Daytona 500 2011

[motorsportshooters.com]

Hi all,

I have ordered tickets for the Daytona 500 next february. Anybody here who has allready been there can give me some more tips&tricks to visit the event? I'll be traveling from Belgium.

Greets

[Gasman]

You'll have a great time. (2011 will be my 11th "500")

Where are you staying? Daytona Beach, Orlando or elsewhere?

Tips - (1) Use the speedway parking lots, it'll save you a packet.
(2) Take some warm clothes - yes, I know its Florida, but 3 out the last 4 years have been cold (not cool). This year there was even (briefly) ice on my windscreen on the morning of the 500! and it can rain as well. It never used to be like that when I first started going but "global warming" seems to be working in reverse in Florida in February. (3) Go to New Smyrna Speedway one night for some short oval racing. I always go.

Hope this of some help.

Regards

[motorsportshooters.com]

Thanks for the info. I will stay at a hotel in the Orlando town centre. I will go to the Nationwide race on saturday and the 500 on sunday, and maybe the trucks on friday as well. The New Smyrna looks to be a good alternative for the truckrace tough..

[POS_Maggott]

Id actually park at the Halifax hospital or the kmart beside it. The hospital is (was last year) $15, guarded and all the money goes to charity. The kmart is marginally closer and cheaper, but both are cheaper than the speedway lots and just a 10min waglk from the track

[evetorris]

You will have great time there.

[Steve-o]

Testing photos from Dec 15.

http://www.fanviewpoint.com/2010/12/nascar-drivers-test-daytona.html

[djparky]

if you're coming from Orlando allow plenty of time on the Sunday- the traffic stacked up badly last time I went. I've only ever used the official car parks which are free with a good shuttle bus service to the speedway

agree- take warm clothes with you- the first year I was there it was freezing cold on the Sunday- and the race lasts for 4 hours

when the race is over run for the shuttle buses- otherwise you'll be queueing for hours- it will also take hours to leave the car park unless you're near the exit- it took me 3 hours to get out last time- and only then because I took the hire car off roading through a dodgy side exit

the event itself is brilliant- the races just fly by and the locals are friendly (at least the ones I've met were)

try to go in on Thursday for the qualifying races- it's less busy and you can get into the paddock- I watched the races from the pit garage viewing platform. Also worth watching the Trucks and Nationwide races as well

you'll have a great time- I went 2006-08 and at some point will go again

[Steve-o]

Comments from Busch, McMurray, Labonte and Burton on the new surface.

http://www.fanviewpoint.com/2010/12/nascar-testing-concludes-at-daytona.html

[earnhardt8]

I have been to 6 daytona 500's 98,01,05,08,09 and this year.

If your travelling in from orlando I see no point in driving past the track to park up at the volusia mall or kmart... You would be far better parking no further down from the track . The volusia mall opposite the track charges $40 per day .. But there are several places before you get there that will charge a bit less but are further to walk . Free parking IMO is a waste of time I used it once and spent 3hrs queuing to get the bus just to get to the car park.

I would also be leaving Orlando no later than 6am.

We have fan zone passes for everyday ... This year wasnt busy in there even on the morning off the 500.. But entry isn't free for any of the days , costs varies according to what day is it but we paid $120 for passes that let us in on the thurs,fri sat and sunday. Most of the drivers will be about but it's rare to get close to the likes of jeff Gordon , Dale jr etc.. My kids did get given some sheet metal each of montoyas car this yr tho .
Now role on feb 2012 till I can go back ...


Jackie

[earnhardt8]

I cant edit my post above.. but i meant to say i see no point in driving past the track to park up at the hospital or Kmart, its only really ideally parking that side if your heading back to Daytona Beach after the race.

There are many shops/garages etc etc that will offer race parking so you wont be stuck for places..

Apart from the 1st yr when it took us ages just to get back to the free parking, we have always got out the car parks pretty quickly, normally we are back in our hotel on the beach within an hr of the race ending.

[motorsportshooters.com]

Thanks for the information guys. I have a fan zone pass and grandstand seat turn 1 ticket for sunday. Is it possible to buy tickets for the Nationwide and Truck races on the day itself? Or do you always have to order them in advance. The races I go to here in Europe are practically never sold out (F1, DTM, BTCC, Le Mans Series,...)

[Lee Roy]

motorsportshooters.com, I can't offer any advice since I haven't been to Daytona since 1989, but I sincerely hope you have a great time at the 500. I went a lot in the 60's and the 70's and they are some of the great memories from my youth.

I am going to retire next year at the end of the year and a trip to the 500 in 2012 might be a good way to celebrate.

Enjoy.

