DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR drivers are sharing their thoughts on how great the Daytona 500 is.
WPTV reporter Kendall Hyde spoke with some of the biggest names in the sport about the importance of the event and the track that started it all.
Since 1959, the Daytona 500 has been a staple of the sport known as NASCAR.
“It's Daytona. What else do you need to know about it?” said 2015 Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano. “The history of our sport is being built here. When you come here, you see what that is.”
NASCAR driver Kyle Larson shared the same opinion.
“They made this event a prestigious event,” Larson said. “The purses, the trophies, the crowd, the atmosphere here is unparalleled.”
This legendary track spans nearly 500 acres and features the famous 31-degree high banks, allowing drivers to reach top speeds and giving fans great views of the 4.5-mile speedway.
There can only be one winner, and for Martin Trew Jr., he's hoping his childhood passion brings him luck on Sunday.
“It's the biggest race of the year,” said Trieu, who has raced in the Daytona 500 20 times. “It's also the start of a new season, so it's kind of interesting. It's always just the excitement of preparing for the offseason and coming here to see what you have.”
For some drivers, this truck represents nothing but fond memories.
“I won,” Logano said with a laugh.
For others, it's all about changing your luck.
NASCAR driver Chase Elliott said, “I've finished second here once. I think it's cool. I wanted to win, but it was a so-so finish.” “The rest of it crashed, so not much good happened.”
“I don't think finishing second is a good memory, but here we were in some of the closest finishes of all time,” Trew said. “It was great. I wish we were on the other side.”
Each driver at this track has a lot of history, so expect fireworks over the weekend.
Daytona 500 coverage begins Sunday on WFLX FOX 29 at 2:30 p.m.
