Start your engines!! Are you ready to watch the Daytona 500 race on Sunday 19th February?
A waiving green flag will signal the beginning of the race at 2:30 pm and the race will contain 500 miles of madness, we are sure. The race is always one of the biggest spectacles of the NASCAR year, and one of the most celebrated.
Daytona is the home of NASCAR – Bill France Sr organized a meeting in a Daytona Beach hotel to discuss the future of stock car racing – it was there that NASCAR was conceived. NASCAR stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing; they ran the first race on the sandy beach road course on February 15th, 1948.
Therefore, the same week every February, we honor the history of NASCAR with the first race of the season in Daytona!! This is the opening race of the season and is considered the most prestigious and important race in NASCAR.
Do you have tickets for the race?
As the opening race of the season, this is a highly anticipated event every year. Tickets sell out! The Daytona Speedway grandstands hold 101,500 permanent seats with the ability to increase permanent seating to 125,000. The stadium was renovated and ‘Daytona Rising’ as was finished just prior to Speedweeks in 2016. Gray Line Orlando holds a block of tickets for both the Daytona 500 race and the Coke Zero 400 race in August. These can be purchased HERE.
Where are you going to stay?
Hotels and resorts in the Daytona Beach area are at a premium and most have been sold out in advance of the race for some time. Another option is to stay in the Orlando region. The tourist area of Orlando is near International Drive, Lake Buena Vista, and Kissimmee. You could also combine your visit to NASCAR with the attractions such as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando and stay in those regions.
How are you going to get to the race?
There are no public buses that run to the race from Central Florida to the Daytona Speedway; you could drive and park at the speedway, be sure to pre-arrange your parking and know it will be far out from the stadium. Also remember that the traffic will be extremely busy surrounding the track, pre-plan this in advance for arrival and departure.
If you are staying in the tourist areas of Orlando, Kissimmee, or Lake Buena Vista, Gray Line Orlando Tours offers transportation buses from Orlando to the Daytona Speedway for the Daytona 500 race and for the Coke Zero 400 race. The bus transportation leaves Orlando in the morning and travels to Daytona, so guests have time to explore the track, area, and UNOH Fanzone prior to the start of the race. The bus departs from the track as soon as all the riders are back on the bus; or no later than 90 minutes after the end of the race.
More seats have been added and the buses have toilets and wifi.
You are welcome to bring drinks on board the bus should you wish and relax on board as the drivers deal with the traffic, crowds, and parking. But don’t hesitate to book your seats on the Orlando to Daytona Speedway transfer bus, as the bus does sell out.
Whichever team you support, we hope your driver wins!