Why is the Daytona 500 always in February? Exploring the tradition

The Daytona 500, NASCAR's most popular race, takes place each year on the second or third Sunday of February at the Daytona International Speedway. Cup Series drivers race 500 miles in about 3.5 hours to win the Harley J. Earl Trophy.

NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. built the speedway in 1959 and needed a major race to put it on the map. He picked February because Daytona Beach had been a hotspot for racing.

Racing in Daytona started in 1902 on the beach before a track was made for early stock car races in 1936. World War II put a halt on racing, but, by 1958, the beach track closed and a new, bigger racetrack was built. The first Daytona 500 was held on February 22 the next year. It was a huge success, with 41,921 fans attending and the tradition has stuck since then.

Another reason for a February race was tourism: people from colder states flocked to the beaches, so holding the race during the month boosted ticket sales.

However, the Daytona 500 wasn't always the first race in the season. Back then, it was called the NASCAR International Sweepstakes and was the second race of the season. It became the first race in 1982 and is now the first of two Cup races each season at the 2.5-mile tri-oval track in Daytona.

---

When does the 2025 Daytona 500 start?

The 200-mile season opener event is scheduled for Feb. 16, at 2:30 pm ET, this year. It's the 67th running of the 'Great American Race' race at the Daytona International Speedway.

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 begins on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The Daytona 500's qualifying process is different from other races. With single-lap qualifying, the 10 fastest cars go to a second round, but only the top two are guaranteed front-row spots. The rest of the starting positions are decided on Thursday in two short races called the Daytona Duels.

NASCAR introduced a new rule that guarantees a spot for top drivers like Helio Castroneves, even if they fail to qualify, which can increase the car field from the normal 40 to 41. Eight open teams compete for four open spots in the race except for Trackhouse Racing's Castroneves.

FOX will broadcast the race live but it will also be available for streaming at FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app. The Daytona 500 has been the most-watched car race on U.S. TV since 1995, more than the Indianapolis 500. About 20 million people watched the Daytona 500 in 2006, which made it one of the biggest sporting events that year.