History
After the beach's land-speed record era, organizers in 1936 laid out a course running along the hard-packed sand and back on the parallel highway. The first race lost money, and Bill France took over promotion in 1938.
The course hosted NASCAR's first sanctioned race in February 1948 and Grand National races through the 1950s, with the lap lengthened to 4.2 miles. Growing development made it harder to run, and after Paul Goldsmith won the last race in February 1958 the event moved to the new Daytona International Speedway.
Why it matters: The birthplace of NASCAR racing and the forerunner of the Daytona 500.
Timeline
- 1936First beach-road race[1]
An AAA race organized by Sig Haugdahl was stopped after 75 laps; Milt Marion was declared winner.
- February 15, 1948First NASCAR-sanctioned race[1]
Red Byron won the modified race days before NASCAR was formally organized.
- July 1949Strictly Stock race[1]
Red Byron won the second race of NASCAR's first season.
- February 23, 1958Last race[1]
Paul Goldsmith won the final Grand National race on the course.
The site today
| Physical status | Status unknown |
|---|---|
| Current use | Public beach and highway; a restaurant called Racing's North Turn stands at the former north turn.[1] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Venue facts
| Location | Course using the beach and State Road A1A; north turn at the present Racing's North Turn restaurant, Daytona Beach / Ponce Inlet, Florida |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Motorsports |
| Level | NASCAR, AAA |
| Opened | 1936[1] |
| Last used for sports | February 23, 1958[1] |
| Physical status | Status unknown |
| Surface | Sand and asphalt |
| Closure | Urban growth along the beach; replaced by Daytona International Speedway in 1959. |
Sources
- Daytona Beach and Road Course, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, coordinates, current land use, events, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Wikipedia's infobox gives 1902 as the opening (beach speed trials); this record uses 1936, the first race on the combined beach-road course.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.