One of the most impressive and overpowering structures I have ever seen is the Daytona International Speedway. For first-time visitors, the scene is quite overwhelming. I will never forget my first trip to Daytona Beach, Florida, as a college student on vacation. Stumbling across the Daytona Speedway was quite a shock.

The Daytona 500 Speedway is one of the most revered and well-recognized cathedrals of speed that exists on earth. But wasn’t always that way.

The Daytona 500 Speedway opened for business in 1959. Amazingly, even though it has been resurfaced dozens of times, it still has the same size, shape, length and the same banking slopes from the day it was built.

The very first stock car race was held on the sands of the Daytona Beach on March 8, 1936. Due to several factors, among them pressure from the authorities, the racing boys were forced to find a “respectable” place to race in the early 1950’s. Bill France began construction on the superspeedway in 1957, and it the project took two years to complete. The original version was built to hold 10,000 spectators and the final cost of the project was approximately $1.6 million.

Let’s update that to 2006 figures. The facility now holds over 150,000 spectators and the winner of last year’s race took home a cool $1.7 million. The total purse of this year’s competition will be over $18 million, and the broadcast will reach more than 20 million viewers.

When construction was originally completed, the track was not considered safe for racing and it was forecast that carnage would result. The Daytona International Speedway claimed its first life in 1959, when Marshall Teague perished in a violent crash while driving an Indy Car around the track. That crash and resulting death cast a looming shadow over the majestic raceway, and that heavy cloud has been hovering over the track ever since.

The Daytona International Speedway covers 480 acres of ground dedicated to speed and excitement. Inside the historic tri-oval track, there is also a 3.56-mile road course. Sitting in the infield of the track is Lake Lloyd which covers 29 acres. The two-and-a-half mile NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) Daytona 500 Speedway course is not just a playground and Roman arena for watching drunk or stoned Spring Breakers. It is the revered home of “The Great American Race” - The Daytona 500, the biggest, richest and most prestigious race in America. This year’s running is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19. NBC will air full coverage of the event that kicks off the NASCAR schedule.

The Speedway has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation since last year’s running of the Daytona 500. The main focus of the reconstruction took place in the infield, where spacious garages and brand new administration buildings have been erected. There is also new underground tunnel access for fans and race rigs, a media center, a revamped Victory Lane and a Fan Zone.

The cleverly designed and unique tri-oval configuration of the track makes it appear as if a fifth turn exists. The Daytona International Speedway features wide, U-shaped continuous corners. With ridiculous 31-degree banking in those turns the cars are practically racing up on their sides. As if the pull of gravity isn’t enough, the outside turns feature a nearly 120-degree change in direction that gives the driver the disorienting feeling of being sling-shot down the straightaway.

Daytona International Speedway is the home of numerous races and countless events throughout the racing calendar. But the Main Event and greatest moment is clearly the Daytona 500, held annually on the second Sunday in February. Also known as “The Super Bowl of Racing”, the event sends 43 drivers on a harrowing four-hour quest for the Harley J. Earl Trophy and a place in racing history.

Back in 1959 Lee Petty won the inaugural Daytona 500. Richard Petty, called ‘The King’, earned an incredible seven victories there. There have been numerous heart-warming and gut-wrenching family affairs, such as Allison’s, Earnhardt’s, LaBonte’s and Petty’s over the years and the Big Race has always lived up to its reputation as the ultimate celebration for ‘gear heads’ and ‘speed freaks’ throughout the nation.

The Daytona International Speedway has been the site of some of the most daring and awesome experiences in motor sports. It has also been the inspiration of some of the most memorable moments in auto racing. And of course, it’s been the site of several grizzly and terrifying crashes. Quite simply, the dynamics of fast racing on the track lead to some fender-to-fender and door handle-to-door handle running.

The most celebrated life in motor racing to be claimed at the Altar of Velocity was in 2001 when Dale Earnhardt Sr. was tragically killed on the last lap of the Daytona 500.