2019 Daytona 500: 3 NASCAR facts to know before the Daytona 500

2019 Daytona 500: 3 NASCAR facts to know before the race

DAYTONA, FL - FEBRUARY 10: The car of Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Hendrick Motorsports Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro, is pushed onto pit road during Daytona 500 Qualifying on February 10, 2019 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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The Daytona 500 opens the 2019 NASCAR season this weekend, but don’t tune into the race without knowing these three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series facts.

Sunday marks the 61st running of the Daytona 500, NASCAR‘s premier event and one of the most well-known motor races in the world. It marks the beginning of a new NASCAR season and a new chance at Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series immortality.

But there’s a lot to talk about before the green flag flies at Daytona International Speedway. There are storylines to follow at every track, and this one is certainly no exception. There are drivers and crew members in new places, disagreements that have already started to brew, and more than a few remarkable details that have emerged in the lead-up to the next Great American Race.

Click through this slideshow to discover three interesting facts and figures about this year’s race as you prepare for the 2019 Daytona 500.

DAYTONA, FL – FEBRUARY 10: William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Axalta (24) during qualifying for the 61st annual Daytona 500 on February 10, 2019 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Hendrick’s young front row

William Byron made personal history when he earned his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole on Feb. 10, making him the pole sitter for the Daytona 500. That’s a positively massive improvement for the 21-year-old, who started 33rd out of 40 drivers last year.

But that’s not the only line in the NASCAR record book that was written during Daytona 500 qualifying. His teammate Alex Bowman was second fastest on the day, with Jimmie Johnson coming in third and Chase Elliott in fourth. That made this the first time Hendrick Motorsports had ever swept the first two rows in qualifying, as well as the fifth year in a row that they put a driver on the pole.

Ready for even more interesting details? It’s somewhat amusing that Bowman is starting next to Byron on the front row, because Bowman won the pole in 2018.

That hasn’t translated to results yet; Bowman and Byron have combined for a best Daytona 500 finish of 17th in five attempts. They also have a combined age of 46. Why is that important?

Because together, they’re only three years older than the person starting behind them: 43-year-old Kevin Harvick. Two of them makes just slightly more than one Harvick. But if either of them win Sunday, they’ll tie him in Daytona 500 victories: one.

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