Trivia: Pepsi 400

The second half of the Winston Cup season is generally considered to begin with the Pepsi 400 during the July Fourth holiday weekend. The race is held at Daytona International Speedway as the circuit begins its second round of visits to several tracks.

The second Daytona race was originally called the Firecracker 250. Racing at Daytona has a rich history, and the Pepsi 400 has a history of its own.

For example, it's been over 20 years since a pole winner has won this race, one of the longer such streaks on the circuit. In fact, only four times has the pole winner gone on to win the race, the most recent being Cale Yarborough in 1981.

Only five drivers have won the second race at Daytona three times or more, and Bill Elliott and Jeff Gordon are the only active drivers to have visited Victory Lane more than once in the Pepsi 400.

Know much about the Pepsi 400? Enter the Winner's Circle with our five weekly trivia questions.

1) What was the last year the Pepsi 400 carried the name Firecracker?

A) 1981

B) 1984

C) 1988

D) 1991

2) What driver has won the second race at Daytona the most times?

A) Bobby Allison

B) Dale Earnhardt

C) David Pearson

D) Richard Petty

3) Who was the last driver to win both Daytona races in the same year?

A) Bobby Allison

B) Dale Jarrett

C) Sterling Marlin

D) Mark Martin

4) In what year did the Firecracker 250 become the Firecracker 400?

A) 1961

B) 1963

C) 1965

D) 1969

5) Who won the Pepsi 400 in 1997?

A) John Andretti

B) Geoffrey Bodine

C) Terry Labonte

D) Joe Nemechek

ANSWERS:

1) C. The last Pepsi Firecracker 400 was held in 1988. Since 1989, the race has been simply known as the Pepsi 400. Prior to 1984, the race was simply called the Firecracker 400.

2) C. Pearson won the Firecracker 400 five times.

3) A. Allison was the last driver to win both Daytona races in the same season. He accomplished the feat in 1982.

4) B. The length of the race was changed from 250 miles to 400 miles in 1963.

5) A. Andretti won the 1997 Pepsi 400, his first victory in Winston Cup racing. He was in his fourth full season on the circuit.