THE HOUSE THAT RACING BUILT: Congratulations to Daytona International Speedway, ISC and NASCAR on raising the bar
March 10, 2016
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by independent automotive journalist Steve Magnante
You don’t have to watch a typical Barrett-Jackson televised auction for more than a few minutes to see there’s a tight link between “the house that Craig Jackson built” and “the house that ‘Big Bill’ France built.” Yes, we’re talking NASCAR. From the excitement of watching mega team owner Rick Hendrick bid passionately on perfectly restored additions to his car collection to the sight of superstar drivers like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and others milling around the machinery like the regular car guys they are, there’s a ton of overlap between NASCAR and Barrett-Jackson.
Ben Kennedy and his mother, Lesa France Kennedy, pause for a photo at Daytona International Speedway in February.
And just as Scottsdale, Arizona’s WestWorld – the 300,000-plus square-foot “home” of Barrett-Jackson’s main event every January – recently underwent a $51.3-million-dollar expansion, so too has NASCAR’s Florida “home,” Daytona International Speedway, seen a major remake. Known as the DAYTONA Rising project, one of the primary stakeholders behind it all is none other than the granddaughter of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. – Lesa France Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors for International Speedway Corporation (parent company to Daytona International Speedway).
When it first opened in 1959 under the ownership and guidance of Bill France Sr., Daytona International Speedway ushered in a new era of professionalism and prestige. With its high, banked turns and smooth asphalt surface, it was light years ahead of the dangerous and unpredictable beach course that hosted races in Daytona for decades prior to the Speedway opening. Daytona International Speedway took stock car racing from a daredevil sport to the most popular form of racing in the U.S., and it all started on the Speedway’s 31-degree banked turns.
A chandelier comprised of the 13 ISC-owned racetracks is artfully suspended in this “neighborhood” at DAYTONA Rising.
In the half-century-plus since, NASCAR-sanctioned auto racing has grown into one of America’s premiere spectator events. And with the recent $400 million investment, DAYTONA Rising is sure to continue attracting crowds of spectators – and racers – alike, for decades to come. A key goal of the DAYTONA Rising team was to vastly improve the spectator experience, and also to make the venue even more attractive to certain non-automotive events like concerts and other spectator-driven activities.
Knowing there’s a lot more to a day at the races than watching the exciting race itself, DAYTONA Rising sought to greatly improve the rest of the fan experience. Expanding the use of Daytona’s 500 acres, the parking lots have been made more efficient, stadium entrance and exit areas have been enlarged, 40 escalators and 14 elevators stand ready to ease the process of filling the 101,500 seats and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the grounds.
Another unique detail directed at the fan experience has been added by key DAYTONA Rising partner Florida Power and Light Company (FPL). Over 5,000 solar panels installed on multiple canopy-like areas not only help power the enormous structure, but offer shade from the bright Florida sun.
While improvements to the 60 luxury suites – complete with track-side views – are sure to please corporate guests, each of the 101,500 outdoor seats has been made wider and more comfortable for the traditional race fans comprising the backbone of the sport. For added convenience, fans wanting a drink, meal or souvenir will be happy the concession stand tally has been tripled to practically eliminate the hassle of standing in line for service.
New thinking also extends to several spacious social areas dotting the nearly mile-long front stretch. These “neighborhoods” are perfect for mingling as folks stretch their legs or seek alternate vantage points to view the action. Throughout the complex, numerous art installations and historic displays add to the fun of a great day at the races.
The DAYTONA Rising project was completed on time … as satisfied attendees of the recent 2016 Daytona 500 can attest. Let’s not forget that as the granddaughter of Bill France Sr., Lesa France Kennedy is a member of what NASCAR fans like to call “America’s first family of racing.” After all, had “Big Bill” not organized the ranks of race drivers way back in 1947, it’s possible that auto racing wouldn’t be the number-one spectator sport it is today.
Carolyn and Craig Jackson with Ben Kennedy prior to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway in February.
Though Ms. Kennedy never raced professionally, her son Ben certainly has. Born one day after Christmas Day 1991, by 2009 the great-grandson of Bill France Sr. was racing in Super Late Model and Pro Truck events throughout central Florida. During the 2016 Daytona 500 weekend, while his mother welcomed crowds of excited NASCAR fans to the just-completed DAYTONA Rising venue, Ben took the wheel of his 650hp JACOB Companies Toyota Tundra, running up front all night until being collected in a late race accident, leaving him with a finish in the top 25 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event. “It was an exciting Speedweeks for sure,” said Ben Kennedy. “A lot of anticipation really culminated around the racetrack and the Daytona 500 weekend with the beginning of the 2016 season along with the DAYTONA Rising project. It has really been exciting to see Daytona grow throughout the years, and I believe DAYTONA Rising is another huge step towards shaping the future of the sport. It completely reimagines the racing experience and I’ve heard nothing but positive remarks about it.”
With DAYTONA Rising’s successful refurbishment of Bill France Sr.’s monument to stock car racing, maybe now it’s time to call the world-renowned racetrack “The House That Racing Built!”
– Written by independent automotive journalist Steve Magnante