Daytona Road Course

Discover the history of Daytona Road Course, including NASCAR race winners for the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series, detailed track facts, and a full gallery of past race images.

Daytona Road Course NASCAR Race History
One Daytona Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL, 32114 800-748-7467
Daytona Road Course aerial
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Daytona Road Course seating
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Daytona Road Course Facts
  • Surface: Asphalt
  • Turns: 14
Daytona Road Course Trivia
  • The first NASCAR Cup Series race held on the DAYTONA Road Course was August 16, 2020 and the event was won by Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott.
Daytona Road Course Image Gallery

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Daytona Road Course History

The 3.81-mile road course was built in 1959 and first hosted a three-hour sports car race called the Daytona Continental in 1962. The race length became 1,200 mi in 1964, and in 1966 was extended to a 24-hour endurance race known as the Rolex 24 at Daytona. It was shortened again to six hours in 1972 and the 1974 rendition of the race was cancelled entirely.

In 1973, a sharp chicane was added at the end of the backstretch, approaching oval turn three.

In 1984 and 1985, the layout was modified, re-profiling turns 1 and 2, and moving what is now turn 3 closer to its adjacent turns. In addition, the chicane on the backstretch was modified. A new entry leg was constructed approximately 400 feet earlier, resulting in a longer, three-legged, 'bus stop' shape. Cars would now enter in the first leg, bypass the second leg, and exit out of the existing third leg. Passing would now be possible inside the longer chicane. The construction resulted in a final length of 3.56 miles for the complete road course.

In 2003, the chicane was modified once again. The middle leg was repaved and widened, and now cars would enter through the first leg, and exit out of the second leg. The existing third leg was abandoned. This allowed cars a cleaner entry into oval turn three. After favorable results, in 2010 the third leg was dug up, and removed permanently.