The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap, 500 mile (805 km) auto race held on February 18, 2007 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. There has been 55 drivers that have qualified for this race.
The Daytona 500 is widely considered to be NASCAR's most important and prestigious race, and has the largest purse, although it is equivalent to other races on the calendar for championship purposes. It is also the circuit's first race of the year; this phenomenon is virtually unique in sports, which tend to have championships or other major events at the end of the season rather than the start. Since 1995, U.S. television ratings for the Daytona 500 have been the highest for any auto race of the year, surpassing the traditional leader, the Indianapolis 500.
