“Drivers – Start. Your. Engines!” With an almost mythical aura in the world of motorsport, the Daytona 500 is regarded as the most important and prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar, with drivers fighting tooth and nail for every inch in this frantic and extremely lucrative 500 mile race. Popularised in reality by the likes of Dale Earnhardt and mythically by Tom Cruise, the sights, sounds and sheer speed of this race can’t be beat.
The origins of stock car racing in the US date back to the days of prohibition, when bootleggers used small, fast vehicles to evade police and many drivers used to modify their cars for speed and handling. With the repeal of prohibition 1933, business soon dried up but cars continued to improve and by the late 1940s, races were staged for entertainment and profit.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) itself was born in 1948, with the first NASCAR race been held at the Daytona Beach Road Course. From a small organisation, NASCAR has grown with the sport and now is a thriving business, sanctioning over 1,500 races throughout the world. Maybe a surprising fact to many but the Daytona 500 regularly receives over 20 million viewers and continues to be THE most watched motor sports event in television!
Daytona Beach and the International Speedway provide the perfect February setting to kick off the annual NASCAR season. Our packages include a stay at the Delta Marriott Oceanfront Hotel and this is the perfect place to relax and explore from outside of the racing. Rent bicycles to explore the pier and boardwalk or head down a few miles to Ponce Inlet to visit Florida’s tallest lighthouse, a hidden gem in the area. Or, if you don’t want to get away from the racetrack then the Motorsports Hall of Fame is a must visit for all petrol heads.
Visit Daytona Beach and witness the spectacle of the Daytona 500 for yourself with our dedicated weekend package or combine the race with a greater Florida holiday!
