There's one race residing at the forefront of everyone's minds as the 2013 Nascar Sprint Cup Series readies to kick into gear this month: the one and only, Daytona 500. The engines will roar for the 55th edition of The Great American Race on Sunday, Feb. 24, at Daytona International Speedway, and while plenty of buzz is justifiably swirling around the Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duels races, there’s no question that this 500-mile gear-grinder is the premier event on the 2013 Sprint Cup Series schedule. Thankfully for fans, this classic stock car race always lives up to the hype, and this year should be as exciting as ever.
In the first round of qualifying, Danica Patrick made history on Feb. 17 by becoming the first woman to secure the pole for any race in the premier NASCAR circuit, adding another major accolade to her growing list of accomplishments. Jeff Gordon proved to be the only real challenger to Patrick, and secured the other qualifying spot. The remaining field will be decided in two Budweiser Duel races held on Feb. 2. Roush Fenway Racing's Matt Kenseth won last season's Duel Race 2 and found himself starting in Position #4 for the big show. Rain began to pour in and postponed the race, but Kenseth persevered to earn his second Daytona 500 victory by edging out Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Greg Biffle on Monday evening.
Things could be especially interesting this time around as top drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, and Aric Almirola may have heavy legs after participating in both the 75-lap Sprint Unlimited and the Daytona Beach Half Marathon. However, these races will also take place at Daytona International Speedway, so they may just serve as excellent practice. 2013 Daytona 500 tickets are on sale now, and Vivid Seats has a variety of premium 2013 Nascar tickets for other races as well, so make sure to purchase yours today to experience all of the rubber-burning action live. For a taste of what's to come, here's a clip of last year's exciting finish:
