The Daytona 500 has always been a crown jewel NASCAR race. Few events in the sport are as historic or prestigious as the season-opener, so naturally, the number of participants is always on the higher side. Thanks to the charter system in recent years, the majority of Cup Series teams secure an automatic berth for the race while those in the ‘open’ category have to qualify for the event. However, back in the day all drivers and teams were forced to earn their spots, resulting in plenty of participants missing out.

To rectify the problem, NASCAR devised an ingenious strategy, or so they thought. The sanctioning body held a ‘consolation race’ for those who missed out on the Daytona 500, but little did they know that the initiative would backfire.

NASCAR’s bold experiment failed in its infancy

It’s no secret that the Daytona 500 is a sought-after race. After all, the event has always carried the highest purse, which means there were plenty of financial incentives that motivated drivers to participate. Back in the 80s, NASCAR didn’t have lucrative media rights deals or sponsorships, which meant results on the racetrack were one of the only few ways drivers could earn a livelihood. That’s why the number of participants attempting to compete at the Daytona 500 was always at an all-time high.

Recognizing that there might be an opportunity to capitalize on the demand, NASCAR decided to start a ‘consolation race’ for participants who failed to qualify for ‘The Great American Race’. The event took place from 1981 to 1985, with the winner receiving $3,500 to $5,000 (approximately $10,000-$18,000 in the present day after adjusting for inflation). All five races didn’t have repeat winners with Lake Speed, Tim Richmond, Blackie Wangerin, Connie Saylor, and Randy LaJoie securing wins until the event was discontinued.

The 1981 event was a 30-lap race, with Lake Speed driving a No. 66 Oldsmobile and leading the event from start to finish. He received prize money of $5,050 while second place Dick May drove a No. 8 Dodge and won $3000. Only 11 participants competed in the event as H.B. Bailey didn’t manage to start while Henry Jones, the driver of the No. 74 Pontiac didn’t manage to complete a single lap. It was a surprising turnout for a non-championship event, highlighting the popularity of the Daytona 500 that an entire consolation race could be held comprising drivers who didn’t qualify for the main event.

The events were marred by their fair share of controversy though. After plenty of crashes and on-track incidents, NASCAR decided to finally put an end to consolation races, believing that they are more trouble than it’s worth. With safety standards being questionable in the 80s, the sanctioning body didn’t want to take too much risk, especially for a non-championship event and in hindsight, it seems like they made the right call. While it was a bold attempt at being inclusive, the organization tested a concept that didn’t work out in a practical sense and was quick to nip it in the bud.

Fans share their thoughts on Daytona 500 consolation races

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While the Daytona 500 ‘consolation races’ are a lesser-known fact in the NASCAR community, it didn’t stop fans from weighing in with their opinions on social media. Taking a trip down memory lane, one fan remembered the sheer number of participants for ‘The Great American Race’ back in the day, which might go on to explain why the sanctioning body hosted a race for those who didn’t qualify. On that note, a fan said, “The entry lists for the Daytona 500 in the 80s were wild though, especially around 1988 with 70+ iirc.”

Despite fewer financial incentives to compete for, drivers risked taking part in qualifying and also took part in a consolation race if they didn’t make it to the Daytona 500. Highlighting their love for competing on the racetrack, a fan wrote on Reddit, “Qualifying races AND a “consolation race” all before billion-dollar TV contracts. These were pure racers.” Another motorsports enthusiast could see the logic behind NASCAR’s reasoning to host races for the non-qualifiers, even though the concept didn’t work out in the long run. The Reddit user said, “I imagine there were a lot more teams back then. Makes sense.”

With on-track incidents getting out of hand, NASCAR was forced to make a difficult decision. Recalling a potential reason why the sanctioning body may have stopped consolation races, a fan weighed in by saying, “I figure they stopped it because the race was a deathtrap, or starting to get that way, the infamous crash on the ESPN 1985 intro with the huge fire is from one of these races, Natz Peters and someone else I think it was, no severe injuries thankfully but I think that crash may have been what marked the end of the consolation race.” Naz Peters was following J.D. McDuffie when he lost control coming off turn four and slid to the inside, smacked the inside retaining wall, and spun back across the track. The crash filled a section of the track with flames, smoke, and debris and delayed the race for 21 minutes.

It’s no secret why the Daytona 500 was a popular motorsports event, especially with plenty of money being up for grabs. Sharing the reason behind the race having so many participants who attempted to qualify, a Reddit user went on to write, “Back then, you’d have a lot more drivers who were either in Daytona for ARCA, the Dash Series or the Busch Series who would attempt to qualify for the 500 through their own cars, one-off deals with car owners or just buy/lease an older model from another team.”