Daytona sells out for third straight year (Update)

Part of the huge crowd

UPDATE But let's not forget that the $400-million “Daytona Rising" renovation at the track started in 2013, made the seats larger, added more concession stands, made social areas and doubled the amount of restrooms at the track and removed the grandstands on the backstraight.

When the huge project was done, the number of permanent seats at the speedway had gone from 146,000 to 101,500. That’s 44,500 seats gone, or 31 percent of its former capacity. When you remove 31% of your seats, sellouts become a lot easier.

With that said, 101,500 filled seats at the prices they charge for the Daytona 500 is still a very healthy crowd.

02/18/18

Daytona Int'l Speedway announced its third consecutive sellout since its $400M Daytona Rising project was completed in '16. DIS has 101,000 grandstand seats, though the track said tickets remain for premium hospitality, infield admissions and fanzone/pre-race access.

A happy NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France attended the pre-race drivers meeting along with Peyton Manning, who drove the pace car.