“I messed up my lane choice” - Chase Elliott bummed about his mistake in the Daytona 500
About Daytona 500
The NASCAR Cup Series 65th Annual Daytona 500. [Credits: Getty Images]
The NASCAR Race Daytona 500 doesn’t need any introductions. It is a well-known event in the racing community and people from all over the world, especially the United States eagerly anticipate this race. The DAYTONA 500, as its name suggests, is a 500-mile race held for 200 laps. The DAYTONA 500 constitutes the 4 crown jewel races of the NASCAR Cup Series.
Unlike other sports, which tend to have their most important races at the end of the season, the Daytona 500 is always the first race on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar. The pomp and glamor of Daytona provide a huge boost to the championship.
The drivers and spectators go through an equally exciting array of emotions, as they race to claim glory at the most important track of NASCAR Cup Series and oval racing. The DAYTONA 500 succeeds the Vacation Duels gearing up to an enthusiastic start, full of expectations from the audience and high determination from drivers.
DAYTONA 500 History
The DAYTONA 500 succeeds the shorter races held at the Daytona Beach Road Course. It used to be a comparatively shorter race that lasted for 200 miles. In 1959, for the first time, a 500 lap race was held at the Daytona International Speedway and it became the second 500 mile race after the Southern 500. It was known as the 500 Mile International Sweepstakes for two years. In 1961, the race was finally crowned as the Daytona 500 which we know today.
The race at Daytona was considered official, only after 100 laps (250 miles) had been completed. However, post the 2016 season, the stage system was introduced, according to which the race was considered official after the completion of Stage 2 (120 laps/ 300 miles). The longest Daytona 500 ever contested was during the 2023 season. The race went on for 530 miles/ 212 laps due to the green-white-checkered flag rule.
1959 Daytona 500
DAYTONA 500 2024 Schedule
The season opener of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series will be held on the 18th of February at 2:30 PM Eastern Time. The Great American Race is going to be held on Sunday and the qualifying session will be held on Saturday. The timings of the qualifying session are yet to be decided. The race will comprise 3 stages, the first two stages will be 65 laps each, and the final stage will be 70 laps long.
DAYTONA 500 2024 Venue
The DAYTONA 500 2024 will be held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is a superspeedway and the surface is paved asphalt. The track is 2.5 miles long. The banking angles of its turns are 31 degrees, whereas the tri-oval at the start/finish line has a banking of 18 degrees.
It was designed in 1959 by NASCAR Founder William “Bill” France Sr. He built the track in such a way that the banking permitted extreme speeds for drivers and a better view of cars for the fans. Daytona International Speedway races for multiple racing series. It is one of the 3 tracks in the NASCAR Cup Series that are known as drafting tracks. The longer endurance races are held at the Daytona Road Course which is 3.8 miles long. Austin Dillon holds the record for fastest car at Daytona in 2018 with a top speed of 150.545 mph.
The Daytona International Speedway. [Credits: Getty Images]
DAYTONA 500 2024 Driver’s Standings
The driver's standings are going to be equal before the start of the race. Daytona is the first race of the NASCAR Calendar and all eyes will be on the superstars of last season. The 2023 Cup Series Champion, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Larson will be among the favorites for the prestigious event. The winner of the 2023 DAYTONA 500 was Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driving the no. 47 Chevrolet for JTG Daughterty Racing.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wins the Daytona 500 in 2023. [Credits: Getty Images]
Drivers with the most wins in DAYTONA 500
The most notable name in the list of Daytona 500 winners is Richard Petty. The NASCAR maestro has won Daytona a whopping 7 times. The current driver with the most wins in Daytona and actively racing in NASCAR is Denny Hamlin. He has won the DAYTONA 500 in 2016, 2019 and 2020. Among the teams, Petty Enterprises has won the event 9 times in total and Chevrolet is the most successful manufacturer in DAYTONA 500 with 25 winning cars.
Richard Petty and his wife with the Daytona 500 trophy. [Credits: Getty Images]
Where to watch the 2024 Daytona 500?
The DAYTONA 500 will be broadcast on February 18th, 2024 at 2:30 PM Eastern Time on Fox Network and radio coverage will be handled by MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR radio.
DAYTONA 500 start time in different time zones
Greenwich Mean Time: Sunday 18th February, 7:30 PM
Pacific Time: Sunday 18th February, 11:30 PM
Japanese Time: Monday 19th February, 4:30 AM
Indian Standard Time: Monday 19th February, 1:00 AM
FAQs
A. The ticket prices for the Daytona 500 start from $115 and can go as high as $6299.
A. One lap at the Daytona 500 is 2.5 miles long.
A. The Daytona 500 is scheduled for 200 laps.
A. The DAYTONA 500 will be broadcast on February 18th, 2024 at 2:30 PM Eastern Time.
A. The winner of the 2023 Daytona 500 won approximately $2.4 million, but the figures aren’t released yet.
A. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the Daytona 500 in 2023.
