Speedweeks

For ESPN program, see SpeedWeek.

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Hershey's Milk & Milkshake Speedweeks (historically known as Daytona Speedweeks and DirecTV Speedweeks) is a name given to a three-week (now four because of an off-week between two races) series of auto races held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States of America in early February. The events lead up to and include the NASCAR Daytona 500.

Schedule

As of 2011, the following schedule is followed. All events are televised on SPEED except for NASCAR Nationwide Series sessions, which are broadcast on ESPN2 and three events are broadcast on FOX: Daytona 500 Qualifying, the Budweiser Shootout, and the Daytona 500.

5 Weeks Prior to Daytona 500

A three day open test is held for teams from Thursday to Saturday.

4 Weeks Prior to Daytona 500

Throughout the Week: Practice and Qualifying Sessions for Sports Car races.

Friday: KONI Sports Car Challenge Race

Saturday/Sunday: Rolex 24 at Daytona Race. Current Start/End Time is 3:00 PM ET.

3 Weeks Prior to Daytona 500

No track activity due to the Super Bowl. However, track officials do clean the track and make final preparations for the arrival of stock cars. If the Super Bowl (as was the case in 2010) occurs on February 7, and the Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 14, the off-week does not exist, and the Rolex week is January 29-31.

2 Weeks Prior to Daytona 500

Thursday: Team Haulers Enter

Friday Morning/Afternoon: Practice for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series exhibition race, the Budweiser Shootout & ARCA RE/MAX Series Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 Practice/Qualifying

Friday Night: Random draw to determine starting lineup for the Budweiser Shootout

Saturday

Morning/Early Afternoon: Opening Practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series main event, Daytona 500, Qualifying for ARCA RE/MAX Series Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200

4:00 PM ET: ARCA RE/MAX Series Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 race (80 laps). Race must be completed by 7:00 PM ET to allow for pre-race ceremonies for the Budweiser Shootout to begin on schedule. This has led to the shortening of this event in the past.

8:00 PM ET: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shootout exhibition race (70 laps in 2 segments of 20 & 50 laps respectively)

Sunday

Noon ET: Time Trials/Front Row Qualifying for Daytona 500 & Gatorade Duel races (2 laps for each car, plus a warm-up and cool down lap)

NOTE: In 2010, as the Super Bowl was hold on February 7 and the Daytona 500 on February 14, there was no activity on Sunday. Daytona 500 qualifying was held at 12 Noon, with the ARCA race at 4 PM, and Shootout at 8 PM on that Saturday.

Week Prior to the Daytona 500

Monday and Tuesday

Currently there is no track activity. If rain washes out Daytona 500 qualifying, then NASCAR will attempt to conduct qualifying on the next clear day (Monday, et al).

Wednesday

Two practice sessions for the Gatorade Duel and practice for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events. One practice each for the Nationwide and Truck races will be reserved for drivers with no prior experience.

Thursday

Morning: Final Practice for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event

2:00 PM ET: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gatorade Duel races. (60 laps/150 miles/2 races, sets the field for the Daytona 500)

Night: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, parc fermé enforced.

Friday

Late Morning/Early Afternoon: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice. Under NASCAR's engine rules, teams may change engines and transmissions after the Duel but once this practice begins, all NASCAR restrictions on engines and transmissions apply.

Afternoon: NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying, parc fermé enforced.

Night: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 race (100 laps/250 miles)

Saturday

Morning: Final Practice for the Daytona 500

1:00 PM ET: NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 race (120 laps/300 miles)

Sunday

1:00 PM ET: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500, "The Great American Race" (200 laps/500 miles) Pre-race coverage begins on SPEED as early as 9:00 AM ET, FOX starts its pre-race coverage at Noon ET.

Monday

Winner's car is enshrined in the Daytona 500 Experience museum located on the speedway grounds for one calendar year.

History

In 2005, a 5K run was added to the Speedweeks schedule, as part of the Rolex 24. Runners were awarded admission tickets to the Rolex 24 as part of their entry fee.

In 2007, the IndyCar Series hosted an open test on the road course configuration during the week after the Rolex 24. No race was scheduled, however.

In 2010, the event will be run over three weeks, as formerly done, due to the move of Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying to Saturday, leaving Super Bowl Sunday off.

Nearby tracks New Smyrna Speedway and Volusia County Speedway run special events during the period.

Races held during DirecTV Speedweeks

• KONI Sports Car Challenge
• Rolex 24 at Daytona
• ARCA RE/MAX Series - Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200
• NASCAR Sprint Cup - Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying
• NASCAR Sprint Cup - Budweiser Shootout
• NASCAR Sprint Cup - Gatorade Duel
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series - NextEra Energy Resources 250
• NASCAR Nationwide Series - DRIVE4COPD 300
• NASCAR Sprint Cup - Daytona 500

Races held at Daytona in February not associated with DirecTV Speedweeks

• AMA Superbike Championship - Daytona 200
• AMA Supercross Championship - Daytona Supercross

Former events during DirecTV Speedweeks

• International Race of Champions
• Daytona 500 consolation race
• NASCAR Sportsman Series 300
• NASCAR Dash Series Daytona 200