Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, about 50 mi (80 km) north of Orlando. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. The venue also hosts the 24 Hours of Daytona, one of three IMSA races that make up the Triple Crown of endurance racing. In addition to NASCAR and IMSA, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, SCCA, and AMA Supercross. The track features multiple layouts including the primary 2.500 mi (4.023 km) high-speed tri-oval, a 3.560 mi (5.729 km) sports car course, a 2.950 mi (4.748 km) motorcycle course, and a 1,320 ft (400 m) karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's 180-acre (73 ha) infield includes the 29-acre (12 ha) Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing.
Location
1801 West International Speedway Blvd,
Daytona Beach, Florida 32114
101,500–167,785 (w/ infield, depending on configuration) 123,500 (grandstand capacity)
NASCAR (2019–present)
International Speedway Corporation (1959–2019)[1]
NASCAR (1959–present)
November 25, 1957
February 22, 1959
US$3 million
Charles Moneypenny
William France, Sr.
Current:
- NASCAR Cup Series
Daytona 500 (1959–present)
Coke Zero Sugar 400 (1959–present)
Bluegreen Vacations Duel (1959–present)
Busch Clash (1979–2021)
O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 (2020–2021) - NASCAR Xfinity Series
United Rentals 300 (1982–present)
Wawa 250 (2002–present)
Super Start Batteries 188 (2020–2021) - NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Fresh From Florida 250 (2000–present)
BrakeBest Select 159 (2020–2021) - IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
Rolex 24 at Daytona (1962–present)
WeatherTech 240 (1967–1986, 2000, 2002–2009, 2020) - ARCA Menards Series
Lucas Oil Complete Engine Treatment 200 (1964–present) - AMA Daytona SportBike&MotoAmerica
Daytona 200 (1961–2019, 2021–present) - AMA Supercross
Daytona Supercross by Honda
Former:
- Trans-Am Series
(1967–1968, 1984, 2013–2019) - Grand-Am
Daytona Finale (1972–1986, 1996, 2001–2003) - Grand Prix motorcycle racing
United States motorcycle Grand Prix (1961–1965) - IROC (1974–1978, 1985–1989, 1991–2006)
- USAC Daytona 100 (1959)
Asphalt
2.500 miles (4.023 km)
4
Turns: 31°
Tri-oval: 18°
Back straightaway: 3°
0:40.002 (
Jonathan Roscoe, Roush Yates Mazda Rx7 2.6L 4 Rotor, 2024, Sports Compact)
Asphalt
3.560 miles (5.729 km)
12
Oval turns: 31°
Tri-Oval: 18°
Back straightaway: 2°
Infield: 0° (flat)
1:33.724 (
Alex Palou, Cadillac DPi-V.R, 2022, DPi)
Asphalt
3.570 miles (5.745 km)
14
Oval turns: 31°
Tri-Oval: 18°
Back straightaway: 2°
Infield: 0° (flat)
1:55.677 ( Chase Elliott, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, 2021, NASCAR Cup)
Asphalt
2.950 miles (4.748 km)
12
Oval turns: 31°
Tri-Oval: 18°
Back straightaway: 2°
Infield: 0° (flat)
Asphalt
3.869 miles (6.228 km)
1:45.209 (
Derek Bell, Porsche 962, 1984, IMSA GTP)
Asphalt
3.840 miles (6.180 km)
1:45.360 ( Danny Ongais, Lola T600, 1982, IMSA GTP)
Asphalt
3.810 miles (6.132 km)
7
1:41.250 ( Mark Donohue, Ferrari 512 M, 1971, Group 5)
Dirt
0.25 miles (0.40 km)
4
Flat
Asphalt
0.40 miles (0.64 km)
4
Flat
0:20.129 (Nate Monteith, Monteith Racing, 2013, Whelen All-American Series)
The track was built in 1959 by NASCAR founder William "Bill" France Sr. to host racing that was held at the former Daytona Beach Road Course. His banked design permitted higher speeds and gave fans a better view of the cars. The speedway is operated by NASCAR pursuant to a lease with the City of Daytona Beach on the property that runs until 2054.[1][4] The venue describes itself as the "World Center of Racing".[5]
Lights were installed around the track in 1998, and today it is the third-largest single-lit outdoor sports facility. The speedway has been renovated four times, with the infield renovated in 2004 and the track repaved in 1978 and 2010. On January 22, 2013, the fourth speedway renovation was unveiled. On July 5, 2013, ground was broken on "Daytona Rising" to remove backstretch seating and completely redevelop the frontstretch seating. The renovation was by design-builder Barton Malow Company in partnership with Rossetti Architects. The project was completed in January 2016, and cost US $400 million. It emphasized improved fan experience with five expanded and redesigned fan entrances (called "injectors"), as well as wider and more comfortable seats, and more restrooms and concession stands. After the renovations were complete, the track's grandstands had 101,500[6] permanent seats with the ability to increase permanent seating to 125,000.[7][8] The project was finished before the start of Speedweeks in 2016.
Track history[edit]
Construction[edit]
NASCAR founder William France Sr. began planning for the track in 1953 as a way to promote the series, which at the time was racing on the Daytona Beach Road Course.[9] France met with Daytona Beach engineer Charles Moneypenny to discuss his plans for the speedway. He wanted the track to have the highest banking possible to allow the cars to reach high speeds and to give fans a better view of the cars on track. Moneypenny traveled to Detroit, Michigan to visit the Ford Proving Grounds which had a high-speed test track with banked corners. Ford shared their engineering design of the track with Moneypenny, providing the needed details of how to transition the pavement from a flat straightaway to a banked corner. France took the plans to the Daytona Beach city commission, who supported his idea and formed the Daytona Beach Speedway Authority.[10]
Video games[edit]
In 1994, Sega released an arcade game called Daytona USA, using their Model 2 Arcade hardware. It was developed by their famed "AM2" development team. It featured a fully detailed 3D model of the circuit for the very first time. The soundtrack for the game included vocals by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi. It is widely considered to be one of the most successful and influential racing games of all time. Daytona USA spawned many sequels, both in the arcades and on various home video game consoles. The latest version, Daytona Championship USA, was released to arcades in 2017.[34]
iRacing.com have laser-scanned the facility twice. The first in 2008, and 2011 once the repave was completed. Both are available in official racing series. There has been no word to when and if it will be re-scanned now that the Daytona Rising project has now been completed.[35]
Both the oval layout and Rolex 24 Hour layout are available in both PlayStation 3 video games Gran Turismo 5 and Gran Turismo 6, and in the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game Gran Turismo 7. Daytona International Speedway is also featured in Forza Motorsport 6 and Forza Motorsport 7 for the Xbox One and Windows 10.
Real Racing 3's second NASCAR update featured the Daytona International Speedway as a new circuit coming in three layouts. In addition to the oval and Rolex 24 Hour layouts in Gran Turismo, there also exists a Daytona 200 layout in the game.
Main Entrance at night (prior to renovation)
Cars practicing in 2004
Old Flagstand
Grandstand (prior to renovation)
View from the former backstretch grandstands at night
Endurance kart race
Racetrack skidmarks and view of old grandstand
View of Lake Lloyd
Infield garages
Infield view from President's Row
Statue of Dale Earnhardt Sr. holding his winner's trophy
Rolex Clock at the garage
Aerial view
