Daytona 500, Speedway turned 65 this year; celebrate with our new book

The Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona 500 celebrated their 65th anniversary in 2024 and show no signs of slowing down.

From the early years of fast cars in Daytona Beach to the birth of speedway in 1959 and the wild decades that saw this staple of the sports world become the Great American Race, relive the entire story with a new book from the Daytona Beach News-Journal and USA TODAY Network.

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“High Banks & Heroes: 65 Years at Daytona International Speedway” traces the rapid rise of the Daytona 500 from year to year, achieving status as the “Super Bowl of stock car racing.”

There have been career-defining triumphs, heartbreaking defeats and, yes, the odd tragedy over the six-plus decades, written by giants of the sport (Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and others) and men like Tiny Lund, Derrike Cope and Trevor Bayne, who made the Daytona 500 their one shining NASCAR moment.