Daytona 500

About this board game

Daytona 500 is a racing board game for 2–4 players, with a playing time of about 70 minutes. Released in 1990, it combines car auctions, card-driven movement, tactical positioning, and multiple races.

Six little plastic cars compete around the large Daytona track. Most of the circuit is three spaces wide, but the sweeping curves at either end narrow to two lanes. The outer lane is a passing lane: using it requires twice as many movement points, and a car may not finish its turn there.

Movement points come from a special deck of cards. On a turn, choose a card from your hand and move each car shown on it by the prescribed number of spaces. The challenge is to position your own car or cars advantageously while leaving opponents blocked behind you.

• Six plastic cars race around a track with changing lane conditions.
• Card-driven movement determines which cars move and how far.
• Car auctions take place before each race, with bids based on the cards in your hand.
• Race payouts depend on where your car or cars finish.

Before every race, the six cars are auctioned off. Your hand of cards guides your bidding decisions, adding a layer of evaluation before the cars even begin moving. Once the race starts, every card choice can affect both your own progress and the options available to your opponents.

A suggested game lasts three races, with each race taking about 20 minutes. This gives the luck of the draw a chance to even out. After the payouts are awarded, the player with the most money wins. In Daytona 500, careful bidding and smart positioning are central to the race for victory.