NASCAR’s $400 Million Investment Pays Off as Daytona 500 Shatters 12-Year-Old Record

This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series is back in action with the annual Daytona 500. The iconic race is regarded as one of the biggest races on the calendar and it is not hard to see why. Last year, there were some decent numbers and the capacity was fairly high. This year, the tickets for the Cup race were sold out, while the Xfinity Series roped in a record crowd. The same applies to the Truck Series, which had its biggest crowd since 2011.

As it turned out, the Daytona International Speedway recently underwent a massive renovation. According to reports, the renovation cost around $400 million. Safe to say, the renovation was a huge success and has been able to accommodate more spectators. One thing is for sure, the fans in attendance will get their money’s worth.

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What to expect from the 2023 NASCAR Daytona 500?

In all honesty, most NASCAR races are highly unpredictable, and the Daytona 500 is even more so. Denny Hamlin once admitted that winning the race would be a lottery. In his Actions Detrimental podcast, he confessed that there are often so many wrecks in the race, that it becomes a race of attrition. This kind of spectator attendance is actually welcome because it means more revenue for NASCAR and the Daytona authorities.

After the last couple of years were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, it was nice to see packed stands. Furthermore, it is great to see that the Xfinity and Truck Series are getting some love from the fans. Hopefully, the drivers put on a show that makes it all worthwhile for the fans. This will also set a precedent for the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series season. After all, attending the live race is all part and parcel of the experience for many NASCAR fans.

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