2009 Daytona 500

The 2009 Daytona 500, which will be the fifty-first running of "The Great American Race", will be the first points-paying race to open the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The convert|500|mi|km race will be held on February 15th of that year at the convert|2.5|mi|km Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. FOX is scheduled to televise the race in what will be the final analog telecast of a major sporting event in the United States. Two days following the race, full digital broadcasting will begin in the USA. Radio coverage will be handled by Sirius XM Radio on satellite radio and over-the-air via MRN Radio in the USA.

Daytona 500 winners and past champions who are locked in by owner points:

*2-Kurt Busch, 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion, 3 runner-up finishes in the 500 (2002, 2005, 2008)
*88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2004 Daytona 500 winner
*24-Jeff Gordon, four-time Cup Series champion (1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001), three-time Daytona 500 winner (1997, 1999, 2005)
*29-Kevin Harvick, 2007 Daytona 500 winner
*48-Jimmie Johnson, two-time Cup Series champion (2006 and 2007), 2006 Daytona 500 winner
*17-Matt Kenseth, 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, best 500 finish of 9th in 2004
*43-Bobby Labonte, 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, runner-up in the 1998 Daytona 500
*39-Ryan Newman, reigning 500 winner
*55-Michael Waltrip, two-time Daytona 500 winner (2001 and 2003)

Past winners and Champions currently outside the top 35:
*14-Tony Stewart, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, runner-up in the 2004 Daytona 500

Other past winners and champions who may compete:
*Ward Burton, 2002 Daytona 500 winner
*Derrike Cope, 1990 Daytona 500 winner
*Terry Labonte, two-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion (1984 and 1996), three-time Daytona 500 runner-up (1986, 1990, and 1997)
*Sterling Marlin, two-time Daytona 500 winner (1994 and 1995)