Six classic Daytona 500s

Starting Monday, ESPN Classic will air six of what it considers the best Daytona 500s, or like most sporting events that earn ESPN's classic status, the best Daytona 500s on video.
The list is still pretty good. It starts with the 1976 Daytona 500, in which David Pearson sluggishly beats Richard Petty. It ends with last year's Daytona 500, a drag race finish between Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin.
ESPN Classic will broadcast a race every Monday at 11 a.m. PST. On Feb. 16, the Saturday night before the 2008 Daytona 500, ESPN Classic will televise the top five races chosen on ESPN.com. Fans and viewers can log on to ESPN.com to vote for their favorite race.
Here's a look at the six races:

1976: The Push - On the last lap, David Pearson and Richard Petty wreck together while running first and second, both are the only cars on the lead lap. Pearson gets his car moving first and goes on to win the 500 at a snail's pace. Petty finishes second, a lap down, after he is penalized for having his car pushed across the finish line.

1979: The Fight - The first live, flag-to-flag live televised Daytona 500, drawing a huge audience as it is shown on a day when much of the Northeast was paralyzed by a snowstorm. Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough wreck late in the race while leading, propelling Richard Petty to victory. Donnie's brother Bobby and Yarborough fight in the infield. The race helped accelerate NASCAR to a national phenomenon.

1990: The Blow Out - Dale Earnhardt is all but the 500 winner when he blows out a tire in turn 3 of the last lap, leading to an unlikely Daytona 500 victory for Derrike Cope. Cope cruised by Earnhardt to win the 500, his first career NASCAR win, and one of only two in his career, the other coming later that season.

1998: Finally - Dale Earnhardt Finally Wins - After years of heartbreak and bad luck, Dale Earnhardt finally wins the biggest race on the NASCAR schedule. Every crew member for all 43 teams lines up along pit road to congratulate Earnhardt.

1999: The Pass - Jeff Gordon pulls a risky pass by Rusty Wallace with 11 laps to go, almost driving through the grass and getting into the back of the lapped and crash-damaged car of Ricky Rudd. Wallace gives him room, possibly preventing a wreck and Gordon holds off defending-champion Dale Earnhardt for the win.

2007: The Photo Finish - After the two best cars driven by Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart crashed early in the race, the race continues to take more twists. Cars are shuffled and reshuffled, culminating in a last lap "big one," which took out many contenders, including Kyle Busch and a sliding, flaming Clint Bowyer. Mark Martin, a part-time driver who was a NASCAR star but never won a championship or a Daytona 500, is nosed out by Kevin Harvick by inches at the finish line. Closest 500 finish with electronic scoring.