Charlotte Motor Speedway, 1960: Fireball Roberts (started initially).
Dover International Speedway, 1969: David Pearson (began initially).
Three motorists have led the very first lap more than once: Dale Jarrett (Texas Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway), Kurt Busch (the last two inaugural races at Kentucky and the Charlotte Roval) and Fireball Roberts (Atlanta and Charlotte).
Watkins Glen International, 1957: Buck Baker (started first, led every lap).
Martinsville Speedway, 1949: Curtis Turner (began initially).
Daytona International Speedway, 1959: Bob Welborn (started first).
Automobile Club Speedway, 1997: Joe Nemechek (started initially).
Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin will start on the front row. But given the mayhem that can be expected on the first lap for a roadway course race when there wasnt practice or qualifying, who will be able to declare they led the first lap?
Darlington Raceway, 1950: Gober Sosebee (started third).
Chicagoland Speedway, 2001: Todd Bodine (started first).
For the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994, Dale Earnhardt pushed the problem a lot that he caused his No. 3 Chevrolet to slap the outside wall leaving Turn 4.
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Sonoma Raceway, 1989: Rusty Wallace (began initially).
Heres a look back at all the inaugural Cup races at each active track and the motorists who led the first lap in each event
Kansas Speedway, 2001: Jason Leffler (began initially).
Charlotte Roval, 2018: Kurt Busch (started initially).
Texas Motor Speedway, 1997: Dale Jarrett (started initially).
Bristol Motor Speedway, 1961: Junior Johnson (began 2nd).
Leading the first lap of inaugural Cup races at a brand-new track is a huge deal.
Talladega Superspeedway, 1969: Bobby Isaac (started initially).
New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 1993: Mark Martin (started first).
He still didnt lead the first lap. That honor went to pole-sitter Rick Mast.
Michigan International Speedway, 1969: LeeRoy Yarbrough (started second).
Today brings the inaugural Cup race on the Daytona International Speedway roadway course (3 p.m. ET on NBC).
Phoenix Raceway, 1988: Geoffrey Bodine (started initially).
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 1994: Rick Mast (started initially).
Atlanta Motor Speedway, 1960: Fireball Roberts (began initially).
Homestead-Miami Speedway, 1999: David Green (began initially).
Amongst the details available for the 24 active Cup tracks (excluding Richmond Raceway), only four times has the driver who led the first lap of an inaugural race not started in first place. Those occurred in 1950 at Darlington, 1961 at Bristol Motor Speedway, 1969 at Michigan International Speedway and 2011 at Kentucky Speedway.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 1998: Dale Jarrett (started initially).
Richmond Raceway, 1953: Due to poor record keeping, the info isnt readily available.
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Pocono Raceway, 1974: Buddy Baker (began first).
Kentucky Speedway, 2011: Kurt Busch (began third).
