NOVA MCGILL
Contributor
The inaugural running of the Daytona 500 occurred on February 22, 1959 at the newly constructed Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. This event, created by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., was intended to be the flagship event of stock car racing and soon came to be known as “The Great American Race.”
Prior to the Daytona 500, most of the NASCAR events were held on dirt or beach courses, including previous events held at Daytona Beach. The construction of the new speedway represented a significant improvement in the sport, as it included a high-banked, paved track that enabled higher speeds and more exciting racing. The 500-mile event brought in the best drivers and a huge crowd, which indicated the increasing popularity of stock car racing in America.
The 1959 race ended with one of the closest finishes in motorsports history. Drivers Lee Petty and Johnny Beauchamp crossed the finish line almost side by side, and officials needed three days to study photographs before declaring Petty the winner. The dramatic ending helped capture national attention and established the Daytona 500 as NASCAR’s most prestigious event.
Photo from automotivehistory.org