- Home
- North America
- USA
- Daytona International Speedway
Track guide · road course & oval
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway at a glanceChecked 2026-09-09
- Length
- 2.5 mi4.023 km
- Turns
- 4
- Opened
- 1959
- Capacity
- 101,500
- Location
- Daytona Beach, Florida
- Type
- road course & oval
- Direction
- counter-clockwise
- Banking
- 31° in the turns, 18° at start/finish, 3° on the backstretch
- Surface
- asphalt
- Owner
- NASCAR
- Phone
- +1-386-681-4185
Track map and layout
Daytona is a 2.5-mile tri-oval, the template for modern superspeedway racing since it opened in 1959. Its 31-degree banked turns let stock cars run flat-out, which packs the field together and produces the drafting, pack racing and multi-car 'Big One' wrecks the track is famous for. A separate infield road course, incorporating part of the oval and the frontstretch, stretches the layout to roughly 3.56 miles with 12 turns and is used for endurance racing rather than pure speed. The 2013-2016 'Daytona Rising' project rebuilt the frontstretch grandstands into wide, tiered concourses with better sightlines, five entry 'injector' portals, and season-round-usable social and club spaces, changing the fan experience without touching the racing surface itself.
Named corners and sections
Turn 1.
First of the tri-oval's high-banked turns leading off the frontstretch; where the field first bunches up after the green flag.
Bus Stop chicane.
A tight chicane added to the infield road course near the entrance to pit road to slow cars for the road-racing configuration used in the Rolex 24.
Configurations
Tri-oval
2.5 miUsed for the Daytona 500, Coke Zero Sugar 400 and Duels
Road course
3.56 miCombines oval and infield sections; used for the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Daytona 200 motorcycle race
Events and race weekends
Daytona's calendar centers on Speedweeks each February, headlined by the Daytona 500, NASCAR's season-opening 'Great American Race,' preceded by the Duel qualifying races. (The preseason Clash exhibition ran here until 2021 before moving to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and, since 2025, Bowman Gray Stadium.) The Rolex 24 at Daytona, IMSA's twice-around-the-clock endurance classic, runs on the road course in late January. NASCAR returns in August for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 night race, and the Daytona 200 motorcycle race and Daytona Supercross round out a year that also includes truck and Xfinity series support races.
Rolex 24 at Daytona
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship24-hour endurance race on the road course
Annual eventWhenJANJanuaryDaytona 500
NASCAR CupSeason-opening 'Great American Race'
Annual eventWhenFEBFebruaryCoke Zero Sugar 400
NASCAR CupSummer night race
Annual eventWhenAUGAugustDaytona 200
Motorcycle road racingRun on the road course during Bike Week
Annual eventWhenMARMarch
Getting there and parking
Daytona Beach International Airport sits directly adjacent to the speedway property, a few minutes' drive from the main gates, and Orlando International Airport is about an hour southwest for travelers who want more flight options. The track is just off Interstate 95 and International Speedway Boulevard, making it an easy drive from anywhere in central Florida.
- DABDaytona Beach International Airport (DAB)about 5 mindrive
- MCOOrlando International Airport (MCO)about 60 mindrive
Parking
Paid general parking lots surround the speedway and open on a day-of, first-come basis for most events; pricing and which lots open vary by race. Arriving early is strongly advised for the Daytona 500 and Coke Zero Sugar 400, when lots fill well before the green flag.
TipBook Daytona 500 parking and camping passes as far ahead as possible, since Speedweeks routinely sells out lots close to the track.
Hotels and camping near Daytona International Speedway
Most visitors stay in Daytona Beach itself, a few minutes from the track, or in nearby Ormond Beach and Port Orange for quieter options. Hotel rates spike sharply during Speedweeks in February and Bike Week, so booking months ahead is standard practice for the Daytona 500.
Where to look
Daytona Beach oceanfront, Ormond Beach and Port Orange, plus chain hotels along International Speedway Boulevard near the track.
Camping
Infield camping and trackside RV areas are sold for major events including the Daytona 500 and Rolex 24, with tiered options close to the racing action.
RV
Dedicated RV and camping zones such as Park West are available for Speedweeks and other headline events, some of which allow pets.
Drive or ride at Daytona International Speedway
NASCAR Racing Experience runs stock car drives and ride-alongs on the tri-oval with dates into July 2027, and SCCA Track Night in America runs own-car HPDE evenings.
- driveNo. 01
NASCAR Racing Experience
- Drive
- NASCAR stock car
- From
- US$436.99
- ride-alongNo. 02
NASCAR Racing Experience
- Drive
- NASCAR stock car
- From
- US$193.99
- track dayNo. 03
SCCA Track Night in America
- Drive
- own car
- From
- Price on booking page
First time on track? Checklist · What it costs · Insurance · HPDE explained
Checked on each provider’s own site in October 2026. Prices are the lowest publicly listed and change often. Some links may earn us a commission at no cost to you (disclosure).
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
You can't take your own car onto the Daytona oval, but NASCAR Racing Experience runs stock car drives and ride-alongs on the tri-oval, and SCCA Track Night in America runs own-car HPDE evenings on the road course. Guided track tours run daily outside event weeks, taking visitors down pit road and into Victory Lane.
