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Event
Information:
The
Daytona 500 is a 500 miles (804.7
km)-long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
race held annually at the Daytona
International Speedway in Daytona
Beach, Florida. It is one of four
restrictor plate races on the Cup
schedule. Jamie McMurray is the
defending champion of the race.
The Daytona 500 is regarded as the
most important and prestigious race
on the NASCAR calendar, carrying by
far the largest purse. Championship
points awarded are equal to that of
any other Sprint Cup race.
The event serves as the final event
of Speedweeks and is sometimes
referred to as "The Great American
Race" or the "Super Bowl of Stock
Car Racing." It is held the second
or third Sunday in February, and
since 1971, has been loosely
associated with Presidents Day
weekend.
The winner of the Daytona 500 is
presented with the Harley J. Earl
Trophy in Victory Lane, and the
wiQualifying is unique at Daytona
for the 500. Some teams must race
their way into the Daytona 500
field. The first row is set by one
round of qualifying, held one week
before the race. (Prior to 2003,
this was two rounds; prior to 2001,
it was three.) The remainder of the
field is set by a pair of qualifying
races (these were 100 miles (160 km)
from 1959–1967; 125 miles (201 km)
from 1969–2004; and 150 miles (240
km), with two-lap overtime if
necessary, beginning in 2005. These
races were not held in 1968 because
of rain). The top two drivers from
the qualifying races that are not in
the top 35 in owner points are given
spots on the field, and the rest is
set by the finishing order of the
duels, with guaranteed spots to
those in the top 35. The remaining
spots, 40 to 43 are filled by top
qualifying times of those not
already in the field from the
qualifying race. If there is a
previous NASCAR Champion without a
spot, he will get one of those four
spots, otherwise, the fourth fastest
car is added to the field.nning car is displayed, in
race-winning condition, for one year
at Daytona 500 Experience, a museum
and gallery adjacent to Daytona
International Speedway.
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