Racing MeccaThe hard, flat sand of Daytona Beach has lured speed hounds since the turn of the century. By 1956 (above), the annual February gathering, organized by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, attracted several dozen drivers.
Early YearsThe beach's long expanse was the perfect testing ground for early drivers to test the outer limits of the power of the automobile. Between 1904 and 1935, 15 land speed records were set on the course's hard-packed sand. In this 1929 photo, British driver Major Harry Segrave sits behind the wheel of his "Golden Arrow" racer.
AirborneA competitor in the 1953 race hits a pothole on the beach. The early road course, over four miles long, was notoriously treacherous.
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