Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 is a 500-mile-long (805 km) NASCAR Grand National Series motor race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The inaugural Daytona 500 was held in 1959 coinciding with the opening of the speedway that had occurred at the same time.

History
The origin of the race is the direct successor of shorter races held on the Daytona Beach Road Course. This long square was partially on the sand and also on the highway near the beach. Earlier events featured 200-mile (320 km) races with stock cars. A 500-mile (805 km) stock car race was held at Daytona International Speedway in 1959. It was the second 500-mile NASCAR race, following the annual Southern 500 which was formed only nine years prior.

List of Daytona 500 winners
For NASCAR Grand National winners at Daytona from 1949 to 1958, see Daytona Beach and Road Course.