WFTV gets inside look at new Daytona Rising at International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Channel 9 got to climb to the top of the new grandstands at the Daytona International Speedway to get a better look at the multimillion-dollar Daytona Rising project.

For the first time in months, Channel 9's Blaine Tolison got a tour inside the construction site of Daytona Rising, where brand-new escalators are ready to be installed. There will be 40 in the new speedway.

"Every month, we see a new addition, more steel, getting higher, but these escalators, that's a big deal," said track president Joie Chitwood. "I can't wait for our fans to see it in July. That's really going to tell them how great vertical transportation will be in the future."

The top of the old stands is no longer the peak of the facility; a new seating area takes it well over 100 feet.

"Especially at a race track in which speeds are over 195 mph, perspective is the key," said Chitwood. "The closer you are to speed, the less you can see it. The higher you are, the better it is."

By summer, workers will hang more steel and some of the escalators will be put in place. By the 2015 Daytona 500, parts of Daytona Rising will be open.

The next big race at the Daytona International Speedway will be the Coke Zero 400 in July.

Track officials said seating will not change for that event, but there will be changes for next year's Daytona 500.

WFTV