The is the current name for the 400 mile (approx. 640 km)
NASCAR Nextel Cup Stock Car Race held on the
July 4 th weekend at
Daytona International Speedway . This 160-lap event was developed to make a second major Cup-level racing event for Daytona which would not detract from the legendary nature of the
Daytona 500 . Since 1998 it has been held at night by employing a lighting system using parabolic reflectors which allow very intense lighting to be focused on the track in an indirect manner without being directly in the drivers' eyes, which obviously would create a very unsafe situation. From 1963 to 1988, this race was known as the '''Firecracker 400'''; prior to that, it was the '''Firecracker 250''' (100 laps, 250 miles).
From 1959 to 1987, the race was always scheduled for July 4, regardless of the day of the week. Beginning in 1988, the race was moved to the Saturday of July 4th weekend. In 1998, wildfires in Florida postponed the race, and it was held in October. Before it became a night race in 1998, the race normally started in the morning (10:00 AM or 11:00 AM) to avoid hot temperatures and the frequent mid-afternoon thunderstorms.
''See also:''
List Of Current NASCAR Races
