FLORIDA FEATURE ARTICLES : DAYTONA BEACH

A Proud Racing Heritage

Daytona Beach, Florida

From the historic timed trial that pitted wintering millionaires Ransom Olds and Alexander Winton against each other in 1903, to the present day, when famous race car drivers such as Jeff Gordon and Sterling Marlin compete head to head in the glorious race known as the Daytona 500, the Daytona Beach area has been, and continues to be, synonymous with speed.

In the historic race in 1903 between one of those playboys, Ransom E. Olds Ð father of the Oldsmobile Ð and Alexander Winton, Winton beat Ransom in the Ormond Challenge Cup Ð the sportÕs first sanctioned timed trial. Their battle launched AmericaÕs love of motor racing and the sleepy little winter resort town of Ormond Beach garnered its place in history as "The Birthplace of Speed."

That seminal race didn't end Winton's fascination with speed. Determined to set a world Land Speed Record, Winton returned the next year with a faster car named "The Bullet No. 2" and set the Land Speed Record to 68 miles per hour. 19 annual tournaments of speed were held on the shores of Ormond and Daytona Beach from 1904-1935, advancing the world Land Speed Record 15 times.




Though there was no automobile racing in any form from 1941-1947, interest in the sport reawakened and evolved in the post-war prosperity.
Meeting in a Daytona Beach motel, Bill France and 18 other members of the racing industry formed the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the sanctioning body for stock car racing, and on December 14, 1947. Bill France the organization's president, opened a new 4.1 mile stretch of beach track located near Ponce Inlet.

France's track was a roaring success and large crowds congregated at the site for a decade to see the races. In 1959, his vision became reality with the completion of construction of a high-banked 2.5-mile tri-oval track known as Daytona International Speedway.

The first Daytona 500 was run on February 22, 1959. More than 41,000 fans witnessed a race .

Over the last four decades, NASCAR racing has continued to grow in popularity. More than 150,000 race fans attend the association's premier race, the Daytona 500, which is now nationally televised on CBS. Competition remains fierce, with the margin of victory totalling just seconds!

In addition to the Daytona 500, which is held each February, and the Pepsi 400 held annually in July, major motorcycle races are staged in both March and October at the speedway. In December, go-kart racers from around the world zoom around the speedway's road course.

DAYTONA USA , a year-round attraction dedicated to auto racing and its rich legacy, features a historic walk of fame that chronicles milestone events in racing and the evolution of speed. Visitors to DAYTONA USA may also take a tour of Daytona International Speedway.







Photo: Visit Florida









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