Daytona International Speedway

The Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is where the two exhibition races, the Advance Auto Parts Clash, Can-Am Duel, and the two points-paying races, the Daytona 500 and Coke Zero Sugar 400 is held. The track is also where the Rolex 24 at Daytona is held, and also two Xfinity Series races and one Camping World Truck Series race. 

 History 
Daytona speedway was built in 1959. Races had been held on the hard sandy beach since 1902.DK Publishing, Inc., Daytona (London: Dorling Kindersley, 2010), p. 219 Racing on the beach ended in 1959 when Daytona International Speedway opened. Bill France, Jr. was behind the construction of the speedway. The first race was won by Lee Petty in a field of 59 cars. In 1962, the first major race on the road course was held. It was won by Grand Prix driver Dan Gurney driving a red Lotus. Near the end of the race and with a 2 minute lead, his engine failed. He coasted across the finish line to win.

By the 1960s, the sportscar race was made into a 24 hour race. This required multiple drivers for each car and involved a long period of racing at night. Both races grew in popularity in the 1970s and 80s. Today the Daytona 500 is an important race in NASCAR. The Rolex 24, which is named that because it is sponsored by the Rolex watch company, is an important endurance race.Matt Doeden, Sports Car Racing (Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Co., 2009), p. 28

 Related pages 
 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
 Texas Motor Speedway
 Charlotte Motor Speedway
 Atlanta Motor Speedway
 Michigan International Speedway
Kansas Speedway
 Richmond Raceway
 Bristol Motor Speedway
 Talladega Superspeedway
 ISM Raceway
 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
 Auto Club Speedway
 Bristol Motor Speedway
 Martinsville Speedway
 Pocono Raceway

 References 

 Other websites 
 Daytona International Speedway
 Daytona International Speedway Map  

Category:NASCAR tracks
Category:Daytona Beach, Florida
Category:1959 establishments in Florida