VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla.,None — Volusia County is about to cash in on a record race at the Daytona International Speedway. This weekend's Rolex 24 is drawing a record crowd for its 50th anniversary, said speedway officials.
However, that's not the only reason RVs are packing the speedway infield Thursday night.
The owners of one race team arrived on a yacht that was parked in the Halifax River, but as for fans like Dick Dobkins, he said an RV was the way to go.
"You don't go anywhere, you don't go home and sleep; you're right here. You may take a nap every once in a while, but you go back to the track and enjoy what you want to see," Dobkins said.
This is the 50th Rolex 24 and officials with the Daytona International Speedway said they are expecting the largest crowd in history in town to watch some of the fastest cars in world.
A local RV rental company told WFTV it has 30 vehicles that are normally booked up by early January, but for this anniversary event, they were all spoken for in November.
At the speedway, hundreds of RV camping spaces were already sold out and officials said that hasn't happened in recent years.
Even fans like Donald Beecham from Tennessee said he noticed the early crowds.
"The first year we came to the Rolex, I mean, you could find all kinds of parking out there. This year, it was totally different," said Beecham.
According to the Daytona International Speedway, new race cars such as the Corvette Prototype, Audis, Dodge Vipers and Ferraris, are generating a lot of hype.
The speedway said it also began promoting the Rolex 24 a year in advance to celebrate 50 years of racing tradition.
The Rolex is a 24-hour race, but it's a four-day event, including practices and qualifiers.
The race starts on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
WFTV
