In the Richard Petty Driving Experience, I got to pilot a NASCAR-style racecar around    the Daytona International Speedway. I reached 146 mph -- wild stuff, for me.

I couldn’t sleep that night. I kept re-living being strapped down in that super-machine, listening to the screams of its engine, absorbing the bumps in the track through my spine, afraid to peel my eyes away from the track for an instant. 

The drivers in the Chevy Silverado 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on February 15th would find my experience about as exciting as watching fingernails grow. They’ll be hitting the 31 degree banks of the Daytona International Speedway at over 180 mph with other vehicles crowding them, driving trucks. The race is under the lights; the action is bumper to bumper.  It’s just one of the thrilling races leading up to the historic 50th running of the Daytona 500.

In case you’ve been living on Venus and have just recently entered the solar system, the 50th running of the Daytona 500 -- touted as the most anticipated event in racing history, is happening on February 16th. While “America’s Great Race” is the prize plum in the pudding, there’s other exciting racing action and events this week at the Daytona International Speedway.

• The Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious race.
• This year’s purse will be a record --more than $18 million!
• Seven-time Daytona 500 Champion Richard Petty will serve as Honorary Starter. His father, Lee, won the inaugural DAYTONA 500 in 1959.
• Brooks & Dunn, the most awarded duo in country music history, plus Chubby Checker, Kool & the Gang, and Michael McDonald will perform at the Sprint Pre-race show.
• Junior Johnson, who garnered 50 NASCAR victories, including the 1960 Daytona 500, will be behind the wheel of a 2008 Corvette Z06 as he paces the field before the start.
• The largest field to ever start the race was 68 cars back in 1960. Wow!
• The fastest qualifying speed ever recorded at the track was 210.364 miles per hour by Bill Elliot in 1987.
• DIS holds the record for the most cars crashing at one time – 38, on February 13, 1960, during a pre-500 event.
• Buddy Baker's average speed of 177.6 mph in 1980 was the fastest in Daytona history; Junior Johnson's average of 124.7 mph in 1960 was the slowest.
• All grandstand seats are sold out. Fans can still purchase infield tickets.

Some of the other races

• 30th Annual Budweiser Shootout
• 50th Gatorade Duel At Daytona
• 9th annual Chevy Silverado 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.
• 50th annual Camping World 300 Presented by Chevy NASCAR Nationwide Series race

Some of the other events

• Between Feb. 14-17, fans will have the opportunity to see their favorite past Daytona 500 champions at special events taking place at the Speedway property. All 24 living past Daytona 500 Champions will be on site to help celebrate.
• Join in informal question & answer sessions with Daytona 500 Champions, including Buddy Baker, Mario Andretti, Bobby Allison, Kevin Harvick, Pete Hamilton and Junior Johnson.
• Watch Daytona 500 Champions Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty place their footprints and handprints in cement blocks to be placed in the Daytona 500 Champions Walk of Fame.
• Snag an autograph from Bobby Allison, Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Geoff Bodine, Junior Johnson, Marvin Panch or Pete Hamilton.

You can find a complete schedule and can purchase tickets for DIRECTV Speedweeks 2008 events at www.racetickets.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP. www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/