Daytona here I come

[Grand_Fromage]

I think it is a question of setting expectations. Of all endurance racing venues, Daytona is one of the worst suited to the discipline, and the environment is tuned to NASCAR not sportscars. It is worth going for sure, but don't expect to find Le Mans in Florida. For that you need to go to Sebring a couple of months later.

Bit of a shame that the OP, a newbie with just one post to his name, has come on here and joined us all excited about going racing and all we've managed to do is put the damper on it.

Is there any upside to going racing? Anyone?

[Boorish Grobian]

Totally agree with GF's perspective.  Sebring would still be a blast even if they turned it into a 12 hour race for garden tractors.  There's plenty of terrific racing still out there to be enjoyed on both sides of the Atlantic.  Back in Sept we went up to the historic Eldora Speedway to watch the USAC Midgets, Sprints, and Silver Crown cars.  Absolutely fantastic, pure racing, great atmosphere.
Yeah, I don't have much nice to say about anything NASCAR touches doesn't mean I don't love the sport.  Some sanctioning bodies, and venues make it easy to become negative, but hell, I still spend a lot of time at race tracks over the course of a year.
I hope Arthur has a great time at Daytona, he sounds very enthusiastic, that's nice, the racing needs all the support and enthusiasm it can get.

[arthursykes]

It's alright guys really. Had to step out for the weekend, and didn't have access to the computer.
I understand what everyone is saying. Yes, its going to be cold and uncomfortable, but I'll be there. I picked this race to go to, and I'm sticking with it. Hopefully I can get to a few others this year, but money is tight. So Daytona it is, and maybe next time, Sebring, or even Circuit of the Americas. It's me, my camera, and the cars.

[arthursykes]

Also, thanks smokie! Don't worry, I don't scare off easy.

[jimclark]

Is there any upside to going racing? Anyone?

"Going" racing hadn't been established. And the post above does establish that it's just spectating. I'll jump into a rent-a-kart at the drop of whatever. But to "spectate", Grand Am (or whatever silly thing it is now) is not the answer. If it's Art's first live race, it will work fer sure. It's just too bad he/she missed out on the good stuff  while it still existed here in the states.

Art, enjoy...I may be there and perhaps we can hook up and I can give ya some pointers. Visit the other boards that are now itertwined... www.americanlemansfans.com . http://www.grand-am.com/FanForums/Forums.aspx . http://garra-fans.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=1

[Kristof]

Last time I was at Daytona for the 24h was in 2009.

If it's your first race, you'll enjoy it, I did too when I went there for the first time.  The good thing about a track within a tri-oval is that you can see all the action when sitting at the top of the grandstands opposite the pitlane so you won't have to miss a bit of the action.   Don't be scared off by the empty grandstands, most of the crowd is in the infield, but don't expect any Sebring or LM atmosphere. Evening and nights can be cold, during the day temperatures could become very nice, but as said before be prepared for rain !

As for the staff, I've had good and bad experiences.  They can go bitchy with all their stupid rules about what's allowed and not allowed on the grandstands, especially when you're carrying a lot of photo gear.  I've had trouble getting in with a large backpack, or a tripod ... even once with a monopod and a big lens.  Other years I didn't have any problems, guess it just depends on who's at the gate and what mood they're in.

If they'd had 15 LMP2's or more in TUSC, I'd even go back there too ... would like to see them go over the banking. 

[Grand_Fromage]

... would like to see them go over the banking.  

Not literally I hope! 

[Kristof]

... would like to see them go over the banking.  

Not literally I hope! 

For the LMP's, no ! For the turtles ... 

[Boorish Grobian]

I've seen a car go over the banking at Daytona's big sister track, Talladega.  In the old days there was no debris fencing up in the turns because the are no stands there.  Then a car ended up over the banking, down the hill, and in a parking lot.  The next year there was fencing all the way around.
Fax

[Kristof]

Just saw this one coming by on twitter :

Daytona IntlSpeedway
‏@DISupdates
Reason #6 you can't miss the #ROLEX24: It's an event that's rich in history at motorsports' most storied venue!

