytona 500"
By 1961, the race began to be commonly referred to as the Daytona 500.
1965: Race Shortened Due to Rain
In 1965, the Daytona 500 was shortened due to rain.
1966: Race Shortened Due to Rain
In 1966, the Daytona 500 was shortened due to rain.
1967: Qualifying Races Distance
Until 1967, the qualifying races distance was 100 miles.
1968: Qualifying Races Canceled
In 1968, the qualifying races were not held due to rain.
1969: Qualifying Races Distance
From 1969, the qualifying races distance was 125 miles.
1971: Association with Presidents Day Weekend
From 1971, the Daytona 500 has been associated with Presidents Day weekend.
1974: Race Shortened Due to Energy Crisis
In 1974, the Daytona 500 was shortened in response to the energy crisis.
1976: Provisional Starting Spot
From 1976, the driver with the championship provisional was added to the race.
1979: Race Start Time
From 1979, the Daytona 500 race started at 12:15 p.m. EST.
1979: First Live Flag-to-Flag Telecast
In 1979, the Daytona 500 became the first 500-mile auto race to be televised live flag-to-flag on network television by CBS.
1980: Fastest Daytona 500 Record
In 1980, Buddy Baker set the record for fastest Daytona 500 before the stages era at 177.602 mph.
1982: Daytona 500 Becomes Season Opener
Since 1982, the Daytona 500 has been the season-opening race for the NASCAR Cup Series.
1985: No Car Eligible for Provisional Spot
1985 marked the only time that happened in the Daytona 500 from when the provisional was added in 1976 through 2004.
1988: Restrictor Plate Races
From 1988, the Daytona 500 was one of the four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule.
1994: Fox Affiliate Switches
In 1994, then-broadcaster CBS had lost well-established VHF (channels 2–13) affiliates in major markets as a result of the Fox affiliate switches.
1994: Fastest Cars Added to Field
Until 1994, 10 fastest cars which do not advance from the qualifying race are added.
1995: Fastest Cars Added to Field
From 1995, eight fastest cars which do not advance from the qualifying race are added.
1995: Daytona 500 TV Ratings Surpass Indy 500
Starting in 1995, U.S. television ratings for the Daytona 500 began to surpass those of the Indianapolis 500.
1997: Introduction of the Harley J. Earl Trophy
Since 1997, the winner of the Daytona 500 has been presented with the Harley J. Earl Trophy in Victory Lane.
1998: Fastest Cars Added to Field
From 1998, six fastest cars which do not advance from the qualifying race are added.
1998: Installation of Lighting System
The installation of the lighting system at Daytona International Speedway in 1998 resulted in the race starting and ending much later.
2000: Race Start Time
Until 2000, the Daytona 500 race started at 12:15 p.m. EST.
2001: Fox and NBC Alternate Broadcasts
From 2001, Fox broadcasted the Daytona 500 in odd-numbered years under the terms of a six–year, $2.48 billion NASCAR television contract.
2001: Race Start Time
From 2001, the Daytona 500 race start time was moved to 1:00 p.m EST.
2001: Timed Round of Qualifying
Prior to 2001, the timed round of qualifying was three.
2003: Fox and NBC Alternate Broadcasts
In 2003, Fox broadcasted the Daytona 500 under the terms of a six–year, $2.48 billion NASCAR television contract.
2003: Race Shortened Due to Rain
In 2003, the Daytona 500 was shortened due to rain.
2003: Timed Round of Qualifying
Prior to 2003, the timed round of qualifying was two.
2003: Fastest Cars Added to Field
Until 2003, six fastest cars which do not advance from the qualifying race are added.
2004: Fastest Cars Added to Field
In 2004, eight fastest cars which do not advance from the qualifying race are added.
2004: Adaptation of the Green-White-Checkered Finish Rule
Since the adaptation of the green–white–checkered finish rule in 2004, the race has gone past 500 miles on ten occasions.
2004: Earliest Ending Time Since 2004
The 2013 race marked a return to the race's past tradition of ending in the late afternoon, as it ended at about 4:40 p.m., the race's earliest ending time since 2004.
2004: Race Start Time
Until 2004, the Daytona 500 race start time was moved to 1:00 p.m EST.
2004: Qualifying Races Distance
Until 2004, the qualifying races distance was 125 miles.
2005: Qualifying Races Distance
Beginning in 2005, the qualifying races distance was 150 miles.
2005: Fox and NBC Alternate Broadcasts
In 2005, Fox broadcasted the Daytona 500 under the terms of a six–year, $2.48 billion NASCAR television contract.
2005: Race Start Time
In 2005, the Daytona 500 race start time was moved to 2:30 p.m EST.
2005: Race Went Past 500 Miles
In 2005, the Daytona 500 went past 500 miles due to the green-white-checkered finish rule.
2005: Cars Advance to the Field
Prior to 2005, after the top two cars were set, the top fourteen cars in the qualifying races advance to the field.
2006: Race Start Time
In 2006, the Daytona 500 race start time was moved to 2:30 p.m EST and the race ended well after sunset.
2006: Race Went Past 500 Miles
In 2006, the Daytona 500 went past 500 miles due to the green-white-checkered finish rule.
