2007 Daytona 500: It has been called "The Great American Race" and "The Super Bowl of NASCAR." No matter what you call it there is no doubt that the Daytona 500 is the biggest, most-prestigous event on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup calendar. The 2007 Daytona 500 promises to be one of the most interesting as NASCAR is very different this year.
Daytona International Speedway: The Daytona 500 is held at the Daytona International Speedway. DIS is in Daytona, Florida which is on the Atlantic coast in the central part of the state.
Daytona is a 2.5 mile tri-oval with 31 degrees of banking in the corners. The high speeds possible here mean that the cars must use restrictor plates in order to keep the speeds manageable.
Daytona 500 History: The Daytona 500 has had some fantastic moments. From great fights to great finishes on the track you can check out the Top Ten Greatest Moments in Daytona 500 History.
Or you might want to check out the highlights from some recent years' Daytona 500.
Daytona 500 Qualifying: Daytona is unique in the way that it sets the lineup for the Daytona 500. No other race on the NEXTEL Cup schedule has a qualifying process like this. You can see the full explanation of the Daytona 500 Qualifying Process here.
All Daytona 500 Winners: This complete list of Daytona 500 winners reads like a who's who among the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time. From Richard Petty to Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon most of the great ones scored in Daytona.
2007 Daytona Coverage:
Saturday, February 10th
- The 2007 Speedweeks started with a whimper as the Budweiser Shootout was pretty boring. Tony Stewart cruised home to the easy win as drivers were pretty cautious on the race track during this non-points event.
Sunday, February 11th
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Sixty-one drivers attempted to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500 today but Robert Yates Racing teammates David Gilliland and Ricky Rudd bested them all to sweep the front row.
Here are the full qualifying results from NASCAR Online.
Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Michael Waltrip are waiting for further word from NASCAR as all three drivers caught the attention of NASCAR inspectors during qualifying inspection.
Monday, February 12th
- The track was quiet today but everybody is buzzing over the potential penalties for Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Michael Waltrip. Were these honest mistakes or an attempt to gain an advantage? How severely should NASCAR punish these teams?
Tuesday, February 13th
- There no on-track activity today but NASCAR handed down their penalties from Daytona qualifying today. These are brutal as NASCAR has stepped up the fines, suspensions and points penalties in an effort to curb the cheating.
Wednesday, February 14th
- NASCAR made a very clear statement today when they issued the penalties to Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota team for its Daytona 500 qualifying infractions. NASCAR is not going to tolerate cheating and any team that tries will receive severe consequences. The penalties announced today set a new all-time record as the most severe penalties that NASCAR has ever handed down.
Thursday, February 15th
- Today's Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying races were thrilling as teams battled back in the pack to try to qualify for the race. Tony Stewart continued his strong Daytona showing by winning race number one. Jeff Gordon made a dramatic last-lap pass to win the second Duel only to fail post-race inspection. Gordon will start Sunday's Daytona 500 in 42nd spot instead of fourth.
- Official Starting Lineup From NASCAR Online
Sunday, February 18th
- Wow, The 2007 Daytona 500 featured quite a finish! Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin battled side-by-side to the checkered flag as a huge multi-car wreck unfolded behind them. This race had a bit of everything. Long green flag runs, interesting storylines and a great finish. The 2007 Daytona 500 truly lived up to all of the hype.
