2008: The 50th Daytona 500 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson earned his 14th career pole in the preliminary qualifying session with a speed of 187.075 mph. Michael Waltrip started second. The remaining 41 spots were set the next Thursday after the two races in the Gatorade Duel at Daytona.

Answer: Dale Jarrett

Three time Daytona 500 winner Dale Jarrett finished in the top 20 in the UPS Toyota. He stepped out of the car after Bristol and became a commentator for tha Nascar races aired on ESPN. Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 in 1993, 1996, and 2000. Jarrett also won the 1999 Nascar Winston Cup to cap an illustrious career.

Answer: Michael Waltrip

While Jimmie Johnson sat on the pole for the race, Michael Waltrip jumped out to the lead early. Waltrip only led three laps and eventually finished 29th in the race.

Answer: Jeff Burton

Despite leading with less than five laps to go, Jeff Burton managed to get shuffled back through the field on the last restart and finished 13th. In 15 Daytona starts, Burton's best finish was second to Dale Jarrett in 2000.

Answer: Ryan Newman

Ryan Newman took advantage of the draft to pass Tony Stewart on the last lap of the race. The win was the 13th of Newman's career, and the first win for Penske Racing on a restrictor plate track. The restrictor plate tracks are Talladega and Daytona where a restrictor plate is used to lessen the amount of air flowing through the carburetor intake manifold.

Answer: gold

To commemorate the 50th Daytona 500 the winner of the race recieved a gold trophy, in place of the normal silver and black trophy.

Answer: Dario Franchitti

At the end of 200 laps 32 cars were on the lead lap, and only five drivers had pulled their cars out of the race. Dario Franchitti was the first car one lap down and finished in the 33rd position, making him the worst finishing Chip Ganassi Racing driver. Former open-wheelers Juan Pablo Montoya finished 32nd, and Sam Hornish, Jr. had a great race finishing in 15th. J.J. Yeley finished 25th in the race also completing all 200 laps.

Answer: Five Toyota drivers led the race.

Michael Waltrip, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, and Dave Blaney all led at least one lap in the race. Five of the nine Toyota drivers in the race combined to lead 138 of the 200 laps. Kyle Busch, also in a Toyota, led 86 laps the most of any other driver in the race.

Answer: Michael Waltrip

Joe Nemechek took the fourth transfer spot. Michael Waltrip didn't need to rely on a transfer spot because he was already in the race due to a front row qualifying effort in the preliminary qualifying session.

A Nascar race has 43 starters - 35 starters were there via qualifying and 8 spots were "transfer spots". There were two Gatorade Duel races, the top two finishers from each duel, not already in the race recieve a transfer into the Daytona 500. Finally, the top four drivers in preliminary qualifying not already in the race after the transfer spots are awarded make up the last four positions.

Answer: He missed driver introduction procedures

Nemechek originally qualified 41st, following the Gatorade Duel at Daytona, but he couldn't get out of Chapel before the race and missed the driver introduction, so he had to start at the rear of the field.