What you do n’t understand about Daytona is that you canneverhear . Every 45 second , whatever you ’re doing is interrupted by a roar that can only be compared to what you hear sit on a lawnmower behind a jet railway locomotive . And it ’s the most adrenaline - pumping interference in the world . That yowl is why , from the top quarrel of the bleacher at Victory Lane , I could n’t hear the crew go nuts when Denny Hamlin made his historic burster to overtake Matt Kenseth in last week ’s Daytona 500 . I did n’t hear the cheer going up as Martin “ Always a Bridesmaid ” Truex , Jr. admit the lead ever so shortly coming out of turn four down the final reach . And I definitely did n’t discover the sheer topsy-turvyness that ensue when Hamlin passed Truex with just yards to go . All I heard was the boom . And when it get to terminal bulk , what I heard but just saw : two car that werenotKenseth ’s coming to the closest finish in 500 history .
Beer: the official breakfast of NASCAR
The day go much more restfully , arriving before break of day on the infield at the fresh renovated Daytona International Speedway through a tunnel under the runway . When we emerged , RVs stretch along literally for mil , and late - night revelers staggered by on their way “ habitation . ” The baseball diamond , by the way , is MASSIVE . Like 180 - acres huge with a LAKE ! Yes , insidethe track . It ’s harebrained .
We park and take the air through the eerily silent campground to the pits . I noticed a beer endure full of ice - down blue bottles . “ Can we grease one’s palms those already ? ” I asked the charwoman behind the booth . It was scarce 6:30 in the dawn .
“ Technically , we ’re not rig up yet , ” she say .
Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
“ But if I handed you $ 8 , you ’d give me one of those , ” I answer . She look at her Bos , who was standing next to her stocking face of beer , and he nod .
“ That ’ll be $ 8 , ” she articulate .
I was n’t the only one get the company take off early . At 7 am , the Budweiser Bistro raise its shutters to a vast sunniness from the sports fan assembled in the baseball diamond ’s Sprint Fan Zone . Despite the cold temps by Florida standards ( around 58 ) , most of the lover – 90 % of whom were manful – did n’t bother with jackets . Or sleeves , really . You do n’t expend $ 300 on a " # 3 " tattoo so people CAN’T see it . It ’s like the NASCAR selling that keeps on giving .
Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
NASCAR has exploded in popularity over the retiring 20 years for the most part because it rein that allegiance – and rewards it by letting the fan be a part of the experience . Before the race , fans stroll around pit row , conversing with shop mechanic and bunch chiefs . The eatage between the pit and the track becomes a giant pre - party , where kinsfolk drink beer on the very track their Hero of Alexandria will hotfoot on a few hours later . Can you envisage having a beer at first understructure at Fenwaybeforea grown Sox - Yankees biz ?
guy wire dressed in overalls with mullet wigging took pictures with distaff fans . family ride in the grass . fraternity boy tailgated . An sometime man in full coveralls blasted " Thunderstruck " out of a mini stereoscopic photograph . sports fan sign the conclusion line of reasoning , and tanned themselves on the 30 - degree banked mineral pitch .
A view from the top of the world’s first motorsports stadium
After spend a few hour soaking in the local flavor , it was in conclusion race time ; we made our way into the grandstands . The speedway just dumped a ton of money into creating what it ’s call “ The World ’s First Motorsports Stadium , ” ended with 1,400 video filmdom , an superfluous level of seats , and a lower - spirit level concourse where you may watch the race while hold back in line for The Big One . It is effectively NASCAR ’s answer to Texas and Yankee Stadiums . Our rear end were on the upper level and extend , what I like to reckon of as , a snort - eye prospect of America : 100,000 people packed into a mile - tenacious memorial of sport adoration . On a gay day , you could n’t aid but well up with pridefulness as you hum that Lee Greenwood Desert Storm song to yourself .
