E3 Spark Plugs News

History was made at the Daytona 500 this weekend. E3 Spark Plugs congratulates Trevor Bayne, whose never-saw-it-comin’ victory made him the first driver to win the Daytona 500 in his first attempt since Lee Petty won the inaugural event in 1959. As if that wasn’t enough, Bayne also is the youngest Daytona 500 winner to date, beating former record-holder Jeff Gordon by five years, six months and 11 days. Gordon was 25 when he landed the checkered flag in 1997. Bayne turned 20 on Saturday, the day before the race.

20-year-old Trevor Bayne became the youngest Daytona 500 winner, and the first to win the race in his first attempt since the inaugural event. Congrats from E3 Spark Plugs! Image courtesy of NASCAR.

Many racing pros and fans were expecting the unexpected this year, given the recent repaving of the Daytona International Speedway. The last time the race took place on new pavement was in 1979 when Cale Yarbrough and Donnie Allison wrecked in Turn 3 on the last lap and Yarbrough and Bobby Allison duked it out on the infield grass while Richard Petty blasted in from nowhere to win the race. But nobody expected Bayne’s win – including Bayne himself.

“I keep thinking I’m dreaming,” Bayne, who races for Wood Brothers Racing, told reporters in Victory Lane. “Our first 500 — are you kidding me? To win our first one in our second-ever Cup race, I mean this is just incredible. .. It’s crazy to get my first win before a Nationwide win — I didn’t know how to get to Victory Lane.”

On behalf of all of us here at E3 Spark Plugs, and our E3 Spark Plugs racing pros and fans, congratulations, Trevor! We look forward to seeing much more of you on the tracks.

The Daytona International Speedway's recent repaving means a faster, smoother, more thrilling Daytona 500. Photo: International Speedway Corp.

This Sunday’s Daytona 500 promises a more intense race than ever, if testing/practice laps and last Saturday’s Budweiser Shootout are any indication. E3 Spark Plugs is excited to see competitors in the nation’s most prestigious racing event battle it out on the newly repaved Daytona International Speedway. Dubbed “The Great American Race,” the Daytona 500 offers the biggest total prize money payout (upwards of $18 million) of any motorsports event in the U.S. and boasts a sold-out crowd each year. This year, the thrills and chills come even faster.

Last year, a pothole caused two major race delays that lasted a total of 2.5 hours, triggering a mass exodus of fans and TV viewers and prompting speedway officials to fast-track plans to repave the 2.5-mile track. First opened in 1959 and last repaved in 1978, the track had had all it could take of the scorching Florida summers, abrasive sand and sea air. Work started less than 12 hours after Kevin Harvick won the Coke Zero 400 on July 4. Within five months, workers completely tore up and replaced the entire track, layer by layer, using 50,000 tons of asphalt. By December 15, the new track was ready for a Goodyear tire test with 18 drivers.

Test and practice laps proved exciting enough. But Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout, won by Kurt Busch, proved the new track a game-changer. Speeds hit 207 mph, drivers broke up into two-car groups and the 75-lap race featured a record 28 lead changes. Faster speeds, less brake usage, better grip and fewer worn tires mean more competitors in the race for longer periods. Things just got tougher for drivers.

“This is more of a chess game,” Jeff Burton told reporters. “This is going to be, ‘When do I get aggressive; when do I not get aggressive?’ A lot of times on the old surface, your car dictated when you could and when you couldn’t. What’s going to dictate that this time is how many laps are left.”

E3 Spark Plugs wishes all the Daytona 500 competitors luck this weekend. And if you’re looking to boost your own performance on the tracks or on the roadways, pick up a set of E3 car spark plugs or truck spark plugs. See you in Daytona!