Typical cost: Ride-along experiences from roughly $190 for three laps; driving experiences from roughly $400; track tours around $26 for adults
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup qualifying | 0:42.311 | Bill Elliott | Ford Thunderbird | 1987 |
| IMSA GTP qualifying (Rolex 24 pole) | 1:32.656 | Pipo Derani | Cadillac V-Series.R | 2024 |
Drive Daytona International Speedway in a sim
These racing games and simulators include Daytona International Speedway as official content. Mods and community tracks are not listed.
iRacing
paid trackLayouts2.5-mile oval, 3.56-mile road course
iRacing
free with subscriptionLayoutsRallycross (circa 2008)
Le Mans Ultimate
DLC: US Track Pass (US Track Pack 1)Layouts3.56-mile sports car road course (4 layouts stated; others not named)
rFactor 2
DLC: Daytona International SpeedwayLayouts2.5-mile Speedway, endurance road course
Automobilista 2
DLC: Racin' USA Expansion Pack (Part 1)LayoutsDaytona Nascar Road Course; Daytona Nascar Tri-Oval; Daytona Sports Car Course
RaceRoom Racing Experience
DLC: Daytona International Speedway (individual track purchase)LayoutsRoad Course; Speedway (listed as Not Supported); Road Course Motorcycle (2006)
Gran Turismo 7
base gameLayoutsDaytona Road Course, Daytona Tri-Oval
Forza Motorsport
free updateLayoutsTri-oval Circuit, Sports Car Circuit (added in Update 4.0, Jan 2024)
Building a sim rig? Four example setups from $279 → · Every real track in sim racing games
Checked against each publisher’s track list in October 2026.
Spectator guide
The rebuilt frontstretch grandstands from the 'Daytona Rising' project give most seats wide concourses, more shade and better sightlines than the old bleacher-style stands. Turn seating and infield tickets offer cheaper alternatives with a different view of the draft forming through the corners.
Seating
Frontstretch grandstands (named sections along the main straight) offer full views of the tri-oval and start/finish line; turn grandstands give closer views of the high-banked corners where passes and wrecks often happen.
Best places to watch
Frontstretch sections near the tri-oval apex are prized for seeing pit stops and the finish; turn 1 and turn 4 seats put fans closest to the banking where drafting packs bunch up.
Bag policy
Up to two bags per person, each up to 18 x 18 x 14 inches (backpacks allowed; clear bags optional), plus one soft-sided cooler up to 14 x 14 x 14 inches. Hard coolers, glass, dry ice and umbrellas are prohibited.
Weather
- Jan-Feb: Mild, highs near 70°F with cool evenings for the Rolex 24 and Daytona 500
- Aug: Hot and humid, highs near 90°F with a real chance of afternoon thunderstorms for the Coke Zero Sugar 400
Race-day weather: live forecast, cooler and bag rules, and what happens if it rains →
History of Daytona International Speedway
Origins
Daytona International Speedway was built by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. as a permanent home for stock car racing after the sport outgrew the beach-and-road course it had used at Daytona Beach since the 1930s. The 2.5-mile tri-oval opened in February 1959 with steeply banked turns designed to let cars run at sustained high speed, and the inaugural Daytona 500 that year finished in a photo finish between Lee Petty and Johnny Beauchamp so close it took three days to declare Petty the winner.
Building a legacy
Through the 1960s and 1970s the track became NASCAR's showcase venue, and the Daytona 500 grew into the sport's season-opening marquee event, nicknamed the 'Great American Race.' The Rolex 24 at Daytona, added on a road course configuration in 1966, established the track as a twice-a-year draw for both stock car and sports car fans, drawing manufacturers and endurance teams from Europe as well as the United States.
Tragedy and change
The track has also seen tragedy shape its safety record, most notably the 2001 death of seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt on the final lap of the Daytona 500, which accelerated NASCAR's adoption of the HANS device and SAFER barriers across the sport.
Modern era
A major renovation known as 'Daytona Rising,' completed in 2016 at a cost of roughly $400 million, rebuilt the frontstretch grandstands and added wide concourses, escalators and premium clubs while leaving the racing surface unchanged. Daytona today remains one of NASCAR's two restrictor-plate/superspeedway venues alongside Talladega, still hosting the Daytona 500, Coke Zero Sugar 400 and Rolex 24, and continues to anchor the sport's calendar as it has for more than six decades.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Daytona International Speedway?
The oval is 2.5 miles per lap; the combined road course used for the Rolex 24 is about 3.56 miles.
How steep is the banking at Daytona?
The turns are banked at 31 degrees, with 18 degrees at the start/finish line and 3 degrees on the backstretch.
Can I drive on the Daytona oval myself?
Not in your own car. NASCAR Racing Experience offers stock car drives and ride-alongs on the oval, and SCCA Track Night in America runs own-car HPDE evenings on the road course.
When is the Daytona 500?
The Daytona 500 runs in February each year as the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series race, as part of Speedweeks.
What is the nearest airport to Daytona International Speedway?
Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) sits adjacent to the speedway, about a five-minute drive from the gates.
What is the seating capacity of Daytona International Speedway?
Grandstand capacity is roughly 101,500, with additional infield capacity for larger events.
Which racing games and sims have Daytona International Speedway?
Daytona International Speedway is officially available in iRacing, Le Mans Ultimate, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, RaceRoom Racing Experience, Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Motorsport. Some of these include it in the base game and others sell it as paid content; the table above shows which.
Other tracks nearby
Facts checked against 19 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.