1986 Daytona 500

{{Short description|First race of the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Official_name=28th Annual Daytona 500|Caption=The 1986 Daytona 500 program cover, featuring Bill Elliott.|Date=February 16|Avg={{convert|148.124|mph|km/h}}|Season_No=29|Race_No=1|Scheduled_laps=200|Course_km=4.0|Distance_laps=200|Distance_km=804.672|Course_mi=2.5|Scheduled_km=804.672|Scheduled_mi=500|Race_Name=Daytona 500|Location=Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona International Speedway|Announcers=Ken Squier, David Hobbs, Ned Jarrett|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Network=CBS|First_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|First_Driver=Geoff Bodine|Pole_Team=Melling Racing|Most_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|Pole_Driver=Bill Elliott|Most_Driver=Geoff Bodine|Most_laps=101|Car=5|Year=1986|Distance_mi=500|Pole_Time=43.894|Image=1986 Daytona 500 program cover and logo.jpg|Attendance=125,000}}

The 1986 Daytona 500 was the first stock car race of the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 28th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, February 16, 1986, before an audience of 125,000 in Daytona Beach, Florida at Daytona International Speedway.

In the final laps of the race, Richard Childress Racing's Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports' Geoff Bodine engaged in a battle for the victory. However, by the final lap, Earnhardt ran out of fuel, leading Bodine to cruise to an easy victory, having dominated for a majority of the race. The victory was Bodine's fourth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his first victory of the season, and his only Daytona 500 victory.{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=February 17, 1986 |title=Bodine Breezes At Daytona |pages=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-bodine-breezes-at/135977212/ 6C] |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-bodine-breezes-at/135977176/ |access-date=November 30, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Coble |first=Don |date=February 17, 1986 |title=Bodine wins Daytona duel |pages=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bodine-wins-daytona-duel/135977419/ 2C] |work=Florida Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-bodine-wins-daytona-duel/135977333/ |access-date=November 30, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} Hagan Enterprises' Terry Labonte and Junior Johnson & Associates' Darrell Waltrip finished second and third, respectively.

Background

File:Daytona_International_Speedway.svg, the venue where the race was held.]]

Daytona International Speedway is one of three superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the other two being Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long. The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.

= Entry list =

(R) denotes rookie driver.

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!Sponsor

1986 Daytona 500

Background

= Entry list =

Qualifying

= Full qualifying results =

Race results

Standings after the race

Notes

References