Menu
Racing under the lights at Daytona – The World Center of Racing – just seems to be extra special. And it has been one of the most entertaining and anticipated races on the schedule every year since it debuted in 1998. With the added implications of being the playoff cutoff race over the last few years (except this year) and a wild card race that anyone can win to get into the playoffs, it’s become a race that you can’t miss as a fan. We’re going to take a look at the history of the Daytona night race and everything you need to know about it.
Fans usually associate the Daytona night race as a summer tradition. It used to be held on the Fourth of July weekend, but more recently has been a late August cutoff race. However, the very first one in 1998 was held much later. Originally slated to be held on the traditional Fourth of July weekend slot on the schedule, the inaugural event was pushed back more than six months to October, due to wildfires in the area that made it impossible to race.
When cars finally did hit the track on the night of October 17, 1998, it was quite the spectacle. It became the first ever superspeedway race to be held at night. Bobby Labonte put his Pontiac on pole, but points leader and eventual Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon would emerge victorious, going into the record books as the inaugural winner of another event, after claiming the very first Brickyard 400 four years earlier.
The 2001 Pepsi 400 marked a somber return to Daytona for NASCAR, after the death of Dale Earnhardt at the track just 5 months prior on the last lap of the Daytona 500. It would be hard enough for fans and competitors to return after such a tragedy, as the sport lost its biggest icon in a wreck at its most famous track. But Dale Earnhardt Jr. would be making the return to Daytona without his father, and no one knew what they should or could expect from the 26-year-old Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver at a place that had taken the life of his father.
But Junior defied expectations in this race. He led a race high 116 of 160 laps and looked every bit of the part like his father was on superspeedways. However, after a late race caution, Junior dropped from the front of the field back to sixth on the restart with 6 laps to go. The race that looked to be well in his hands started to look grim, as his car was mired in traffic for one of the first times all night. But it didn’t take long for the #8 to get to the front. Junior rocketed to the front of the pack in less than two laps and never looked back. Dale Jr. won in historic fashion at a track where his father had dominated throughout his career. There may have never been or ever again will be a more iconic moment in NASCAR history than that July night in southeast Florida.
The 2015 Coke Zero 400 saw Dale Earnhardt Jr win his final race at Daytona, but despite the sport’s most popular driver capturing victory at the sport’s most iconic track, it was somehow overshadowed if you can believe it. The incident that overshadowed it might be the most thrilling and terrifying crash we’ve ever seen in NASCAR history. Coming to the finish line, the pack was jumbled up jostling for position, when suddenly the #3 car of Austin Dillon literally lifted off the track and flew into the catch fence. The carnage that ensued was jaw dropping, as Dillon’s Chevrolet would eventually come to rest on its roof near the exit of pit road. Crew members from a number of different teams ran out to the destroyed car to offer support, and the entire NASCAR world was on edge until Dillon emerged from the wreckage.
When Daytona became the regular season finale, it brought with it an extra sense of urgency and importance for drivers outside of the playoff picture. With the win and you’re in format, winning means no matter how bad your season has been, if you win a race, you are in the playoffs. Daytona being a wildcard that anyone has a chance to win, you can imagine the chaos that can come during a race that could potentially make or break a drivers season. Recent examples of drivers winning their way into the playoffs in the Daytona cutoff race have been William Byron in 2020 and Austin Dillon in 2022.
This year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 is sure to be a barnburner. With a tight playoff cutline and the wildcard opportunity that Daytona presents for non-playoff drivers, we’re sure to see some fireworks on Saturday night. Who do you think captures the checkered flag this year? Let us know by connecting with us at The Daily Downforce on all our social channels.
