Just finalized my 2016 Daytona 500 trip

[ImHogginIt]

Bought race tickets, plane tickets and made hotel reservation with an oceanfront hotel room for three days. I'm pumped to cross another thing off my bucket list 

And if you think Fayetteville jacks up hotel rates for football games you should see Daytona Beach for the 500

[10thPlanet]

And if you think Fayetteville jacks up hotel rates for football games you should see Daytona Beach for the 500

For sure! I always try to find a campground and tent it, which usually ends up a car camping experience at night. It's always crazy when even for the Daytona 200 in March it's still dipping into the 30's some years. No matter what it is I am never prepared except for food, and alcohol.

[Buff]

I hope it's a rainout.

[ImHogginIt]

I hope it's a rainout.

I'll be there thru Tuesday so let it rain that Sunday 

[ImHogginIt]

Three more weeks. Can't wait to see the new Daytona. $400 million should make that place shine

[Buff]

Three more weeks. Can't wait to see the new Daytona. $400 million should make that place shine

I just went outside and checked......yep, I still hate you.

[Racinray]

Was the upgrades they did to the facility as good as they claimed?

[ImHogginIt]

Was the upgrades they did to the facility as good as they claimed?

Not to me. Must have been a dump before. Its nice now sure but to me it just brought it up to the level of Texas Motor Speedway in regards to looks although the escalators were nice. Daytona grandstands look better from the street but TMS looks better from the track side because of all the indoor box seats and Speedway Club. They say they doubled bathrooms so there must have been really long lines before and I was woefully disappointed in the food selection compared to TMS.

Also there was not as much legroom compared to Texas and they only had 4 small video boards for fans to see and wouldn't you know we could not see one where we were. Texas has the giant board everyone can see. I do like the pack racing compared to Texas where they get so spread out but the track is so big it was hard for us sitting near turn 4 to see the action on turn 1 and 2 and most of the backstretch. Cars were awful tiny that far away. Jr wrecked in front of us which was worth the whole trip and we almost saw the big one in front of us but Kenseth saved it.

It was a good experience but not enough to make me want to return. I liked Richmond much better last year. Bristol, Martinsville and Sonoma are next on my list.

[Racinray]

Not to me. Must have been a dump before. Its nice now sure but to me it just brought it up to the level of Texas Motor Speedway in regards to looks although the escalators were nice. Daytona grandstands look better from the street but TMS looks better from the track side because of all the indoor box seats and Speedway Club. They say they doubled bathrooms so there must have been really long lines before and I was woefully disappointed in the food selection compared to TMS.

Also there was not as much legroom compared to Texas and they only had 4 small video boards for fans to see and wouldn't you know we could not see one where we were. Texas has the giant board everyone can see. I do like the pack racing compared to Texas where they get so spread out but the track is so big it was hard for us sitting near turn 4 to see the action on turn 1 and 2 and most of the backstretch. Cars were awful tiny that far away. Jr wrecked in front of us which was worth the whole trip and we almost saw the big one in front of us but Kenseth saved it.

It was a good experience but not enough to make me want to return. I liked Richmond much better last year. Bristol, Martinsville and Sonoma are next on my list.

I've went down there several years ago for the July race and once was enough for me as well. TMS is much better all around.

[Flying Razorback]

I think that was the problem, Daytona was far behind the modern facilities.  I went to TMS for the first time this past fall and was very impressed with their facilities.

[Racinray]

I've been to Vegas too and it's nice as well. But it's Vegas and a NASCAR race happens to show up, no atmosphere.