2001 Daytona 500

The 2001 Daytona 500, the 43rd running of the event, was the first race of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule. The event took place on February 18, 2001 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida over 200 laps on the 2.5 mile (4 km) asphalt tri-oval. Bill Elliott won the pole. The race was the first official Winston Cup telecast shown by the Fox network, which had received broadcasting rights along with NBC at the end of the previous season, replacing the two former NASCAR broadcasters, CBS and ESPN. Michael Waltrip, in his first race in the #15 car for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., won the race. It was the first victory of his career, coming in his 463rd start. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished second and Rusty Wallace finished third.

In the race's final lap, a major accident was triggered by 1998 Daytona 500 winner and seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt losing control of his car and collecting Ken Schrader in a head-on collision with the wall. The wreck resulted in the death of Earnhardt, who was killed instantly by a basilar skull fracture. The race was also marred by an 18-car wreck on lap 173 when Robby Gordon made contact with Ward Burton, sending Tony Stewart's car flipping down the backstretch.

After Earnhardt's death (as well as other notable deaths of other drivers in other NASCAR national touring series in the previous year), NASCAR implemented rigorous safety improvements in later seasons.