The inaugural Daytona 500 was held in 1959 coinciding with the opening of the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The race serves as the final event of Speedweeks and is sometimes known as "The Great American Race" or the "Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing".

The finish was so close that it took NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. three days to decide the outcome. In the end, with the help of photographs and newsreel footage, Petty was officially declared the winner.

The Harley J. Earl Trophy is named after influential automobile designer Harley Earl, who served as the second commissioner of NASCAR.

Richard Petty, nicknamed The King, won the Daytona 500 a record seven times.

In 1979, fans were treated to a excellent finish, as well as an entertaining fist fight between drivers Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison who collided and crashed on the final lap to give Richard Petty the win.

Matt Kenseth won the Daytona 500 from the 39th starting position in 2009, the deepest a victor has ever started.

Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt collided with Ken Schrader after making contact with Sterling Marlin and hit the outside wall head-on. An autopsy conducted on February 19, 2001 concluded that Earnhardt died instantly.

Janet Guthrie made history in the 1977 Daytona 500, finishing 12th when her car's engine blew two cylinders with ten laps to go, though she still earned the honor of Top Rookie.

"The Great American Race" is 200 laps and covers 500 miles.