FUN WITH MAPS DAILY FEATURE: ISSUE 2024-034

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (February 22, 2024) – Today’s edition of Fun with Maps celebrates the start of racing history.

THE GREAT AMERICAN RACE

The first Daytona 500 race was held 65 years ago today – February 22, 1959.  It was won by Lee Petty, the father of Richard Petty who holds the record for the most Daytona 500 wins.

The event, which begins the NASCAR racing season, is considered the most important and prestigious race of the year.  It is a 500-mile race, run at the Daytona International Speedway.

The Speedway course is a 2.5-mile track which means it requires 200 laps of the track to complete the 500 although the rules allow for a race to be considered complete after the halfway point. 

The 2024 race was held earlier this week, on Monday February 19th.  The winning driver was William Byron with an average speed of 157 miles per hour.

The Speedway hosts many other races, outdoor concerts, and events.  One of the most popular, Bike Week, is coming up in early March.  If scheduling allows a visit to the track can include a chance to drive a NASCAR vehicle or be a passenger for a 3 or 6 lap circuit.

Florida’s colorful map, showing the counties, is shown here from 1864.  Johnson issued it in his various atlases.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.