NASCAR held the first Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 22, 1959
It was won by the legendary Lee Petty driving a ’59 Oldsmobile to an incredibly close and historical photo finish victory.
Petty’s win was a major moment in racing, but there were co-stars in every race from 1959-2019 that didn’t get the spotlight.
Jerry Sutherland
They were the pace cars, and they painted a picture of what was hot in the automotive world over 60 years at Daytona Speedway.
The first Daytona 500 pace car was a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville convertible.

That was an excellent choice because it packed a 389 cubic inch 260-horse V-8 under the hood—easily enough to get the big Poncho up to lap speed. Better yet, it was a perfect example of maximum ’59 cool factor at Detroit.
Ten years later, on February 23, 1969, the pace car was a classic 1969 Camaro RS/SS convertible.

They ran a big block, 396 cubic inch, 350-horse in the ’69 pace car with a high-speed friendly 2:73 posi rear end. This pace car is a top shelf model for every Camaro guy on the planet and yes—it had no trouble setting the laps for winner LeeRoy Yarborough in a ’69 Torino Cobra.
The 1979 Daytona 500 pace car on February 18, 1979, was a 10th Anniversary Pontiac Trans Am.

The T/A had a 400 cubic inch V-8 matched with a 4-speed— this T-top configuration reflected what was hot during the disco era. Bear in mind, the actual pace car would have been tweaked to handle the acceleration and handling required at a race track.
The ’79 Daytona 500 became legendary for many reasons. It was the first live flag-to-flag broadcast on a major TV network and there was a major brawl between the Allison Brothers and Cale Yarbrough on the final lap after a crash.

This event rocketed NASCAR into the spotlight and yes—King Richard Petty won the race in an Oldsmobile 20 years after his dad did the same thing.
The 1989 Daytona 500 on February 19, 1989, was less dramatic.

The pace car was a 1989 Pontiac Turbo Grand Prix with a 205-horsepower, turbocharged, 3.1-liter V-6, so it had the new-tech jam to handle the pace car duty. Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip won his first 500 that day in a Chevrolet and the race was most notable for Waltrip’s boisterous reaction after the win.

Daytona 500 1999 on February 14th featured a 1999 Pontiac Trans Am pace car to mark the 30th anniversary of the legendary T/A name.

These cars came with an LT-1 small block that produced 320 horsepower, so lap speed was not an issue. The ’99 T/A was a high-tech car—the perfect fit for the last year of the 20th century. Jeff Gordon was the winner in the #24 Rainbow Warrior Chevy—it wouldn’t be his last win at Daytona.
The 2009 Daytona 500 pace car on February 16, 2009, was a 2010 Camaro.

This Next Gen Camaro was the first Camaro to pace a Daytona 500 since 1969—a 40-year gap. It had 426 horsepower, so lap speed acceleration was effortless. Tom Cruise drove some opening pace laps in the Camaro and Matt Kenseth won the race in a Ford.
The 60th Anniversary Daytona 500 pace car on February 17th, 2019, was a Chevy Silverado pickup—a first for the famous race.

This brute came with a 6.1-liter V-8 that came with 414-horsepower, so it handled the track even though it was massive. Dale Earnhardt Jr. piloted the big truck, and Denny Hamlin won the race in a Toyota Camry.
That’s a lot of history over 60 years of the Daytona 500—the pace cars (and trucks) were significant co-stars.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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