The 1959 Daytona 500 was the second race of the 1959 NASCAR Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) season. It was held on February 22, 1959 in front of 41,921 spectators.^[1] It was the first race held at the 2.5 mile (4.0 kilometer) Daytona International Speedway. Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is NASCARs top racing series. ... is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... A kilometer (Commonwealth spelling: kilometre), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ... Daytona International Speedway is a superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. ...

Qualifying

Cotton Owens had the fastest qualifying lap 143.198 miles per hour (mph) (230.45 kilometres per hour [km/h]). The starting lineup was decided in part by a 100 mile (160.94 kilometer) qualifying race. Bob Welborn, winner of the 100-mile (160 km)r earlier in the week, started on the pole position as 59 cars took the green flag.^[2] Everett Cotton Owens the King of the Modifieds (born May 21, 1924 at Union, South Carolina) was a NASCAR driver. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometres per hour (American spelling: kilometers per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... Robert Bob Joe Welborn (May 5, 1928 - August 10, 1997) of Denton, North Carolina is a former NASCAR Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) driver. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Race

There were no caution periods in the race. Welborn led the early laps in the race but his race ended after 75 laps (of 200) with engine problems. Other leaders in the first 22 laps of the race were "Tiger" Tom Pistone and Joe Weatherly. Fireball Roberts took over the lead in lap 23, leading the next 20 laps. Johnny Beauchamp led several laps before Pistone and Jack Smith battled for the lead during the next 100 miles (160 km). Tom Pistone (born March 17, 1929 in Chicago) is a former NASCAR Grand National driver from Chicago. ... Joe Weatherly (May 29, 1922 - January 19, 1964) was a two-time NASCAR championship driver. ... Edward Glenn Fireball Roberts, Jr. ... Jack Smith and Curtis Turner at Daytona Beach in 1952, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection Jack Smith(born May 24, 1924 died October 17, 2001), is a former NASCAR driver. ...

Petty battled with Beauchamp during the final 30 laps of the race, and they were the only two drivers to finish on the lead lap. Petty took the lead with 3 laps left, and led at the start of the final lap. Petty and Beauchamp drove side by side across the finish line at the end final lap for a photo finish. Beauchamp was declared the unofficial winner by NASCAR officials who felt he had won by 12 inches (30 centimeters), and he drove to victory lane. Petty protested the results, saying "I had Beauchamp by a good two feet. In my own mind, I know I won."^[2] Beauchamp replied "I had him by two feet. I glanced over to Lee Petty's car as I crossed the finish line and I could see his headlight slightly back of my car. It was so close I didn't know how they would call it, but I thought I won."^[2] Early leader Fireball Roberts, who was standing by the finish line, said "There's no doubt about it, Petty won."^[2] It took NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. three days to decide the winner the following Wednesday.^[2] In the end, with the help of photographs and newsreel footage, Petty was officially declared the winner. A photo finish occurs in a sporting race, when two (or more) competitors cross the finishing line at near the same time. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... William Bill Henry Getty France, Sr. ... A newsreel is a documentary film that is regularly released in a public presentation place containing filmed news stories. ...

The controversial finish helped the sport. The delayed results to determine the official winner kept NASCAR and the Daytona 500 on the front page of newspapers.

Official results

The race lasted 3:41:22, with an average speed of 135.521 mph (218.10 km/h).^[1]

1. Lee Petty^[1]
2. Johnny Beauchamp
3. Charley Griffth
4. Cotton Owens
5. Joe Weatherly
6. Jim Reed
7. Jack Smith
8. Tom Pistone
9. Tim Flock
10. Speedy Thompson
11. Johnny Allen
12. Raul Cilloniz
13. Curtis Turner
14. Junior Johnson
15. Dick Freeman
16. Joe Lee Johnson
17. Marvin Panch
18. Gene White
19. Roy Tyner
20. Jimmy Thompson
21. Herman Beam
22. Wilbur Rakestraw
23. Jim McGuirk
24. Larry Frank
25. Elmo Langley
26. Rex White
27. Ben Benz
28. Dick Joslin
29. Ken Rush
30. Bob Rose
31. Harold Smith
32. Dick Foley
33. Brownie King
34. Glen Wood
35. Bob Pronger
36. Billy Carden
37. Bernie Hentges
38. Shorty Rollins
39. Joe Eubanks
40. Tiny Lund
41. Bob Welborn
42. Buck Baker
43. Ken Johnson
44. L. D. Austin
45. Fireball Roberts
46. Paul Bass
47. Bobby Johns
48. Eduardo Dibos
49. Gober Sosebee
50. Bob Said
51. Bob Duell
52. Pete Kelly
53. Bob Potter
54. Carl Tyler
55. George Green
56. Fritz Wilson
57. Richard Petty
58. Larry Odo
59. Ken Marriott

Lee Petty (March 14, 1914 (near Randleman, North Carolina) - April 5, 2000) was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 60s. ... Everett Cotton Owens the King of the Modifieds (born May 21, 1924 at Union, South Carolina) was a NASCAR driver. ... Joe Weatherly (May 29, 1922 - January 19, 1964) was a two-time NASCAR championship driver. ... Jack Smith and Curtis Turner at Daytona Beach in 1952, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection Jack Smith(born May 24, 1924 died October 17, 2001), is a former NASCAR driver. ... Tom Pistone (born March 17, 1929 in Chicago) is a former NASCAR Grand National driver from Chicago. ... Tim Flock was one of NASCARs early pioneers. ... Alfred Speedy Thompson (born April 3, 1926 in Monroe, North Carolina – died April 2, 1972 in Charlotte, North Carolina) was a NASCAR pioneer and driver in the Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) series from 1950 to 1971, capturing 20 wins along the way. ... For other uses, see Johnny Allen. ... Curtis Turner (born April 12, 1924 in Floyd, Virginia - died October 14, 1970) was an early NASCAR driver. ... Robert Glen Johnson, Jr. ... Joe Lee Johnson (born September 11, 1929 died May 26, 2005) was a NASCAR Grand National series driver who won the inaugural World 600 in 1960. ... Marvin Panch (born May 28, 1926, in Menomonie, Wisconsin) is a former NASCAR driver. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Rex White is a former NASCAR champion. ... ..... ... Lloyd George Shorty Rollins (April 3, 1929 - December 28, 1998) Lloyd George Rollins nicknamed Shorty, born in Granbury, Texas was the first official NASCAR Rookie of the Year. ... DeWayne Louis Lund (November 14, 1929-August 17, 1975), affectionally known as Tiny due to his rather large and imposing size, was born in Harlan, Iowa, and started racing at a young age - first motorcycles, then trying his hand at sprints and midgets. ... Robert Bob Joe Welborn (May 5, 1928 - August 10, 1997) of Denton, North Carolina is a former NASCAR Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) driver. ... The Legend Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. ... Edward Glenn Fireball Roberts, Jr. ... Fireball Roberts leads Bobby Johns at the July 4, 1962 Daytona race, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection Bobby Johns (born May 22, 1932, Miami, Florida) is a retired American racecar driver. ... Boris Bob Said (May 5, 1932 - March 24, 2002) was a Formula One driver from the United States. ... Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver. ...

References