Gerard Butler grabbed a microphone and announced , “ Drivers , begin your engines . ” And then the strain neglect mum , anticipation occupy the speedway . Everyone who ’d been there before knew what was coming – the roar . The mettle - pump phone of unapologetic intensity announcing , “ It ’s time to fucking go . ” After a thick hesitation , all 44 engines jump up at once , and the shockwave hit my ears for the first time . I feltthe adrenaline release from my mastermind , and wanted to leap out of my seat and punch somebody . ( Note : I ’m mostly not that violent . I utterly pick the racket . ) And even after the green iris shake off the holloa never went aside . And that roar is a big part of why watching NASCAR on television offers you dead ZERO theme of what a backwash is like . Like , none . The drivers move in a two - wide formation at over 185 miles an hour literally within inches of each other . To put it in perspective , think about that guy who rides your behind in the left lane when you ’re proceed 80 down the highway . Now , total 100 miles per hour to your focal ratio and environ yourself with 42 other car . And then , aim from Chicago to Pittsburgh ! That ’s essentially what these driver do for 500 mile . Watching that formation coast over the mineral pitch at deadly speed is one of the most telling things you ’ll see in variation .
The world’s nicest trailer park
But you could only really look on it for so long ; which is why after about 20 laps at the top of the grandstand , I was like , I should move freely about the cabin . I headed back down to the baseball diamond , which I ’d been told morphs into a macro beer - drenched orgy of mullets , rebel flags , and unsound decisions come race time . A debauchery on par with the Kentucky Derby , without the air of grade of sophistication .
What it is , in reality , is a prevue park for the 1 % . The majority of the buff are there in motorhomes that cost more than condos , complete with observance decks and untainted - brand appliances . Most opted to watch the race from the top of aver RVs , or on a 60 in TV mounted to the side .
In fact , the only blank space that seemed to have anything societal go on was the streak at Geico Shores , the branded name for the viewing area at the infield lake that search out on to the backstretch . I bellied up to the bar next to two girls who combine might not have been 30 . A fact that was apparently lost on the polo - garb guy cable from Charlotte trying to chat them up .
Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
“ How much for a keepsake cup ? ” I call for the bartender .
“ $ 15 for a double , ” he said .
“ What if I just require pop ? ” I asked .
Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
“ I can give you a $ 15 Coke if ya want it , ” he said . " But it ’s still $ 15 . ”
“ What about kids who want a souvenir loving cup ? ”
“ Shit , ” the mixologist smiled . “ This is Daytona , man . mammy and dad’ll drink enough of them that that kid’ll be giving cup away at deferral on Monday . ”
Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
From the dock , I watched the swarm of metal and rubber vanish by every 40 seconds , block up every conversation mid - conviction to let the roar have our attention .
Don’t let the tents fool you, this ain’t no hippie campground
Past Geico Shores is a tent - camping area that look like a refugee encampment for people fleeing the SEC group discussion . Yes , we are talking about a campground inside a giant race track , just to be unclouded . Yet it had the flavor of the tenting area at Bonnaroo or Outside Lands , sans the " locoweed , " and I even see some acoustic guitar come up from a collapsible shelter near the fencing . Honestly , who is playing guitar in the center of one of America ’s biggest car races ? So weird .
I walk up expecting to see some hippie who had n’t shaved since ' 03 playing song about social injustice in Tibet . Of naturally , as shortly as I heard the words , “ He lifts me up in my times of penury , ” I remembered I was at a NASCAR race . God . Country . NASCAR.While you may see the raceway everywhere ( I ’ve advert the dissonance , good ? Kidding ! ) , only seats in the covered stand go views of all the action . And those tickets can go you upward of $ 230 . For people in the diamond , though , the race is best viewed on the aforementioned TV . Which is why I made my fashion back to the infield ’s Sprint Fan Zone from the dawning – which now bear grand of people crowded around the scoreboard to watch a race that was peradventure 200 yards away . And this is where I rather pulled rank . Rather than jam myself into the bunch , I flashed my press pass and saunter into Victory Lane . There were 10 laps to go .
The greatest finish in history
And there I was in Victory Lane , surrounded by longtime NASCAR reporter bemoan about how this was one of the duller five hundred they remember . Matt Kenseth had been leading the race for the last time of day , and showed no signs of losing that spark advance ; we watch him take the snowy flag , which signified only one lap left until he could take out into Victory Lane and celebrate . With us!As I fiddled with my camera to get Kenseth crossing the finish line , Denny Hamlin made one the most historic last - lap moves in belt along history . The roar , however , left us clueless – it drown out even the cart track announcer . And by the time Hamlin crossed the finish line of credit 1/100th of a second ahead of pathetic Martin Truex , Jr. , I had no idea I ’d just witnessed the superlative finish ever at the Great American Race .
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Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
Matt Meltzer/Thrillist
