I’ll be going to the nascar race this July 3rd. I’m wondering if there’s a place to park then ride our bicycles in to avoid all the traffic and lines for the shuttles.
There’s a Cracker Barrel just down the street. 
Not sure where you’ll put your bicycles when you get there though.
Also if you pass the speedway, there’s a strip mall on the left where we always park our truck during Bike Week.
There are a bunch of shopping centers (Target, Wal Mart, etc) around there, but they all charge for event parking. Never tried it, but if you get further away than the average NASCAR fan can walk, you might get some free parking. The road in front of the speedway isn’t the Queen K to ride on, but it’s not bad, either.
Only been there for the 24 Hour. I hear the NASCAR races are nuts with people. Good Luck!
Dan
Thanks for the replies. So the roads leading out are OK to travel by bicycle? I was worried they went from the parking lots right on to the express way. I hope to park about five miles away and just bike in, lock up our bikes, then ride out past the traffic when it’s over. I got some cheap bikes so I don’t mind chaiming them up andleaving them.
I just hear stories about waiting hours to get on a shuttle then to sit in traffic to get out of a parking lot.
OK is probably accurate, good, is probably a bit optimistic. I ran a fair amount the three days I was there, up and down the road there (no bike with me - I was there spotting for a team at the 24) and stayed alive. The only caveat is that for the 24 hour race, the stands are essentially empty. For a NASCAR race, the stands are packed out (I hear), so the traffic situation may be different.
Having said that, I’d give it a whirl.
dan
Make sure you ride your tribike and make a sign that say’s " SHOW ME YOUR T_ T’S " and bring it with you along with your digital camera
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it really depends upon which way you enter the track from.
if you access the track from the west, it’s going to be tough since the I-95 is close to the western end of the track.
if you come in from the east, you’ll have loads of options. there are lots of places to park in the couple of miles between the track and the intercoastal. you can even park relatively close to the track in at the high school or in one of the big Embry Riddle lots. a bike will help you beat the crowd which is key if you park close.
make sure you get a blinking light or something. the july race is at night and approxiately 75 percent of the people leaving the track will be loaded and ready to piss themselves since the lines at the track bathrooms are long.
Thanks. We’re staying in St. Augustine and will head down for the race. I keep trying to find tips on going to a nascar race and alot of them say to bring a small flexible cooler full of ice. I wonder if people then buy cans of beer inside the race and store them in the cooler?
you can buy beer inside the track and put it in your cooler. you can also bring your own beer if you want – one of the last great traditions of NASCAR. no glass, though.
you’ll need a soft-sided cooler and the Daytona website probably has the maximum dimensions on their webpage. track personnel never measure it though so just keep it close.
you might also think about bringing a stiffer drink in a water bottle – the beer is going to make you hop up pretty frequently and as soon as you get up, something exciting is going to happen.
i’ve been to many nascar races. here’s my thoughts on how to do it, but this is me. take a cooler full of beer. when inside the track, drink it. if it’s hotter than hell on the day of the race, get more beer and drink that too. it’s always a good idea to drink a bunch of water also. gotta avoid that dehydration thing. if you’re intnet on biking to the track, i’d say to take the crapiest bike you can find and just lean it up against the wall with a $4 lock. nobody is going to think twice about stealing it. seriously, think of the crowd…they don’t like walking any farther than they have to. to most of em, a bike is only to be used when the truck is broke donw. now, if you put a nice bike there, you’re hosed, 'cause they know they can sell it on ebay and get some good beer money for it. getting there is the easy/fun part, going home sucks. just remember you’ll have to ride home after the race, and nothing, i repeat, nothing moves fast and everyone wants to get home in record time. bottom line, no one has any patience for anyone or anything, and that includes you on a bike. for me, i wouldn’t want to be on a bike in all that mess. the best way i’ve found to do the ride to the track and home thing is to get singed up for one of those tour bus deals that takes you and picks you up. don’t under estimate the value of being able to take a nape for the 90 minute 10 mile ride. good luck and Godspeed…
I’ve been to quite a few races, and I would NEVER ride a bike out there…
drunk rednecks + bicycle = no bueno
And remember, you can still get a DUI on a bicycle.