Daytona 500 facts
While investigating facts about Daytona 500, I found out little known, but curios details like:
After a horrific crash, race car driver Ricky Rudd's eyes were swollen so badly he taped his eyes open to be able to race in the Daytona 500, he finished 7th and was given the nickname "Ironman".
The greatest driver in the history of NASCAR is racing legend Richard Petty. He won 200 NASAR races. He won Daytona 500 a total of seven times. Richard Petty invented the window net to help protect the drivers" arms during a crash.
In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across. Here are 12 of the best facts about Daytona 500 I managed to collect.
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When Michael Waltrip won the Daytona 500 in 2001, he simultaneously lost his close friend and team owner Dale Earnhardt Sr, who died blocking so that Waltrip could win
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The Daytona 500 is the biggest NASCAR race of the year. This is also the first race each year.
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One Top Fuel Dragster engine creates more horse power (8,000 HP) than the first four rows of cars at the Daytona 500.
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In the 1967 Daytona 500,Mario Andretti's team purposely held him in the pits in order to let his teammate,Fred Lorenzen,take the lead.Andretti still went on to win the race,passing his teammate 6 laps later.
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Frankie Muniz, of Malcolm in the Middle fame, was the one who was driving the pace car in the Daytona 500 where Dale Earnhardt died.
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Despite being a Spring Break mecca, thong bikinis are outlawed in Daytona Beach. Violations are punishable by a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail
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Before he died at the 2001 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Sr. purchased a stake in a minor league baseball team, and had planned to have an active role in its day to day operations. That team is known as the Kannapolis Intimidators, a reference to his racing nickname.
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DeWayne “Tiny” Lund in 1963 pulled a badly injured driver from a burning race car and was offered the chance to drive the teams car in the Daytona 500. He went on to win the race.
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Austin Dillon just won the 2018 Daytona 500 in the number 3 car on the last lap 17 YEARS TO THE DAY since the late Dale Earnhardt was killed on the last lap at the 2000 Daytona 500 in the number 3 car.
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One top fuel dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more horsepower then the first 8 rows at Daytona.
