The event known as 'The Super Bowl of NASCAR' is NASCAR's biggest race and also the circuit's first race of the year. The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap race held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. This is one of America's most popular events and watched on television by even more people than the Indy 500.

The very first race was run in 1959 and Lee Petty was the winner after a three-way battle between himself, Johnny Beauchamp, and Joe Weatherly. Beauchamp was declared the winner, but three days later, new clippings showed that Petty had actually won.

Daytona is popular because it's an exciting race; drivers are willing to push the envelope to make things happen, and this can result in some gripping racing--and some gruesome crashes. In fact, Daytona holds record for the most cars crashed at the same time, which happened in 1960. The 500 was also the first race to be televised in its entirety in 1979. During this first, Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough were fighting it out for the lead and wrecked, allowing Richard Petty to steal the win. Allison and Yarborough got into a fight on national television with even Bobby Allison joining in. This, of course, only boosted the ratings, setting the tone for this thrilling event for years to come.

While this race is always broadcast nationally, little can compare to experiencing it in person. It is recommended that you purchase your Daytona 500 tickets well in advance, as they sell very quickly. Tickets will still continue to be available from aftermarket sources like online auctions, though, even after the traditional ticket venues have sold out.

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