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PureDeathRacing
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The 46th annual Daytona 500, the biggest and most prestigious race in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, will boast the biggest purse in the history of stock car racing. The posted awards for this year's Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15 are $15,972,313, an increase of nearly $2 million from last year's posted awards. The posted awards for last year's Daytona 500, won by Michael Waltrip, were $14,030,129. "The Daytona 500 is the ultimate prize in stock car racing," Speedway President Robin Braig said. "It only stands to reason that the biggest race of the year command the biggest purse." The first driver to take the checkered flag in the Daytona 500 will pocket a minimum of $1,391,730. The second, third, fourth and fifth-place finishers will receive a minimum of $986,325, $693,550, $541,750 and $413,950 respectively. The last-place finisher in the Daytona 500 will earn a minimum of $177,058.