Harley J. Earl Trophy

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Harley J. Earl Trophy
Awarded forWinning the Daytona 500
LocationDaytona Beach, Florida, USA
CountryUnited States
Presented byNASCAR
First awarded1959
Currently held byWilliam Byron
Website[1]

The Harley J. Earl Trophy is the trophy presented to the winner of the premier – and season-opening – event of the

automobile designer Harley Earl, who served as the second commissioner of NASCAR. Earl is arguably best known as the "inventor of the Corvette" and designer of the Firebird I prototype that adorns the trophy. The trophy is kept on display at the Daytona International Speedway
, while a small replica is given to each Daytona 500 winner.

Description and history

The Harley J. Earl Trophy is named after

Bill France, Sr., who named the trophy after him as a sign of respect.[4]

The trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual Daytona 500, known as "The Great American Race",[5] which acts as the season-opening event for the NASCAR Cup Series (formerly known as the Monster Energy Cup Series, Sprint Cup Series, Nextel Cup Series, Winston Cup Series, and Winston Grand National Series), and is also considered the most prestigious and important event on the NASCAR schedule.[2] The trophy is considered to be the most coveted award with which a NASCAR driver can be presented.[2][6]

The Harley J. Earl Perpetual Trophy, trackside, at Daytona International Speedway prior to the running of the 2024 Daytona 500.

The Harley J. Earl Perpetual Trophy, the "official" version of the award, is housed at the

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum during the Indianapolis 500 race week.[8]

The Trophy and the Award

Dale Earnhardt was mounted on a marble base, but subsequent trophies have since been mounted to an acrylic base, making them lighter.[6] For the 2008 Daytona 500, the 50th anniversary of the first race, the replica of the trophy, presented to winner Ryan Newman, was plated in gold rather than silver.[5]

The replica trophies weigh 54 pounds (24 kg), measures 18 inches (46 cm) tall, 22 inches (56 cm) wide and 12 inches (30 cm) deep.[7]

Additional Daytona 500 trophies

The Harley J. Earl Trophy is not the only trophy awarded at the conclusion of the annual Daytona 500. The

Cannonball Baker Trophy, named after the first commissioner of NASCAR; the winning team owner is awarded the Governor's Cup.[10]

Winners of the Harley J. Earl Trophy

The most Harley Earl Awards and Harley J. Earl Trophy Replicas have been won by Richard Petty, often referred to as "The King" of NASCAR.[11] Petty's seven victories lead the four Daytona 500 wins of Cale Yarborough, and three each by Bobby Allison, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Gordon, and Denny Hamlin. Bill Elliott, Sterling Marlin, Michael Waltrip, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have won the Daytona 500 and Harley J. Earl Trophy twice; twenty-seven other drivers have been awarded the trophy once.[12] As of 2024, Trevor Bayne was the youngest winner of the trophy when he won it at age 20 years, 1 day in 2011;[13] Bobby Allison was the oldest winner (50 years, 2 months, 11 days) in 1988.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Hall of Fame: Harley Earl". National Corvette Museum. 2011. Archived from the original on 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-0-470-27875-8
    . Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  3. ISBN 1-58261-784-8
    . Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  4. ISBN 978-0-7944-0601-1
    .
  5. ^ a b "NASCAR Daytona 500 History". ESPN. February 8, 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "NASCAR Trophy Made in Omaha". WOWT Channel 6 Omaha. February 20, 2005. Archived from the original on 2015-11-07. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  7. ^ a b "Harley J. Earl Trophy for 2010 Arrives at DIS". Daytona International Speedway. November 9, 2009. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  8. ^ Daytona International Speedway (May 26, 2010). "Harley J. Earl trophy takes rare trip to Indianapolis". NASCAR.com. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-0-316-07213-7
    . Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  10. ^ "Trophy History". Daytona International Speedway. 2011. Archived from the original on 2010-12-27. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  11. ISBN 978-0-7787-3186-3
    . Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  12. ^ Adamczyk, Jay (November 21, 2010). "All Time Sprint Cup Winners". Jayski.com. ESPN. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  13. ^ Symeon, Chris. "Bayne remains in dream state after Daytona 500 victory". 21 February 2011. Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  14. ^ "Three Daytona 500 Champions And Winning Daytona 500 Car Owner Represented In Second NASCAR Hall Of Fame Class". 13 October 2010. Daytona International Speedway. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
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