Biggest stock car purse ever for Daytona 500.

The 47th annual Daytona 500 will carry the biggest purse in the history of stock car racing at more than $17 million.

The post awards for the "The Great American Race" will be $17,623,980, an increase of nearly $2 million over last year. The posted awards for the 2004 Daytona 500, which was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr., was $15,972,313.

The winner of this year's Daytona 500 will collect a minimum of $1,430,030. The second, third, fourth and fifth-place finishers in the Daytona 500 will receive a minimum of $1,029,425, $736,625, $584,750 and $456,875 respectively.

Even the last-place finisher in the Daytona 500 will be rewarded with a minimum of $219,931.

"The Daytona 500 is without doubt NASCAR's signature event and the 43-car field in this year's event will be paid handsomely for their efforts," Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said.