I beg to differ  ...

[Boorish Grobian]

At Daytona they like to refer to themsleves as the "World Center of Speed".  At Indy the call themselves the "Racing Capitol of the World".  It's such pompous bs.  The folks in charge at these places are so full of themsleves, especially the France, and Hulman families.  I think Bill France Sr. and Tony Hulman must be spinning in their graves at what their descendants have become.
Fax

[Steve Pyro]

True John - and not only to motorsport.
A number of years ago, Mrs B and myself took ourselves south of Miami for a spot of scuba diving at Key Largo.  Imagine our amusement as we drove under a huge sign that proudly announced Key Largo as the 'Diving Capital of the World'.
I subsequently tried explaining this to the locals at places such as Bali, Sipadan, Maldives and the Great Barrier Reef but didn't get much response. 

[arthursykes]

I understand the amount of history in these tracks. One of the reasons I picked Daytona. I've read lots about racing since the beginning, and now I get to go. Still, I think I'll have an easy time getting in with my stuff...and I usually get along with folks. Its all about the right attitude with those in charge!

[gatordad]

I was born in Dayotna Beach.  I have a picture of my mom standing on a 55 gallon oil can in Smokey Yunick's pit on the beach course, smoking a cigarette and pregnant with me in February 1948.

I love Daytona and have taken my son there since he was 6...he's 28.  The clinic at the track is named for Kit Johnson, a friend of the family and the nurse that helped deliver me in the hospital.  I have a deep and emotional love of the track and everything related to it.  Having said that, since the original France family have slowly died off and been replaced by their children that were born with silver spoons in their collective arses things have seemed to deteriorate.  It is still a NASCAR crowd that tolerates sports cars.

If you go there understanding that then you will be OK.  There are always folks trying to "game the system" and the hired help gets pretty sick of it.  The ACO is very tight at LM which then lets the police and workers free up to be helpful.  I have read many posts on this site that blasted the local French for the way they were treated at the race in France.

At Daytona you used to be able to get into the garages and hang with the drivers.  Once my son and I even ended up in the driver's meeting before the race where the rules were being reviewed.  I looked over and there was Daniel standing next to "The Cat in the Hat" Jack Roush.  That has ended but they do have viewing windows into the garages from the fan area.

If you go make sure you get up in the middle of the night and go into the Tower at the start-finish line.  It is very cool to see the race from up there and you will be the only person there.  The DP cars are about as ugly as a car can be but I will return for the first time in years just to see the GTLM cars fight it out for 24 hours.  That WILL be the race to watch. 

I have been going to this race since it started.  I was in the pits when Gurney bumped started his car across the line to win the 3-hour Continental and was there when Porsche won in the 917, the Ferrari's won and the GT-40's won.  The best was with the onld Group C cars.  It was called "the 36 Hours of Florida" then as the same cars would race at Daytona and Sebring.  That may be returning and I welcome it.  Go to the museum and see some of the great Daytona history including the beach race.  My father was best friends with Marshall Teague, a name most of you have never heard.  He wrenched cars with Smokey Yunick, Banjo Matthews and Fonty Flock.

It's Racin' Man!  Enjoy the trip and don't let the negatives get you down!

[gatordad]

I've seen a car go over the banking at Daytona's big sister track, Talladega.  In the old days there was no debris fencing up in the turns because the are no stands there.  Then a car ended up over the banking, down the hill, and in a parking lot.  The next year there was fencing all the way around.
Fax

"Back in the Day" the fences along the top of the banked turns at Daytona were perpendicular to the ground...which made them a perfect launch angle to the track.  Lee Petty, Richard's dad flew over the East turn once and ended up on the ground 50 feet below his launch and 5 months in the hospital.  They soon fixed that.  

One thing you will notice at both Daytona and Sebring is that you can actually get pretty close to the cars as they are racing; unlike Le Mans where you are a very long way from the track and can only see the race from a very few vantage points.  Turn 6  at Daytona heading onto NASCAR Turn 1 you are not more than 30 feet from the cars and in turn 3 and 10 at Sebring they are withing 20 feet.