daytona

The Daytona 500 is a 500 mile NASCAR Cup Series motor race in Daytona Beach, Florida, at Daytona International Speedway. The first race was held in 1959 when the speedway opened and has been the season-opening race in the Cup Series since 1982.

During the inaugural race in 1959, the first winner was Lee Petty driving a hardtop Oldsmobile Super 88 as No. 42.  Petty was the father of legendary racer Richard Petty. Known as “The Great American Race,” it is one of the most prestigious and watched line-ups.

The Daytona 500 is still going strong today as they continue to give back to the community by doing various events. They host their Christmas light show every year, offered a victory lap for high school by hosting graduation during the pandemic, and become a drive-up Coronavirus (COVID-19) Testing Center to help keep the community safe. It has had a long and prosperous career and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.