NASCAR's deep history is surprisingly not very well known, even for avid fans; this article is meant to get fans in the know of the most notable NASCAR history that happened throughout this week.
February 15th, 1948 - 14,000 race fans pay $2.50 for a ticket to watch the first NASCAR-sanctioned auto race at the Daytona Beach-Road course, in which 50 of 62 cars originally entered will compete for the checkered flag; Red Byron wins the historic race.
February 15th, 1953 - Bill Blaire passes Fonty Flock on the last lap to win the NASCAR Grand National race at the Daytona Beach-Road course, after Fonty Flock runs out of fuel, and cannot get his car to the finish line. The finish was the first last-lap pass for the win in NASCAR history.
February 17th, 1957 - Cotton Owens gives the Pontiac nameplate its first NASCAR victory when he takes the checkered flag to win at the NASCAR Grand National Daytona Beach race.
February 18th, 1962 - Fireball Roberts caps off a successful Speedweeks performance by winning the iconic Daytona 500, after claiming victory in the American Challenge invitational event for 1961 winners, snagging the pole position for the Daytona 500 and the Twin 100-mile qualifier. However, his win is withheld three days later when Richard Petty challenges Roberts' victory, by stating that Roberts' pit crew used more than 6 pit crew members during the race.
February 19th, 1970 - Rookie Talmadge Prince is killed in a crash on the 19th lap of the second Daytona qualifier; Yarborough and Charlie Glotzbach win the twin 125-mile qualifiers.
February 18th, 2001 - Michael Waltrip wins the Daytona 500, but celebration is marred with tragedy as NASCAR's most dynamic racer Dale Earnhardt, the 'Intimidator' is killed in a last-lap crash. Waltrip's Daytona 500 win marks his first NASCAR Winston Cup career victory.
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