Daytona - Gatorade Duel

[CNA75]

Ok, I've just booked tickets for me and the wife to see the Gatorade Duel on Feb 17th at the Daytona Speedway (http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Tickets-Events/Events/2011/Speedweeks-2011/Gatorade-Duel.aspx ). Persuading the wife wasn't too difficult as she's quite up for doing different things when abroad and Daytona definitely seems part of the Florida scene....

Obviously, we would have preferred to attend the Daytona 500 but we fly back on that day so had to be content with the Gatorade Duel qualifiers. Has anyone been to this event in the past? I was wondering what sort of crowd numbers we could expect for attendance - hoping that there is going to be plenty of atmosphere. Presumably that will be the case?

[mrlexan]

UK to the US just for NASCAR? Seriously?

I went when I was in college (15+ years ago) when my brother was going to school right across the street from the speedway, so I won't be of much help.

Have fun.

[CNA75]

Thanks. We're doing a trip of Florida (flying into Miami for a few days, then on to Key West, then back up to Palm Beach and then on to Daytona before we fly from Orlando). The key driver is to get away from the dull, dreary, wet and cold winter here in the UK - we like to get some winter warmth and sun. Daytona just happend to be en route so I jumped at the opportunity to go see the NASCAR racing of which the only previous experience I had involved the arcade vidoe game "Daytona".....

[mrlexan]

Swing by the Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Center (that's home for me). It's worth it if you've never been. BTW, when you are there, stop by the HQ Bldg and tell my dad to retire already for crying out loud.

[CNA75]

Swing by the Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Center (that's home for me). It's worth it if you've never been. BTW, when you are there, stop by the HQ Bldg and tell my dad to retire already for crying out loud.

Kennedy Space Centre was definitely on our list of things to do. Think that will be good. I'll pass the message on to your old man...

[mrlexan]

Thx, I did at Christmas, it won't do any good.

[scr8p]

UK to the US just for NASCAR? Seriously?

just because you don't like it......................

[mrlexan]

UK to the US just for NASCAR? Seriously?

just because you don't like it......................

[CNA75]

UK to the US just for NASCAR? Seriously?

just because you don't like it......................

So you've been? If so, any insight to the Gatorade Duel that you can provide?

[scr8p]

no, i've never been to a race at daytona. furthest south i've been is to charlotte, nc for the coke 600 in 2003.

my best guess would be that it wouldn't be as crowed on thursday for the duels as it will be for the 500. not everyone goes down there for the whole week to catch all of the action.

[JHarris]

I've been to the Thursday race and it's definitely not as crowded as the 500. When I went the crowd was pretty subdued.

A trip to Florida without including a stop at the rc asylum????

Oh, we are in the middle of winter here so you won't really be escaping the cold. It's only getting up to 71 tomorrow. Ugh, I hate the cold!

[CamplinP]

71 cold Thats a good one. Here it is currently -1 and a stiff 35mph wind. Not that bad really if you have the right gear and don't have to piss.
BTW the Duel's are pretty exciting on TV. Short races with a lot on the line.

[Eau Rouge]

Oh, we are in the middle of winter here so you won't really be escaping the cold. It's only getting up to 71 tomorrow. Ugh, I hate the cold!

Everyone from Oklahoma to Detroit that is under 3+ feet of snow drifts right now gets to line up and punch you in the nads.

[klavy69]

Oh, we are in the middle of winter here so you won't really be escaping the cold. It's only getting up to 71 tomorrow. Ugh, I hate the cold!

Everyone from Oklahoma to Detroit that is under 3+ feet of snow drifts right now gets to line up and punch you in the nads.

I'm in line. After fighting 3 feet of snow all day and truck dying right in the middle of the road I'd be up for some nad punching

J/K JHarris...I've got snowbird parents in AZ right now calling to tell me to find my snowshoes so I deal with it all winter. When they come back in spring and stay on my property in their motorhome and complain about the heat I tell them to go back to AZ to their 'dry heat'. And not to start any other debates but where 105* and they call it 'dry heat' it is still 105*
Todd

[CNA75]

Oh, we are in the middle of winter here so you won't really be escaping the cold. It's only getting up to 71 tomorrow. Ugh, I hate the cold!

Everyone from Oklahoma to Detroit that is under 3+ feet of snow drifts right now gets to line up and punch you in the nads.

Great news, that's why we're heading over there...