Most Watched Event in American Motorsports Abundant With Compelling Storylines and Intrigue
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Daytona 500 is the ultimate season opener in professional sports. NASCAR’s biggest and most prestigious race remains far and away the top-rated and most-watched event in American motorsports, as well as one of the premier sporting events in the world.
Nearly 200,000 fans are expected to attend “The Great American Race” at the hallowed grounds of the recently resurfaced Daytona International Speedway. The millions of fans across the globe who will tune in to the Daytona 500 broadcast on FOX should be in for a good show. With 52 lead changes, last year’s race was the most competitive Daytona 500 in NASCAR history and with the track’s new surface, the racing is anticipated to be better than ever for the 53rd annual running.
FOX will broadcast the 2010 Daytona 500 live on Sunday, Feb. 20. The historic race is packed with unique and compelling storylines – both on and off the track – that will appeal to traditional and non-traditional fans.
· New Surface: For the first time since 1979, the Daytona 500 will be run on a new surface, which should lead to one of the fastest and most exciting installments of the “Great American Race. The $20 million, five-month repaving project required 50,000 tons of asphalt for the 2.5 mile track banked three stories high. Driver response in testing has been very positive and fans are eager to see who will have bragging rights as first to claim the Harley J. Earl trophy on the new, smoother surface at Daytona International Speedway.
· Jimmie Johnson’s Historic Streak: While Jimmie Johnson’s unprecedented championship streak was put the test last season by rival drivers Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, in the end, Johnson overcame a points deficit in the final race to hoist his fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship trophy. Johnson now trails only seven-time champions Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, charter members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, for most titles in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history.
· Stars Looking for a Turnaround: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers and Mark Martin are looking to rebound in 2011. The four stars combined for seven wins and 36 top-five finishes in 2009. Last season the quartet went winless with just 21 top-fives cumulatively. Most notably, Brian Vickers, one of NASCAR’s rising stars, spent most of the 2010 season sidelined due to medical issues. 2011 provides an opportunity for each of these drivers to attempt to turn things around.
· Team Changes: As Jimmie Johnson continued his historic championship streak last season, many teams made moves to close in on the five-time defending champ. Joe Gibbs Racing proved to be a formidable competitor with its trio of stars, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano. Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards won the final two races of the 2010 season, while all three Richard Childress Racing drivers qualified for the Chase. In an attempt to keep pace with the competition, Hendrick Motorsports, over the offseason, shuffled crew chiefs among the teams of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Mark Martin. With the eyes of the entire field set on Johnson, the pressure is building for a team to step up and unseat NASCAR’s remarkable champion.
· Surprise Winners: The excitement of the Daytona 500 comes in part due to the unpredictability a super speedway can bring, especially with a freshly-paved track. In the past, the “Great American Race” has proven to be difficult to predict. Several surprise drivers have taken the checkered flag, including Jamie McMurray (2010), Ryan Newman (2008) Ward Burton (2002), and Michael Waltrip (2001). But, don’t count out the superstars. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. each have a Daytona 500 title on their resumes.
· Green Movement: Continuing NASCAR’s commitment to the environment, starting in 2011, Sunoco Green E15 will be used in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The new fuel, a 15 percent ethanol blend made with American ethanol from corn grown in the U.S., will provide NASCAR fans the same great racing they expect when the green flag, emblazoned with the American Ethanol log, drops each race—all with a new, greener fuel which produces slightly more horsepower.
Daytona 500 Fast Facts
What: 53rd Annual Daytona 500
Where: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
When: Sunday, Feb. 20
Field: 43 cars
Track Layout: 2.5-mile high-banked tri-oval
Race Length: 200 laps/500 miles
Network: FOX
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), SIRIUS/XM NASCAR Radio
On the Web: NASCAR.COM
Defending Champion: Jamie McMurray
Notable Past Champions: Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt and Dale Earnhardt