rssThe History Of The Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 is the Mecca of the stock car world. Each year on the 2nd or third Sunday in February race fans come from all over the country to witness the most prestigious event of the NASCAR season. This uniquely American style of racing has evolved from a primitive haphazard collection of jalopy driving dare devils to a highly sophisticated contest of precision and skill. The ever popular crowd pleasing, bumper cramming, fender slamming driving strategies which helped make the sport popular in its infancy, continues to be the signature of the sport today.

DAYTONA BEFORE NASCAR

Long before the first stock car ever rolled into Daytona, millionaire car enthusiasts piloted their steel steeds to the breaking point in their quest for land speed records and bragging rights on the hard packed sands of the world’s most famous beach. In 1903 Ransome Olds (founder of the Oldsmobile) challenged Alexander Winton to a contest of speed on Ormond Beach, Florida. This momentous event is generally regarded as the first officially sanctioned time trial ever staged on Daytona Beach. This contest of speed would later cause Daytona Beach to be known worldwide as the “Birth Place of Speed”. Winton beat Ransome Olds in that first ever event and went on to set a world land speed record the following year when he reached a speed of 68 miles per hour.

While Daytona is generally given the credit for the speed records, much of the speed record attempts and subsequent stock car races were actually run on Ormond Beach, a small beach side community just north of Daytona. This area first attracted the interest of billionaire John D. Rockafeller who in turn attracted a steady stream of millionaires who wanted to be associated with him and the community he loved. They brought their families and their cars. They raced for glory.

On March 29, 1927 England’s Major Henry Seagrave broke the 200 mile per hour barrier at Daytona in his Sunbeam “Mystery S,” twin engine machine. Year after year new challengers came from all around the world to make their mark. Many found success and fame, but none found more of both than England’s Sir Malcomb Campbell. He set five of his 11 World Speed records on Daytona Beach, where his best effort clocked him at 276.82 miles per hour in his Bluebird V on March 7, 1935. The Bluebird V is on display at the Daytona 500 Experience located at the Daytona International Speedway. (Since 2010 the museum, once opened to the public year around, is only open for special events on a limited schedule).

DAYTONA’S STOCK CAR ERA

Sir Malcomb Campbell’s record setting run on the beach in 1935 would mark the end of land speed record attempts at Daytona. In 1936 and subsequent years, land speed record challengers converged on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats. That same year, on March 8th, the first stock car race was held at Ormond Beach, Florida. William France, Sr., who would later become the founding father of NASCAR finished 5th in that race. For several years various promoters scheduled stock car racing events in Ormond and though they managed to draw large crowds, the ventures were commercial failures. All that changed, however, when William France Sr. met with 17 fellow stock car owners and decided to form a racing league they would call the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). William France purchased the land to build a new high banked super speedway just a few miles inland.

Today’s Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5 mile tri-oval 31degree high banked asphalt track which seats 175,000 fans. It hosts two major NASCAR races each year, as well as several other notable car and motorcycle events. It is located next to the Daytona International Airport and is approximately 2 miles from Daytona Beach.

THE STARS OF DAYTONA

The very first Daytona 500 debuted on February 22, 1959 on the newly constructed 2.5 mile high banked tri-oval with thousands of cheering fans in attendance. Lee Petty was crowned the winner of that inaugural race, but not before a storm of controversy developed over a contested photo finish. On the final lap of the race Lee Petty and Johnny Beauchamp were neck and neck as they broke for the finish line. At that same moment a slower car driven by Joe Weatherly was also crossing the finish line, but he was a lap down. Weatherly’s car was inconsequential to the finish except for one small matter. His car blocked the view of the camera set up to photograph the finish. Since the official camera had no view of the finish both drivers claimed victory. Two days later, after reviewing photographs taken from a variety of angles from other photographers, Lee Petty was declared the official winner. His controversial win only gave fans that much more to crow about. With the running of the very first Daytona 500, a field of stars were born. That field included Lee Petty, Jr. Johnson, Richard Petty, and other drivers, many of whom came with moonshine resumes.

With a newly built super speedway and a newly formed professional stock car association to support, Bill France went looking for fast cars and talented drivers to help put on a show. Former moonshiners, like Junior Johnson, became big stars in NASCAR by turning their once illicit talents into legitimate racing skills. Junior became one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history. His racing success and his colorful past combined to make him an American folk hero. After years of legitimate success in NASCAR President Reagan pardoned Junior Johnson in 1986 for the bootlegging crimes he was convicted for in his youth.

Richard Petty who ran in the same 1959 Daytona 500 that his father won, went on to claim 7 Daytona 500 victories for himself. No other driver has earned so much success at Daytona, although some have come close. Cale Yarborough won 4. Bobby Allison, Dale Jarrett, and Jeff Gordon each won 3. Mario Andretti is the only foreign born driver to win the Daytona 500, having won the jewel of NASCAR in 1967.

TODAY, TOMMORROW AND BEYOND

While Daytona’s racing history can be traced back to the dawn of the 20th century, the Daytona 500 is still relatively new when compared to other racing venues. It’s history has only just begun. However, this uniquely American racing sport has developed a loyal fan base which helps insure that this great American race will continue to add pages to the history books for years to come. Watching to see who will become the next 7 time winner, or the first women victor, or the next foreign born champion makes being a live spectator something special. Why? Because there is only one way to be a part of that history. You must BE THERE when it’s made!