[djparky]

Thanks for the information guys. I have a fan zone pass and grandstand seat turn 1 ticket for sunday. Is it possible to buy tickets for the Nationwide and Truck races on the day itself? Or do you always have to order them in advance. The races I go to here in Europe are practically never sold out (F1, DTM, BTCC, Le Mans Series,...)

I'm not sure about Saturday for Nationwide, but it's certainly possible for the Thursday and Friday to buy on the day (sorry can't remember which day the Trucks run on)- however last time I went, the queue to buy tickets was enormous- I got lucky and picked a spare ticket for Turn 4 from someone else in the queue- it's simply easier to get as much as you can in advance- then all you have to do is collect from the box office

[Gasman]

I only renew my Nationwide and 500 tickets each year. There's no problem getting tickets for the Gatorades on Thursday, but if you're worried buy them at the speedway (from the ticket booths at the end of the footbridge not at the office near the "Daytona 500 Experience" as the queues are much shorter). Tickets for the Friday Truck race are absolutely no problem. You can buy them on the day right up to the Green flag.

There are touts (aka "scalpers" in American) everywhere (people offering to buy tickets are usually also selling) and in 2009 I was able to get single tickets for the Gatorades and the Trucks at BELOW face value. Since the US economy is possibly even worse than our own they are probably worth talking to this year as well, but be prepared for a bit of verbal abuse if you offer less than face value. If you can wait until just before the race, there could be a few good deals but its a more risky business. Its your call...

Enjoy the race!

[Edmond]

What hotel is the best to stay and that also is cheap . As my budget is not that high .

[earnhardt8]

You will struggle to find a decent hotel thats cheap... and most have a minimum stay of 3/4 nights for speedweeks..

What budget do you have per night? A lot of hotels are easily $200's per night and some much more.. The Acapulco where i have stayed want about $2400's for 10 nights (thats the night of the shootout to the day after the 500) and thats about the going rate.

If you want cheap you might have to look at stopping somewhere like Altamonte Springs which is about 40 mins from Daytona, or of course Orlando.

We normally renew all our speedweeks tickets because we need 4 seats together, but i'd have no issue buying off the ticket touts... they seem to do a roaring trade every year.

[Steve-o]

NASCAR drivers hit the new asphalt at Daytona International Speedway today in preparation for the season opening Daytona 500 next month. This marked the second test session on the newly paved track, as drivers completed a tire test in December. Many of the drivers spoke of the smoothness of the new surface, and how it will affect the racing next month.


http://www.fanviewpoint.com/2011/01/nascar-drivers-discuss-new-surface-at.html

[brisca79]

I go to Florida every other Feb (not 2011 unfortunatley). Always stay in or around Orlando, good access to tracks and something to do on "days off". Don't bother with the toll express pass the hire co. will try and sell you, not worth it. Try to take in the Gatorade Duel on the Thurs before the 500 and the truck race on the Friday night under lights (On duel day the security is more relaxed and you can fence walk right down the wall as the cars scream past at 200mph...awesome stuff!). Try to get to New Smyrna, Desoto but most of all VOLUSIA County Speedway for the World of Outlaws sprints the weekend before Daytona. The WoO's are where lots of the Sprint cup guys learned their trade and they have to be seen! If you need any help with any directions, zip codes orr race date (anything really) drop me an email to [email:1m8qo5kh]mike@gmhq.fsnet.co.uk[/email:1m8qo5kh]

1 last thing...that water dripping down on you when you walk under the main grandstand aint water !!! All levels of the stands have toilet blocks and the all overflow on race day...keep your beer covered at least.

ENJOY.

Mike Ashcroft
Ex BriSCA F1 #278

[brisca79]

edit to above...
We (and there's usually between 6 and 15 of us) never buy advance tickets for any race...never had a problem even for the 500.

[Steve-o]

Penske and Gibbs top the speed charts.



The first official NASCAR test of 2011 has come to a close at Daytona International Speedway. Drivers were able to test the new asphalt for three days this week in preparation for the 2011 season opening Daytona 500.



http://www.fanviewpoint.com/2011/01/keselowski-fastest-at-daytona-as.html

[tstran17_88]

Thanks for the info. I will stay at a hotel in the Orlando town centre. I will go to the Nationwide race on saturday and the 500 on sunday, and maybe the trucks on friday as well. The New Smyrna looks to be a good alternative for the truckrace tough..

Leave, really, really early in the morning or try to find an alternative to I-4. The one time I was down there for speedweeks, I-4 was terrible coming up from Orlando. (Heading back to Orlando after the 500, my dad took I-75 to the Beeline and he said it wasn't too bad).