Help from Floridians: Avoiding Daytona 500 traffic twice....

[Host Caroline]

Just realized we have to go down 95 past the speedway on 2/7 .. the evening of something called a Bud Shootout and then on the way home have to go by again on race day (15th). race is 3:30-4:00 and coming from Lauderdale.. geez.. would not have planned this way but not a Nascar fan at all

Would turnpike be better and how far north can you get on from 95?

::thinking this 13 hour drive is turning into 16::::mad:

[twinkletoes4445]

We have a race track near us and it's a zoo when the races are in town. No hotel rooms...the restaurants are packed...ughh. The big Nascar one is the worst, the other one in the spring isn't quite as bad. I'm sure there's a way around the traffic, although I don't have a clue what it would be.

 

Good luck and have a fun cruise! :)

[LindaO]

No worries... chances are you'll be going through Daytona while the race is still going on... and even if you aren't, traffic usually moves pretty good through there. Just DON"T get off the interstate at Daytona... just drive through. I live in St. Augustine... north of Daytona and it seems like everytime we're heading to a cruise there is a race or something! Never had a problem on the interstate. You can't get the turnpike until much farther south or west... but you should be okay on I-95! Good Luck!

[melana]

You should be fine. I haven't been to the 500 but I did go to the july race and traffic moved out of the speedway and surrounding areas pretty fast.

 

So I don't think you will have anything to worry about. The race usually ends around 8 or 9pm. You will be fine...

 

As for the bud shootout day, the 7th, you will be fine. Most people who are going to that race usually have arrived a few days before..they tend to spend the entire week in Daytona....again..you will be fine..

[Host Caroline]

Wow.. thanks... you guys made me feel better..around here in NC when they have race week I-85 is just a mess for hours.

[Capt_BJ]

yep...a few years back a poorly planned trip had me passing Daytona about an hour after the race ended. Yes there was a slow down and I'd say I lost maybe 15 minutes. Not as bad as I would have expected. The only alternates I know of will add at least that much to your trip.