DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that the inaugural annual Daytona 500 had a controversial finish? For a brief history, the racing event was held on the Daytona International Speedway which was built by NASCAR founder Bill France. It was located on Daytona Beach, Florida, United States and was 2.5 miles, or 4 kilometers long. On February 22, 1959, the most prestigious event in NASCAR, Daytona 500, was launched. This first race lasted for almost 4 hours after 200 laps.

The 1959 Daytona 500 had no caution periods and had thirty-three lead changes. But, what's interesting about this event was the way it has ended. It was Lee Petty, driving a '59 Oldsmobile Super 88, going head to head against Johnny Beauchamp who is driving a Ford Thunderbird. The last fifty laps of the race only had the two drivers. Petty led with three laps left until they enter the final lap. The two racers drove shoulder to shoulder across the finish line, and the flagman declared Beauchamp the winner. Petty protested the outcome claiming that he had his counterpart by a good two feet. After three days of review, Bill France officially declared Lee Petty the winner, with the help of T. Taylor Warren's photograph. Such ending never occurred again in the succeeding Daytona 500 events. Compared to back then, it's easier to determine who's winning the NASCAR race today. One probable reason is the emergence of technology where a finish-line camera is already available. Fans can also see what really happened, thanks to NASCAR live streaming services. Even though most of those are free, there were a few that offer free NASCAR streaming online. But if you are unsure and skeptical about the free ones, there are also some legal sites to watch sports. Whatever the way of watching, what matters is that the NASCAR fanbase continues to grow and support the sport.