Finished in 1959, Daytona was a true breakthrough when it opened, and it still stands as the signature NASCAR venue in the world today. Long and fast, Daytona is a 2.5 mile tri-oval with a full 31 degrees of banking in the turns and 18 down the front stretch. With a track that long and highly banked, cars could easily reach speeds well in excess of 200 miles per hour, so NASCAR mandates carburetor restrictor plates. By restricting airflow to the carburetor, the plates take peak engine power way down. But the place is still fast.
With less horsepower, the cars tend to ride around the track in packs and tactics are critical. Get out of line and you can go from the front to the back in a hurry. Find yourself out front alone, and the trailing pack will gobble you up. One tiny bobble can set off a wreck that takes out half the field. It’s white-knuckle racing, for sure.
Horsepower and aerodynamics are the key in any plate race, and the cars that can perform well in the draft will have an advantage. Still, handling does come into play more at Daytona than it does at its sister track, Talladega, especially when tires are old. It also doesn’t hurt to have a friend or two helping push you to victory.
Daytona International Speedway Stories
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TRACK FANS
