Daytona International Speedway: The World Center for Motorsports and Entertainment

Ever since I went to the Daytona 500 back in February of 2004 I would gladly drop everything to go back there again. I had actually gone to two different Daytona races that year, the Daytona 500 and the Pepsi 400. Both were excellent races and would easily go see them every year if I lived closer. Daytona International Speedway offers some great excitement but also a great atmosphere for family and friends as well. Not to mention the fact that your in Daytona Beach where you have great shops, beaches and restaurants all around you. Daytona Beach period is one place I would recommend you stop buy if you ever drive around that area on a vacation or trip.

The track itself you cannot miss. It's 2 1/2 miles long and the area is located on is right along Super speedway Blvd that will take you through the heart of Daytona and right up to the ocean. I shouldn't have to give directions on how to get there because of the fact that there are sign everywhere you look within 5 miles of Daytona Beach and you can easily see it off the highway. If you attend any Daytona races, make sure you get there very early to help beat the traffic rush plus you can get a great jump on checking out all the drivers haulers that are outside the track and get some gear. Usually there will be driver appearances at some points. When I went about 3 years ago they had Rick Craven do an appearance.

Prices around the track for seating will vary by what race your going to and what location your wanting to sit at. If your looking to get some Daytona 500 weekend tickets, I would suggest that you order them like 10 - 12 months in advance! You can usually call in April to look into tickets for the next year. Tickets for the Nextel Tower which offer premier seating will cost you a bundle. Where I sat when I went was on the back stretch about 48 rows up and we could see around the whole track and for 2-day tickets there they were like $150 a piece. That included the Busch race and the Daytona 500. The pricing will usually stay the same for the Pepsi 400 and can usually be easier to get as well. Make sure to look a head of time to ensure you get some good seats if you go to Daytona.

If you are ever looking for tickets to a race at Daytona, you should also check eBay because you can find a lot of great deals on there. Some people get their tickets for free and will resell them, not knowing how much to actually sell them for. A lot of people each year find killer deals on NASCAR tickets off eBay. Not everyone remembers to order their Daytona 500 tickets in advance so eBay is the next best solution.

Daytona Beach also offers several souvenir shops and stall along Superspeedway Blvd and along the beach. You can find anything from shirt and hat shops, to NASCAR posters, post cards and die casts. You can find shops that sell sea shells and even jewelry made from sea shells. Don't forget to stop by the Harley store to check out all the new and older motorcycles they have on display for looks and purchase. You can get Harley shirts, hats and other souvenirs for yourself or anyone you know that loves Harley Davidson.

One of the better restaurants and it comes highly recommend by many would be Sonny's BBQ Pit. Anyone from the south should know Sonny's but any northerners may not. We went there out of curiosity one night and we were over ally impressed! Back then you could get BBQ chicken and ribs with fries and a soda for like $10 and I believe it was all you can eat. Now don't hold me against that, it was like 3 years since I've been there so things may have changed.

Also while your there make sure to check out Daytona USA. The place offers a lot of cool things inside such as a 3-D simulator, they also have another 3-D attraction thats like in a movie theater but it was closed when I went. You can also do a pit road challenge where you and 3-4 others can jack up a car and change the tires. The previous Daytona 500 winner's car is on display and when we went it was Mikey Waltrips car from 2003. Daytona USA also has a nice concession area for your lunch or dinner needs. I recommend taking the track tour they give which will take you around the track, up outside the track on top of the banking and down the backstretch. You get to go down pit road and even stand in victory lane then through the garage area.

All in all, You need to go to Daytona at least once even if your not a race fan. You can still enjoy the sights and attractions around Daytona Beach. If you choose to see some races at Daytona, I would go all out and get a campsite in the track so you can just kick back there once the racing ends and just chill. Obviously you need to make some arrangements on the campsites ahead of time but would be seriously worth it to avoid the traffic after the race is over. Daytona International Speedway is a top stop for any race fan out there.