2006: Sixth Largest Global TV Audience
The 2006 Daytona 500 attracted the sixth largest average live global TV audience of any sporting event that year with 20 million viewers.
2006: Races Ending Under the Lights
The 2006 Daytona 500 ended under the lights.
2007: New Television Contract
In 2007, a new television contract was signed, which made Fox the sole broadcaster of the Daytona 500 for eight years and the Daytona 500 race start time was moved to 3:30 p.m.
2007: Race Went Past 500 Miles
In 2007, the Daytona 500 went past 500 miles due to the green-white-checkered finish rule.
2007: First Daytona 500 in Prime-Time
The 2007 race was the first Daytona 500 to go into prime-time, ending at 7:07 p.m. Eastern time.
2009: Race Shortened Due to Rain
In 2009, the Daytona 500 was shortened due to rain.
2009: Race Start Time
Until 2009, the Daytona 500 race start time was moved to 3:30 p.m EST.
2010: Race Went Past 500 Miles
In 2010, the Daytona 500 went past 500 miles due to the green-white-checkered finish rule and it took two attempts to finish the race.
2010: Race Moves Back to Earlier Start Time
In 2010, the race moved back to a 1:00 p.m. start time, which should have resulted in it ending in daylight, but two red flags delayed the race into prime-time.
2011: Race Went Past 500 Miles
In 2011, the Daytona 500 went past 500 miles due to the green-white-checkered finish rule and it took two attempts to finish the race.
2011: Association with Presidents Day Weekend
Until 2011, the Daytona 500 has been associated with Presidents Day weekend.
2012: Race Went Past 500 Miles
In 2012, the Daytona 500 went past 500 miles due to the green-white-checkered finish rule.
2012: First Daytona 500 Postponed to Monday
The 2012 race was postponed to 7:00 p.m. EST on Monday, February 27, due to heavy rain, making it the first Daytona 500 to be postponed to a Monday, as well as the first (and only) Daytona 500 to be run as a night race. The race did not end until about 12:40 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28.
2013: Cars Advance to the Field
Beginning again in 2013, after the top two cars were set, the top fourteen cars in the qualifying races advance to the field.
2013: Fox Contract Extension
In 2013, Fox contract was extended, giving Fox every Daytona 500 from 2015 to 2024.
2013: Race Returns to Late Afternoon Finish
The 2013 race marked a return to the race's past tradition of ending in the late afternoon, as it ended at about 4:40 p.m., the race's earliest ending time since 2004.
2014: Rain Delay
Although the 2014 race started around 1:30 p.m. EST, heavy rain and a tornado warning red–flagged the race after 38 laps and it was delayed for a record six hours and 22 minutes; the race finished the entire 500–mile distance around after 11:00 p.m. the same day
2014: Fox Becomes Sole Broadcaster
In 2014, Fox was the sole broadcaster of the Daytona 500 for eight years.
2015: Race Went Past 500 Miles
In 2015, the Daytona 500 went past 500 miles due to the green-white-checkered finish rule.
2015: Race Ends After 203 Laps
The 2015 race started on time around 1:00 p.m., and ended after 203 laps due to a Green–white–checkered finish.
2016: Race Considered Official After Halfway Point
Until 2016, the race was considered official after halfway (100 laps/250 miles) had been completed.
2017: Race Considered Official After Stage 2 Conclusion
From 2017, the race was considered official after the conclusion of Stage 2 (120 laps/300 miles) when stage-racing was introduced.
2018: Association with Presidents Day Weekend
Again since 2018, the Daytona 500 has been associated with Presidents Day weekend.
2018: Race Went Past 500 Miles
In 2018, the Daytona 500 went past 500 miles due to the green-white-checkered finish rule.
2019: End of Restrictor Plate Era
In 2019, the Daytona 500 was the last of the restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule.
2019: Race Considered Official After Stage 2 Conclusion
Until 2019, the race was considered official after the conclusion of Stage 2 (120 laps/300 miles) when stage-racing was introduced.
2020: Race Considered Official After Halfway Point or Stage 2 Conclusion
In 2020, the rule was revised to consider the race official at either halfway or the conclusion of Stage 2 (whichever comes first) and it took two attempts to finish the race.
2020: End of TV Ratings Dominance
Until 2020, U.S. television ratings for the Daytona 500 were the highest for any auto race of the year.
2021: Indy 500 Surpasses Daytona 500 in TV Ratings
In 2021, the Indianapolis 500 surpassed the Daytona 500 in TV ratings and viewership.
2021: Qualifying Session Held on Wednesday
Since 2021, the qualifying session is now held on the Wednesday evening leading up to the race.
2022: Daytona 500 held on NBA All-Star Game Day
Since 2022, the Daytona 500 was held on the same day that the NBA All-Star Game was held.
2023: Longest Daytona 500
The 2023 running is the longest Daytona 500 contested, lasting 212 laps/530 miles.
2024: Fox Becomes Sole Broadcaster
In 2024, Fox was the sole broadcaster of the Daytona 500 for eight years.
2024: Fastest Daytona 500 Record
In 2024, William Byron set the record for fastest Daytona 500 during the stages era at 157.178 mph.
2025: Television Coverage Cuts into Fox Shows
In 2025 Rain delays forced the Daytona 500 race to go on longer, with television coverage cutting into numerous Fox Animation Domination shows.
