Earl Motter... Born ... AAA/USAC driver from1955 to 1959
1929
Graham Hill... Born ... British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. Graham Hill is the only driver to win the so-called Triple Crown of Motorsport, which is alternatively defined as winning either: the Indianapolis 500 (won by Hill in 1966), the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1972) and the Monaco Grand Prix (1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969) or the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Formula One World Championship (1962, 1968). Using either definition, Hill is still the only person ever to have accomplished this feat.
1948
NASCAR , a week before the organization was officially incorporated, held its first race for modified stock cars on a 3.2 mile-course at Daytona Beach. In the 150-mile race that featured almost exclusively prewar Fords, Red Byron edged Marshall Teague to become NASCAR's first champion. Stock car racing would become a tradition at Daytona, but prewar Fords would not. By 1949 the Olds 88 had become NASCAR's dominant vehicle.
1953
Bill Blair, Gaining the lead after race long leader Fonty Flock ran out of gas taking the white flag, won the 160 mile NASCAR GN race on the Daytona Beach and road course. Flock held a 65 second lead when the gas tank ran dry in his Olds 88. Teammate Slick Smith pushed Flock's disabled car back to the pits, where he took on fuel and peeled out to finish 26 seconds behind Blair's Olds. Chicago's Bob Pronger won the pole at 115.77 mph, but went sailing and rolling off the North turn on lap 1 while trying to beat Flock into the turn. He continued 4 more laps before retiring. Lee Petty missed the race due to illness and two-time defending race winner Marshall Teague had left for the AAA circuit.
1957
Jimmy Spencer ... Born ... NASCAR driver and commentator. During his days racing modifieds, he was nicknamed "Mr. Excitement" for his sometimes aggressive racing style.
1959
Art Chrisman broke the 180 mph barrier in a supercharged nitro dragster when his "Hustler" did 181.8 mph in the 1/4 mile.
1973
Buddy Baker and Coo Coo Marlin won the twin 125 mile NASCAR GN qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.
1974
Mark Donohue won the first International Race of Champions Final on the 3.81 mile Daytona International Speedway oval/road course.
1976
David Pearson limped across the finish line following a tangle with Richard Petty to take the Daytona 500 victory. Petty had taken the lead with 13 laps to go, but Pearson used the draft to take the lead the last time down the backstretch. Petty bobbled while side by side coming towards the tri-oval and both cars spun and hit the wall. Both cars came to a stop on the grass, but Pearson kept his clutch engaged and rolled past the stalled Petty to take the checkered flag on the apron at about 20 mph. Petty was disqualified after his crew pushed his car the 100 feet to the line.
1979
Buddy Baker and Darrell Waltrip won the twin 125 mile NASCAR GN qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.
1981
Richard Petty and crew gambled by not changing tires on the last pit stop and it paid off with Petty taking his 7th Daytona 500 win. Petty's Buick was in 5th with 25 laps left when crew chief Dale Inman made the call to only take on fuel. Petty came out of the stops with a 10 second advantage and held on to take the checkered 3.5 seconds ahead of Bobby Allison's Rainier Pontiac. Allison had dominated the race, leading 117 laps. It was the first win in GN competition for Buick since 1955.
1987
Bill Elliott , taking the lead when Geoff Bodine ran out of gas with 3 laps to go, won his second Daytona 500. Elliott's Ford Thunderbird beat Benny Parsons' Hendrick Motorsports Chevy by 3 car lengths.
1999
Billy Garrett ... Died ... USAC driver 1956 to 1958
Bill Lipkey ... Died ... He organized the first USAC sanctioned race.
2000
Ray Knepper ... Died ... Drove AAA Indy Cars 1950 & 1951, drove sprint cars in 1956.
ONE DAY
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