Daytona 500 today!

Woke up this morning and turned on the news to see the weather forecast for today’s “ Great American Race,” the Daytona 500, and it was no real surprise when the lovely Elizabeth Hart on WKMG-TV,  told us to expect showers this afternoon. Wholly typical that we’ve had no rain over the last few weeks yet on the one day we don’t want any, we’re going to get some!

Anyway, all being well the 51st annual Daytona 500  will be started at approximately 3.15pm by three time Daytona 500 champion Bobby Allison who will serve as the Honorary Starter in the biggest, richest and most prestigious race in America.

Before the race goes green though race fans will be entertained with the Sprint Pre-Race Show, a heart-stopping pre-race show that has feature top-notch entertainers in past years such as Mariah Carey, LeAnn Rimes, Vanessa Williams, Five For Fighting, Bon Jovi and Kelly Clarkson.

The Daytona 500 has produced many of the most memorable moments in the history of NASCAR.

From the famous fight between Donnie and Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough in 1979 to the three-wide photo finish of the inaugural 1959 Daytona 500, something special always happens at the Daytona 500.

Most recently in 2007, the 49th annual Daytona 500 produced the closest finish since the advent of electronic scoring with Kevin Harvick nosing Mark Martin at the start/finish line by .020 seconds.

In the 50th running of the Daytona 500, Ryan Newman passed Tony Stewart on the last lap to win the most anticipated event in racing history and hoist the gold Harley J. Earl trophy in the air.

Newman’s name is now on a list with other legendary Daytona 500 champions such as Lee and Richard Petty, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Bobby and Davey Allison, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darrell Waltrip, Buddy Baker, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

Who will be the champion of the 51st Daytona 500 in 2009? We will just have to wait and see. And if Elizabeth can make the rain wait until after it’s done, we’d all appreciate it.

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