However, following two separate fatal accidents to drivers Marshall Teague (testing) and George Amick (Daytona 100), speedway officials canceled the race, citing dangerously high speeds, as well as a low turnout.

[9][10] Over the course of the next three years, a couple of NASCAR's top drivers would go on to win the Firecracker 250, including Jack Smith, David Pearson, and a repeat victory in 1962 for Fireball Roberts.

In the same year, Fireball Roberts drove his 1963 Ford to victory, becoming the first driver to win back-to-back events, barely beating Fred Lorenzen.

[11] Richard Petty was the man to beat during the sixth annual 400-mile July race, but on lap 103, engine problems cost him a chance at victory.

After collecting the white flag Pearson slowed his Wood Brothers 73' Mercury to allow Richard Petty to jump out to a seven-car lead.

In 1980, due to a tax dispute with the City of Daytona Beach and Volusia County, Bill France openly threatened to move the Firecracker 400 to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Going forwards, the race would typically be scheduled for Saturday night of July 4 weekend, and created the potential for more comfortable conditions for fans, and a larger primetime television audience.

On July 4, 1992, President George H. W. Bush attended the race, which served as a Daytona farewell tribute to Richard Petty during his "Fan Appreciation Tour."

The weekend was marred, however, as Fred Lorenzen was injured in a bad crash during practice, and word came down that Fireball Roberts had died of injuries sustained in a savage fire in the World 600 six weeks earlier.

The 1974 Firecracker began as a multicar battle between Pearson, the Allison brothers (Bobby and Donnie), A. J. Foyt, Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough, and Petty.

This race saw the entry of female racers Janet Guthrie, Christine Beckers, and Lella Lombardi; none, however, were around at the end as a very competitive multicar battle - primarily a Bobby Allison/Cale Yarborough fight but also including Donnie Allison, A. J. Foyt, and Darrell Waltrip - in the first 50 laps gave way to a runaway by Petty.

"A Dodge (Neil Bonnett who led one lap and finished eighth despite losing power on the start) won the pole and Petty blew my doors off."

The final lap, however, saw a huge crash well after Allison took the win, as Phil Finney spun off turn 4, plowed into an earth embankment, and flew 20 feet off the ground before landing at the pit entrance.

“Geoff Bodine tried to kick my Pontiac for a field goal," said Richard Petty of a late-race melee that eliminated him, Harry Gant, and several others chasing Bobby Allison.

[105] Dale Earnhardt won his first Winston Cup race at Daytona after a plethora of wins in Busch Clash, IROC, and Gatorade 125s over the years.

With rain quickly approaching the area on lap 117, Marlin led Terry Labonte and Jeff Gordon, with Dale Earnhardt taking fourth down the backstretch.

But Earnhardt was having difficulty with restarts and ended up mired in a battle for second with Dale Jarrett, Terry Labonte, and Sterling Marlin, while Andretti easily pulled away for the victory.

He and Michael Waltrip finished in reverse order of the Daytona 500 and the entire DEI team celebrated their emotional victory to honor the deceased Dale Earnhardt.

Controversy also marred the race: before the final restart, NASCAR had promised Tony Stewart a bonus money prize if he had a better finish than 3rd place.

Stewart decided to go for the win and bonus money but with 5 laps left he slid his car completely below the yellow line to avoid crashing with Jeremy Mayfield.

The final 81 laps (the entire second half) were run under the green flag, setting up a finish where fuel strategy was going to be key to deciding the winner.

The 400 was delayed nearly two hours by rain and saw numerous crashes, including a 20-car melee in turn 3 in which Mark Martin had to be helped out of his burning car on pit road.

Sam Hornish Jr. spent most of the race in the top five and was in contention for his first-career Cup victory until being tagged in the rear quarter panel by Busch.

Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne was knocked out early, and David Ragan with assistance from RFR teammate Matt Kenseth grabbed his first career Sprint Cup victory, redeeming himself for the restart lane violation that cost him the 500 in February.

Tony Stewart (who started 42nd due to a post-qualifying penalty) passed Kenseth off turn two on the final lap and came home a surprise winner.

There were also multiple crashes throughout the race, including a scary one with 11 laps to go that saw Denny Hamlin catch air in the tri-oval after being hit by A. J. Allmendinger, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, David Reutimann, and Dave Blaney.

Aric Almirola grabbed the win after rain first postponed the 400-mile event from its scheduled Saturday night running to Sunday afternoon, then ended the race at 113 laps.

However, the win itself was overshadowed by a violent last-lap crash at the checkered flag involving 25 cars, which saw Austin Dillon flip over and fly into the tri-oval catch fence in a way eerily similar to the last-lap wreck by Kyle Larson in the February 2013 Xfinity race that injured thirty-three, and a wreck by Geoff Bodine in the same spot in the inaugural Truck Series race there in 2000.

The resulting impact ripped out Dillon's engine, broke a catch fence support, and thirteen fans were injured by flying debris.

Switched from its traditional July 4 week to late August to intensify racing for NASCAR playoff format, the 62nd running was the most competitive since 2011 (35 official lead changes among 16 drivers).