1. Gentlemen, start your engines and ladies, grab
your beach bag. It's NASCAR time in Daytona
Beach, Florida. 2006 is already wooing a track full
of die-hard race car drivers and fans are pulling
up trackside to get a glimpse of the action. Make
sure you're there in 2006 for non-stop excitement
at every turn on the track!
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2. The season begins with the forty-fourth Rolex 24 which kicks off the 2006
Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series on the weekend of January 26-29
Considered one of the most prestigious endurance races, the entry list
features 73 entries which will exceed the 2005 entry list by eleven cars Benny
Parsons will act as the Grand Marshall for this event On February 11, 2006,
the Budweiser Shootout will start their 'run' followed by the Daytona 500 Pole
Qualifying run The Shootout represents the beginning of Speed Week at
Daytona, ending with the Daytona 500 On February 18, the Hershey's
Kissable kicks off the NASCAR Busch Series for 2006 In between are truck
races and other events to keep every race fan in total bliss On February 19,
Daytona Beach hosts the Daytona 500, one of the great American traditions in
NASCAR racing The race begins at 2 p
3. m Eastern and runs for 500 laps on the world-famous track Of course, all the
big names will be entered in the race, including Jeff Gordon, Tony Steward
and Dale Earnhardt, Jr This year holds a special treat because Bill Elliot has
come out of retirement to return for this race Elliot left full-time racing in 2003,
only running a few races in the next NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Of course,
Dale Jr is a favorite in this race His father, Dale Earnhardt, Sr died in a freak
accident during the Daytona 500 in the 2001 race
4. Since its beginning in 1959, the Daytona 500 has been one of the most
popular races ever held The television ratings for this event indicate that it is
one of the most-watched sports events, surpassing even the Super Bowl! As
the first race of the Nextel Cup Series (in addition to being the first biggest race
of the year), the fan's race to obtain tickets is phenomenal The Daytona 500
is a direct offshoot of a race once held on the sands of Daytona Beach After
the 1959 opening of the Daytona International Speedway, the race as we know
it continues to grow That very first Daytona 500 was won by Lee Petty, father
of Richard Petty The win was most interesting because Johnny Beauchamp
was initially announced as the winner after both Petty and Beauchamp lapped
Joe Weatherly on the final lap Three days later, after reviewing photographs
and video of the finish, the call was overthrown and Petty was announced as
the official winner of that first Daytona 500 His son, Richard, has won the
Daytona 500 seven times during his career and holds the record for the most
wins for this particular racing event The qualifying for the Daytona 500 is
unique in that teams must race their way into the field instead of taking
qualifying laps
5. The first row is set through one round of qualifying that usually occurs one
week in advance of the actual race The remainder of the field is established
by qualifying races of 150 miles During 2004 and before, the qualifying races
were 125 miles After the Daytona 500, Wisk Presents the Daytona 500
After-Party which includes a dinner buffet, complimentary soft drinks, a cash
bar, live entertainment and much, much more You must purchase advance
tickets to attend this party ConAgra hosts the Monday morning Champion's
Breakfast event which features car induction festivities, a buffet breakfast, and
more This event also requires advance purchase of a ticket The Champion's
Breakfast marks the official end of Speed Week at Daytona
6. Access to the Daytona International Speedway is simple and easy from the
north and south via Interstate-95 which lies within two miles of the race track
Interstate-4 provides access from the west while U S Highway 1 provides a
scenic drive from the north and south While visiting Daytona Beach, you'll
want to take a drive along the white sand beaches, one of the only remaining
beaches in Florida that permit driving on the sand These beautiful beaches
extend for miles and provide a unique experience for anyone who has never
had the joy of driving alongside the Atlantic Ocean Just don't leave your car
parked on the sand too close to the water at low tide Every week, cars must
be towed onto shore when the high tide floods them
7. During Speed Week, accommodations can be hard to find unless you have
made reservations well in advance Many race fans book reservations and
purchase their race tickets a full year in advance The ocean-front hotels, of
course, fill up first as do those closest to the Speedway For those who desire
very affordable housing for the week, nearby towns offer plenty of
accommodations within one-half hour's drive from the track Even Orlando with
all its plush hotels is only forty-five minutes away on Interstate-4 Camping is
a popular solution to the accommodations problem during Speed Week There
are numerous campgrounds in the area within a few miles of the race track
and the cost of renting a campsite for the week is very affordable Because of
Central Florida's mild weather, camping poses a viable solution
8. The nights may require a few blankets, however, but most of the daytime
temperatures are quite comfortable Many of the hard-core race enthusiasts
bring campers, vans and motor homes, purchasing infield tickets and parking
for the entire week Every evening, cookouts in the infield bring the smells of
steaks, hot dogs and hamburgers to the air Those gathered in the infield party
with others from all over the country both day and night, having a thoroughly
great time while enjoying the races If you have never been to a Daytona 500
to hear those famous words, "Gentlemen, start your engines", you will never
forget the experience Not only will you enjoy the races, but the entire city of
Daytona Beach will provide memories for years to come For tips on
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