By TYLER BARTH
On Feb. 17, the NASCAR (National Association For Stock Car Auto Racing) season began in Daytona Beach, Florida. The 2019 season will be the 72nd of the country’s most popular racing series.
The Daytona 500, often referred to as the “Great American Race”, was first held in 1959 and has been the first race of the NASCAR season since 1982. It has been run every year since, making the 2019 running the 61st Daytona 500. It is a 200 lap event around a high-banked 2.5 mile oval.
“It’s got the surname ‘Great American Race’ for a reason,” said racing fan Kyle Shock of Michigan, “But what is so significant of the event to me, it’s the history it has these past 60+ years.”
THE EVENT’S HISTORY
Racing at Daytona Beach began in the early 1900s with the Daytona Beach Speed Trials on the area’s sandy shore. In 1948, NASCAR, which had just been formed, began racing at a layout which was made up of a nearby highway and a long strip of sand, and in 1959, racing moved to the brand-new Daytona International Speedway.
The race, a 500 mile jaunt, has been held every February. The first edition of the race captivated audiences with a finish that required three days to sort out simply due to how close it was, and to this day the race is famous both for its close finishes and its massive accidents. Dueling throughout the Daytona 500 is common, and so is teamwork, due to the presence of the slipstream.
“[The Daytona 500] has one of the longest histories in the sport, highest purse, first race, the iconic moments throughout the history, and what got NASCAR into the collective American imagination.”, said racing fan Alex Constantine of Virginia.
The 2019 Daytona 500 saw a dozen yellow flag periods to clean up accidents, and over 15 different lead changes. Driver Denny Hamlin of Virginia was the winner in a Toyota Camry. Hamlin, who has competed full-time at NASCAR’s highest level since 2006, finished second in the Daytona 500 in 2018. Martin Truex Jr. of Mayetta, a small town on the shore, finished 35th after being collected in an accident. Truex Jr. won the NASCAR championship in 2017.
“As someone who lives about 30 minutes south of Martin Truex Jr.’s hometown, it is cool to see his presence of a championship represent the state.”, said racing fan Vince Freeze of New Jersey.
The Daytona 500 itself apparently saw an attendance increase according to the broadcast’s commentators, though exact statistics are unavailable. The amount of individuals watching the race on mobile increased slightly.
NASCAR’s mission statement states that NASCAR’s rulebook “ensures more highlight-reel moments during a race, increases the sense of urgency and emphasizes aggressive racing and strategy“.
DRIVERS!! START YOUR ENGINES!! It's time for the 61st Daytona 500!
— All Access NASCAR (@AcessAllNASCAR) February 17, 2019
I didn’t know Truex was from Jersey. I assumed most NASCAR drivers would come from the south or midwest, so it’s nice to see some northeast representation.