Event Guide

The 500 Experience

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When attending a NASCAR race, a race fan has their traditional pre-race activities such as visiting souvenir haulers and displays, enjoying their favorite race fare and tailgating with their friends.

It’s a schedule that a race fan performs before any Sprint Cup Series race. But the Daytona 500 isn’t just any race and Daytona International Speedway isn’t just any track.

The Daytona 500, nicknamed “The Great American Race,” is the biggest, richest and most prestigious race in America and one every fan must experience in person.

The Daytona 500 is a culmination of DIRECTV Speedweeks, a 10-day festival of speed which includes the Camping World 300 Nationwide Series race, the Chevy Silverado 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, the Gatorade Duel At Daytona qualifying races, the Budweiser Shootout, ARCA 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race and Daytona 500 Qualifying.

Traditionally a sell out since the inaugural event in 1959, the Daytona 500 has become more than just the kick-off event to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It’s become a sporting spectacle.

Before the race goes green, race fans are entertained with the Sprint Pre-Race Show, a heart-stopping pre-race show that has feature top-notch entertainers in past years such as Mariah Carey, LeAnn Rimes, Vanessa Williams, Five For Fighting, Bon Jovi and Kelly Clarkson.

For the 50th running of the Daytona 500, Brooks & Dunn, Chubby Checker, Michael McDonald and Kool and the Gang performed.

Race fans can also get into the heart of the atmosphere of the Daytona 500 through a Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE pass, which includes activities such as:

• Photo opportunities on the start/finish line and pit road
• Watching teams stage their cars and pit stalls
• Viewing pre-race entertainment through driver introductions

Inside the Sprint FANZONE, there’s also plenty to do. This uniquely designed fan area features amenities such as:

• Looking through the windows into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garages.
• Viewing the garage activity from the Sprint FANDECK overlooking the garages
• Strolling through the Goodyear Legends of Daytona
• Dining at the Budweiser Bistro
• Live entertainment in the Entertainment Zone

And then there is the racing. The Daytona 500 has produced many of the most memorable moments in the history of NASCAR.

From the famous fight between Donnie and Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough in 1979 to the three-wide photo finish of the inaugural 1959 Daytona 500, something special always happens at the Daytona 500.

Most recently in 2007, the 49th annual Daytona 500 produced the closest finish since the advent of electronic scoring with Kevin Harvick nosing Mark Martin at the start/finish line by .020 seconds.

In the 50th running of the Daytona 500, Ryan Newman passed Tony Stewart on the last lap to win the most anticipated event in racing history and hoist the gold Harley J. Earl trophy in the air.

Newman’s name is now on a list with other legendary Daytona 500 champions such as Lee and Richard Petty, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Cale Yarborough, David

Pearson, Bobby and Davey Allison, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darrell Waltrip, Buddy Baker, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

Who will be the champion of the 51st Daytona 500 in 2009? We will just have to wait and see. But race fans don’t want to wait too long to purchase their tickets.