Fan Experiance: Daytona International Speedway

I can tell every race fan, without question, that before you die, you must attend a race at Daytona International Speedway. There is nothing like Daytona in person. The sights, the sounds, the feels – no other racetrack compares. Some may try to imitate, but none can equal it. 

I attended the Daytona 500 weekend in 2015 with my dad, and at the time they were in the middle of the huge grandstand renovation. I knew that once it was completed, it would be fantastic and was looking forward to going back. When it came time to pick what races I would be attending in 2026, without a second thought, Daytona was top of the list. I’ve been looking forward to this trip ever since then.

2026 Trip

I invited my mom to go with me, so it became our 2026 girls’ trip.

My mom has only driven by the Speedway, and it has been a few years since she attended a race with me. I found a cute gem of a condo in New Smyrna Beach across the street from the beach. It was a great place to relax before heading to the racetrack both days, and we enjoyed exploring the area on the other days we were in town. 

I had been told ahead of time that it may take longer than expected to get to the racetrack, but we were happy with the 30-40 minute drive back and forth. It went by really quickly, actually. I would absolutely stay at New Smyrna Beach again. 

Quick tip: grab lunch or dinner at Merk’s Bar and Grill. The flatbread pizzas are delicious!

I paid for a parking pass for Lot 4 on Friday, but unfortunately they were sold out for Saturday by the time I bought it. We grabbed an early dinner at Texas Roadhouse near the track and planned to be in our seats by the time Cup qualifying started at 5pm. 

Upgrades

I was in awe driving past the grandstands and seeing how good they looked from the road. I just knew once I went through the gate that it would be even better. I’ve seen photos of the completed renovation over the years, but they didn’t do it justice.

Daytona International Speedway didn’t just rebuild grandstands; they created a walking vibe. Each gate has distinct colors to match the sponsor, and once you walk in, they expanded on that – there is something to look at all around you. Massive artwork, lights, various things hanging from the ceiling. 

As you walk from one end of the grandstand to the other, it changes. Sonoco was cool with the moody lighting on the ceiling and walls.

Toyota had multiple display cars. Chevrolet had a bunch of selfie stations. Advent Health was more beachy-feeling with bright colors and artwork. Toyota and Chevrolet had full-on product displays for you to see their new vehicles.

Huge bonus to Daytona

I am fully convinced every racetrack needs escalators! What a great way to move the crowds quickly and efficiently. There were escalators and elevators to each level of seats.

You didn’t have to walk far to find bathrooms or multiple types of food. (The bathroom workers were constantly cleaning and restocking. Thank you!) I saw many people talking to the workers at the customer service desks. The Speedway seemed very fan-friendly with the placement of things. The TV screens were plentiful and up high so they wouldn’t be blocked; the speakers were loud so you could clearly hear what was going on; there were a ton of benches and tables with chairs out for people. 

Also, they extended the start/finish line up through the concourse so when you were walking by, you knew exactly where the line was. They had massive fans hanging down that gave a breeze across the walkways. All the small details added up to make a statement and show the fans that management was thinking about them and their comfort.

NOAPS

Friday night was great! We sat in the top row of the lower 100s and could still see the cars on the backstretch. Watching qualifying is unique because a single car doesn’t seem nearly as fast when they go by, but you know how fast they really are going. When they come by in a pack during the race – WOAH! 

The temperature was perfect, all the people sitting around us were nice,  and there was quite a bit of action on track. We grabbed some chicken tenders and fries towards the end of the race, and we both agreed that the tenders were quite tasty and a decent amount of food for the price.

We had a lively group of guys that we nicknamed the “No T-shirt Brigade” near us. They kept growing – young and old joined them. It was quite funny watching them, and I think it made their night when they made it on TV!

It was great to see Ryan Sieg finally win a NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race, and it was popular with the fans in attendance. 

NASCAR Cup Series

Saturday we grabbed food at Chick-fil-A and paid to park at the Cracker Barrel beside the racetrack. We ate in the car, then all we had to do was walk through the bus lot to get to the gate closest to our seats. That was super convenient before and especially after the race. After the race, we had to wait for them to let a bunch of buses leave, but then once they let the cars go, it went super quick, and we were back at the condo in no time. We did not purchase any food from the track; however, plenty of people around us did, and all their food looked very good. I brought a bunch of snacks in my backpack, and we munched on them during the race. 

Because of the heat, we opted not to walk through the fan zone. We sat in the shade at a table in the concourse and watched the TVs. We made our way out to our seats during the pre-race concert. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed with Locash. I knew a few of their songs from the radio, but they just weren’t that entertaining. Also, it was apparent that the recording studio does a good glow-up on their vocals.

The View

I’ll be honest, I would not choose to sit where our seats were on Saturday. They were too high and a bit steep for my comfort. I didn’t pay for them; they were given to me, so I can’t complain; it is what it is. We sat in our seats through the end of stage one and then opted to look for lower seats. Luckily, we found an almost empty row in the upper 100s and sat there for the rest of the race.

Some Speedway employees ended up sitting behind us in some other empty seats towards the end of the race. They were nice and seemed pleased to have two first-time winners for the weekend.

Personally, if I’m going to Daytona and paying for my seats, I would get 100 level around row 30. You are close to the cars when they come by and still can see the backstretch. You will never see me in the 400s; I don’t want to feel like I’m a bird watching a race. That’s just me, though. I have a special appreciation for those who sit in the very top row; I’m just not one of them!

Ryan Gets Redemption

I thought we’d have more cautions than we did Saturday night. I guess they tried to make up for it on the last lap. I was personally bummed not to see my favorite driver win, but he did finish the race, and that’s half the battle at Daytona.

I was happy to see Ryan Preece get redemption after the horrible wrecks he has had at the track in the past. I laughed when they started playing Rocketman over the speakers. Preece has certainly been a rocketman multiple times during his NASCAR career. The fans in attendance loved his celebratory burnout. The post-race fireworks were fantastic! I love night races, and fireworks are the perfect way to end a day at the racetrack. 

Final Thoughts

Special kudos to whoever was in charge of filler music. Both nights, they played Dolly Parton songs on the speakers. I love Dolly and was bummed about her passing. It made my heart happy to hear everyone singing along and seeing some people stand up and dance to the music.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip. I’m so glad I was able to go and experience Daytona with my mom. We both will have special memories from this trip. I look forward to returning in the future; the Daytona area is a great place to vacation with many things to do in the area. There is just something special about joining thousands of strangers to watch your favorite sport, and there is absolutely no better place to do that than Daytona International Speedway.