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I am headed to my first NASCAR race, and coincidentally, it’s the biggest race in the sport. Lucky me.
Quick disclaimer: I’ve probably watched a total of 10, maybe 15 minutes of NASCAR action in my life. I grew up in the New York City area, so I always had the Yankees or the Giants or the Rangers to root for. Point being, there was little room for NASCAR when I was a kid.
However, as I got older, I started paying more attention. In fact, one of the first races I remember watching was my freshman year of high school back in 2007, when Kevin Harvick straight SNUCK one from Mark Martin, beating him by .02 seconds. People talk about overtime hockey being the most exciting thing in sport, but after some of the finishes I’ve seen at Daytona, I’d argue that if the circumstances are right, it’s final lap is the most exciting moment in sport.
But as much excitement as the race brings, the real attraction is the party before, during, and after. At least so I’ve been told. Quick second disclaimer if you haven’t been paying attention: I’ve never been to the Daytona 500. But, I have heard what it’s like, so here’s what I’m expecting.
An Atmosphere Like I’ve Never Seen
(Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
An estimated 250,000 fans attend the Daytona 500 every year. I’ve never been much of a math guy, so this puts my brain in an absolute pretzel. The largest stadium I’ve ever been to is Metlife in the Jersey Swamps, and that clocks in at around 82,500 on a good day. I literally can’t wrap my brain around something that’s three times bigger than a sold out Giants game.
Point being, the Daytona 500 atmosphere is unlike anything else in American sports and needs to be experienced in person to be truly understood and appreciated.
I’ve never been around so many people in my life, and I honestly can’t wait to see what it’s like.
Cold Coors Light on a Hot Day
From what I’ve been told by friends of mine who hit Daytona while we were in college, the only thing better than a warm day at the track is the cold beer you drink to cool yourself off.
According to my buddies (who shall remain nameless because they are now gainfully employed), Daytona is essentially the biggest day drink you’ve ever been to, except if that day drink ate the second biggest day drink you’ve ever seen, and then had baby with the third biggest day drink you’ve ever seen, and then that baby took steroids its whole life. That’s how truly massive and wild the Daytona day party is.
I don’t know about you, but that’s something I for one need to see in person because as everyone knows, day drinking is the BEST drinking.
An Experience I’ll Never Forget
(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Whether it be through my friends’ stories, highlights on SportsCenter, or pictures and videos posted on social media, everything I’ve ever seen of Daytona 500 makes it look like a once-in-a-lifetime, see-it-to-believe-it experience.
Whether you realize it or not, the Daytona 500 is on the Mount Rushmore of American sporting events, right up there with the likes of the Super Bowl, the Masters, and the World Series. NASCAR defines Americans’ love of competition just as much as any other sport we play, and for that reason, it demands our respect and attention.
Its atmosphere is a spectacle and the race is unforgettable. The crowd is astounding and the fans passionate. The weather is warm and the beer is cold.
Essentially, the Daytona 500 is the professional sports equivalent of the college experience, and because of that, it’s time we all started to get into NASCAR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQu7SIOIeQI
