W
hen race fans
think about
Daytona Beach,
it’s likely to be
about February's Daytona
500 or the Coke Zero 400 in
July. What visitors may not
know is that Daytona Beach
has attractions to appeal to
motorsports fans all year
long.
Daytona International
Speedway has just
undergone a $400 million
transformation into the
world's first motorsports
stadium. This means even
more to drop your jaw on
Speedway tours, offered
year-round. And the Richard
Petty Driving Experience,
which puts you in a
NASCAR-stock car, now
calls the Speedway home.
(If go-karts are more your
speed, we've got those, too.)
Plus there's evidence all
around of the area's
motorsports and motorcycle
history and culture.
Birthplace of Speed Park
21 Ocean Shore Blvd.,
Ormond Beach
(386) 676-3250
OrmondBeach.org
In the early 1920s, daredevil
drivers would gather in the
Ormond Garage in Ormond
Beach and use the length
of the area’s wide, hard-
packed sand — fromOrmond
to Ponce Inlet — for flying
mile runs. While the build-
ing burned down years ago,
a scaled-down replica has
been built in the Birthplace
of Speed Park. The garage
houses replicas of the “Bullet
1” and “Pirate,” the first two
cars to race side-by-side on
the beach.
Daytona International Speedway
1801 W. International Speedway
Blvd., Daytona Beach
1-800-PITSHOP
Daytona500.com
Daytona International
Speedway recently completed
a $400million frontstretch
renovation project that
transformed the “World
Center of Racing” into the
world’s first motorsports
stadium. Improvements
included wider, more
comfortable seats, five
expanded and redesigned
entrances, 40 escalators and
upgraded amenities through
out the 11 football-field size
neighborhoods.
Go-Kart City and Mystic
Harbor Miniature Golf
4114 S. Nova Road
Port Orange
(386) 761-2882
Race stock car replica
go-karts at Florida’s
second-largest track and then
enjoy the attraction’s video
arcade, miniature golf and
batting cages.
Racing’s in our
blood
Daytona Beach area a year-round motorsports destination
36 |
The
Original
American Beach
