Most notable Daytona 500 off-track moments
2 of 11
Both Keanu Reeves and Owen Wilson in attendance
This may not strike you as a big deal, but these two actors were both on hand for the Daytona 500 in 2017. It was the long-awaited face-to-face meeting of “Whoa ..." and “Wowww ..." the world had been waiting to see.
3 of 11
James Franco unable to recite just four words
LOVED this guy in “127 Hours," “Spring Breakers" and several other films. But it's “Drivers, start your engines!" That's all. Just say it and wave. Do not take some sort of creative license. BUT HEY, James “YOU HAD ONE JOB" Franco went rogue anyways, saying "Drivers, and Danica, start your engines!" The irony of the situation is we all had that stupefied, confused look on our faces after this happened -- the one he's kind of famous for. Just Google "Confused James Franco."
4 of 11
Austin Dillon makes Daytona 500 victory a**-official
I guess for some people, a “WINNER" sticker on the race car just isn't enough. Late in the evening, after his Daytona 500 winner obligations were complete, Austin Dillon and his crew headed out on the town, I'm sure with a sound and clear mind, and all got matching Daytona 500 tattoos on their backsides. This picture could be Dillon ecstatic he won, him feeling the tattoo needle the first time or him waking up the next day only to realize what he had just done.
5 of 11
Jamie Little's ponytail decimates John Cena
WWE superstar John Cena has faced several tough opponents in the ring, but none more formidable than NASCAR on FOX ace reporter Jamie Little's ponytail. Prior to the 2016 Daytona 500, Little accidentally lashed Cena's face as she walked by him. In wrestling parlance, he “no-sold" it, as in he acted like it didn't hurt, but that's just because he knew he was on TV. Certainly he spent hours in the infield care center afterward. Years later, he decided to harness the power of much longer hair, too.
6 of 11
Both track and Twitter set on fire
We are a unique sport in that the playing surfaces of most other sports aren't typically set on fire. You don't see a World Series game interrupted because the shortstop spontaneously combusts mid-inning. That's why we're lucky and get moments like this from the 2012 Daytona 500. It happened on Twitter -- not the track. We're of course talking about Brad Keselowski's notable in-car tweet of the race-halting blaze. Kudos for staying in the car. I'd have gone full Sterling Marlin, gotten out of my car, walked right up to it and taken a selfie worth the price of the upcoming fine.
7 of 11
The Kiss
Ah, live TV. A blessing and a curse. It captures all manner of spontaneous moments, including this one from the 2013 Daytona 500. Erin Andrews turned away at just the right time from 50 Cent. Apparently being a pre-race reporter at the Daytona 500 has something in common with being a driver in the Daytona 500 -- you sometimes have to swerve to avoid a big mess.
8 of 11
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins Daytona 500 and Twitter in same night
We all remember Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Daytona 500 victory in 2014 for two reasons -- first, it happened at like 2:45 a.m. because of a rain delay, and second, because Earnhardt decided to finally join Twitter afterward. It was nuts. If he followed you, it felt like the super popular quarterback of the high school football team inviting you to sit at his table during lunch. And it has been that way ever since.
9 of 11
The receiving line for Dale Earnhardt Sr.
A moment that will live on in lore. It's unrankable, but it seemed appropriate to rank it No. 3. It happened on pit road -- which is arguably part of the track but whatever. Earnhardt's sole Daytona 500 victory, happening in 1998, was marked by basically the entire garage lining up on pit road to congratulate him. Imagine your competitors respecting you this much.
10 of 11
Darrell Waltrip's 1989 victory "dance"
There's really not enough quotes in the world to put around the word “dance" in this instance. But Darrell Waltrip's 1989 Daytona 500 victory was capped off with this attempt at doing the "Ickey Shuffle" -- a touchdown dance invented by Cincinnati Bengals fullback Elbert "Ickey" Woods, who kindly did not sue Waltrip for copyright infringement or for turning his signature dance into an arhythmic jig.
11 of 11
The fracas in the infield
And in the No. 1 spot, the legendary 1979 Daytona 500 fight that put the sport on the map. A real donnybrook. Cale Yarborough vs. The Allison Bros. in the handicap match for the ages. The wreck happened on track, but the fight happened off the track, so it is therefore eligible. This is by far the best image from the battle where it looks like Bobby Allison is biting Yarborough's leg like a rabid Doberman Pinscher going after the mailman.