The Daytona 500 is the iconic 500-mile NASCAR Cup Series season-opener held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Considered the most prestigious and important race in NASCAR, the Daytona has opened the NASCAR season every February since 1982. It is one of two Cup Series races held yearly at Daytona, with the second – a 400-mile event – as the regular-season finale in 2021. The Daytona 500 also is one of four superspeedway races to use tapered spaces. Richard Petty owns a series-best seven Daytona 500 wins, followed by Cale Yarborough with four. Denny Hamlin is the only active driver with multiple victories (3) in the “Great American Race.”