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Daytona 500 Race

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The Daytona 500 race is a 200 lap, 500 mile (805 km) NASCAR-Nextel Cup Series race, held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida. Considered as NASCAR’s most important race and a race with the largest purse, the Daytona 500 race is the NASCAR circuit’s first race of the year. The Daytona 500 race is also known as the “Great American Race” and the “Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing”.

The first Daytona 500 race was February 22, 1959, where Lee Petty was the winner. 1979 marked the first Daytona 500 race and 500 mile race, period, that was broadcast live on national television. The Indy 500 had been shown on television through tape delay. NASCAR and the Daytona 500 race was pushed into the national spotlight because of a final lap crash and the subsequent fight between leaders Cale Yarborough, Donnie Allison, and his brother Bobby Allison.

Restrictor plate racing was brought into the Daytona 500 race in 1988. A restrictor plate is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its’ power and slows acceleration. This was mandated at the 1988 Daytona 500 race because it was thought that speeds were getting too high at speedways.

Since 1995, the United States television ratings for the Daytona 500 race have been higher than any other auto race of the year, topping the habitual leader, the Indy 500. CBS aired the Daytona 500 race from 1979 until 2000. The 2001 Daytona 500 race was the first NASCAR Winston Cup (now Nextel Cup) points race to be televised by Fox Network. As of 2007, Fox is the exclusive home of the Daytona 500 race.

The Daytona 500 race used to begin at 12:15 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) from 1979 to 2000. In 2003, the Daytona 500 race was sure to run into dusk. With the engines starting at 2:40 p.m. and the green flag waving at 2:55 p.m., the Daytona 500 race was going to finish under the lights. 2005 marked the first time the Daytona 500 race ended at sunset. The 2006 Daytona 500 race ended after sunset. For the first time in the 2007 Daytona 500 race and beyond, the Daytona 500 race will finish in prime-time.

On Point specializes in arranging exclusive sports travel packages to major sporting events around the world. A Daytona 500 package through On Point means much more than getting fantastic seats for the race. By using our private jet charter services, we can arrange a private flight in a Learjet 60, or any number of private jets featured in our aircraft guide, to and from the hosting city. A Daytona 500 travel package means we can provide private transportation to and from the airport, as well as to the Daytona 500. It means arranging deluxe accommodations at the finest hotels in the area, reservations at fine dining restaurants, preferential access to our on-site concierge service 24 hours a day, and more. With the many options available through an On Point Daytona 500 package, you and your party can attend exclusive celebrity parties and private events. Our expertise and connections in the profession can provide you access to “meet and greet” events with today’s race car celebrities as well as racing legends of the past. On Point can also arrange admission to private extravagant Daytona 500 Parties and other elaborate events.