Daytona

[CCG]

Hi, I live in the UK and I want to go to the Daytona 500 in 2004, does anyone know of any packages that are offered for UK residents to watch the race?

[Peter S]

I am planning on going there in 2004 and intend to do by buying the tickets from the track and booking a seperate fly drive to Orlando. Then just get a villa or something.

[Peter S]

Meant to add just got back to england from the US....went to the testday......boy skinner was looking very quick.

[Stephen Green]

Try Page & Moy as they organise package holidays to international race meetings.

[DrNascar]

I wouldn't advise going to Daytona on a package tour. The USA is easiest country in the world to make your own independent travel arrangements in.

I'll be in Daytona this February for the Daytona 500 for the third year on the run, plus I travelled to the Pepsi 400 in 1999. I made all the arrangements myself.

Get yourself a fly-drive, or even better, book the flights and car separately. Don't try to book accomodation in the Daytona Beach area, it'll cost you a fortune during the speedweeks. I stay in Orlando which is only just over an hours drive (in good traffic at least) down the interstate from Daytona Beach and is packed with motels at reasonable prices. By the amount of NASCAR clothing that I see being worn in Orlando a lot of Americans appear to be doing the same.

If you really want to go on a package tour from the UK you could try Wattons Motorsport Tours (0208 799 8342 [days] or 01886 888435 [evenings]) I've never travelled with them and don't know what they are like but they seem to specialise in trips to US motorsport events like the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600 (at Charlotte) and Indianapolis for the Indy 500 and (I think) the Brickyard 400; but they run their tours out of London which is no use to me.

I know that there are other "Brits" at the Daytona 500. Does anyone know if they meet up anywhere either at Daytona or Orlando during speedweeks? The Earnhardt statue at the Speedway or the NASCAR Cafe at Universal CityWalk or Race Rock on International Drive (both in Orlando) would seem like obvious locations.

Are there any other Brits out there going out to Daytona for the 500?

[Quadrifoglio]

Hi, I am in the Uk and will be going to Daytona this year. I last went in 1998 when Earnhardt won, that was special.

Due to work commitments I cannot stay for the 500 itself this year but will be there for all events the week before. Does anyone know the timetable for Pole day on Sunday 9th as I have not seen Nascar qualifying before and wondered what the format was?
We are staying in Orlando in a villa, prices are cheap and travel to Daytona easy but roads are very busy. I will buy all tickets there as last time I ordered them from Daytona direct and arranged to pick them up on arrival at the track. We stood in a line to one window for 2 hours in their 'will call' line to get our tickets when people were able to just turn up and buy tickets from touts easily and cheaply
Anyone thinking of going must go as it is a fantastic spectacle and event. dont waste your money with tours, do your own thing and get to see a bit of Florida at the same time.

[DrNascar]

I wish I could have seen Earnhardt Sr. win the 500 in '98, unfortunately my first visit to the 500 co-incided with his fatal accident...

I usually collect my tickets at the "Will Call" window on the morning of the Thursday before the "500" i.e. before the Gatorade Twin 125 qualifying races (The speedway don't post out tickets to the UK and I think that is safer to collect them yourself). I've never had to wait more than about 10 minutes at that time.

Beware of getting tickets in the "Superstretch" grandstand on the backstraight (these are available even on race day). I'm told that you can't see the cars through the tri-oval. I have a seat near turn 4 in the Oldfield Tower, the best seat in the house so far as I'm concerned but not the most expensive. My two day ticket for the Busch race on the Saturday and the 500 on the Sunday cost me ~£190 so it's not exactly cheap but worth every penny and more! Eat your heart out Silverstone! Tickets in the frontstretch grandstands are more difficult to get, as most people renew every year. If you want to sit there for 2004 I suggest that you telephone the speedway ticket office (00 1 904 253 7223) immediatey after the 1st April this year, this is the deadline for renewal. After this date the ticket office should know which seats are available for the next year's 500.

You might also consider the "Pepsi 400" in the summer, Daytona is even better under the lights and they now have a Busch series race the night before as well, so the trip is better value. Just be aware that Florida "bakes" in the summer although its just right in the evening for the race.

If you're a UK NASCAR fan you simply have to get to Daytona sometime, you won't regret it!

[Nigel75]

I and 7 other crew members of Steward Racing are going to the 500, we have seats quite high up in oldfield. I was lucky enough to see Earnhardt win in 98 and unfortunate to witness his death in 2000 at my last two visits.

We will be staying in Orlando and will travel up to Daytona 3 times firstly to pick up the tickets and catch Fan Fest at the Ocean Center and then fo the Busch Race and the Cup race. Include all the Shopping and the Theme Parks and we have a busy 7 days to look forward to - but very enjoyable.

[NASCARWidow]

[i] Does anyone know the timetable for Pole day on Sunday 9th as I have not seen Nascar qualifying before and wondered what the format was?
[/B]

Sunday's tentative schedule:
Dash race 11am
Winston Cup Qualifying- 1:15pm followed by one hour or ARCA practice if time permits. Each car will get 2 timed laps for qualifying with only the top 2 locked in for the race the following week. The rest of the times are used to set the 125 fields. Second round qualifying will be on Monday at 1pm. Teams that feel they would be too slow in the first round of qualifying to get a good starting spot in the 125's and probably out of the spots that would get a provisional on speed will requalify.

All times are subject to change.

[ukman]

hi everyone.
another brit writing about going to daytona,
need any info on daytona speedweeks 2004,
thanks
uk man

[MrSal]

My wife and myself are going to the 2004 Daytona 500. We get friends in the US to order them and they post them on for us. I agree with those who recommend not going on a package tour, fly drive is so easy.

[chris24]

Got to agree, forget the over priced package deals.
Book a flight and car hire or a fly drive. Stay around Orlando or Kissimmee and you can get a good deal if you stay at the same place for the week.

Don't forget that Its Speedweeks which means that there is good racing action at all the other tracks in Florida for the two week period. Volusia Speedway (About 20 mins up the road,) New Symerna Beach ? (about 20 mins away), East Bay (Tampa area), etc etc

[neilwaynesmith]

Try 'Swallow Travel' in Totnes. You should be able to get the number thru directory enquiries. A package run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. We went in 2000 and are planning to go again in 2005.

An absolute must.