Speedweeks

Daytona Speedweeks presented by AdventHealth is a series of racing events that take place during January and February at Daytona International Speedway. For 2021, the events lead up to and conclude with the Daytona Grand Prix.

For ESPN program, see SpeedWeek.

Nearby tracks New Smyrna Speedway and Volusia County Speedway also run special events during the period. There is also a Monster Jam event held at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Monster Energy Supercross will race at Camping World Stadium in Orlando which is about an hour South of the speedway. The races takes place Saturday evening during both Xfinity series races at the speedway.

January

Through 2014, Speedweeks informally kicked off in early January with off-season testing at Daytona. The NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regularly conducted annual preseason tests on the 2.5 mi (4.0 km) oval, under the moniker "Preseason Thunder". For 2015, the January test sessions were cancelled as part of NASCAR's overall ban on private testing.[1]

In Mid January the ARCA Menards Series has a 2 day test held on Friday and Saturday.

Also in early January, the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship conducts a test session on the Daytona road course, in preparations for the Rolex 24. It is nicknamed the "Roar Before the 24."[2] During this test session the IMSA Prototype Challenge which is a feeder division for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has a 1 hour and 45 minute race usually held the Saturday during the weekend of events. Starting in 2021 the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar championship will have a 100 minute race to start the line up for the Rolex 24. The race takes place on Sunday afternoon during the Roar Before the 24.

24 Hours of Daytona

The first major event of Speedweeks is the Rolex 24. Currently it is held the final weekend of January, which is also the bye week for the Super Bowl and the weekend of the Pro Bowl. This weekend has been specifically chosen to avoid conflict with the Super Bowl. Before 2006 the Rolex 24 was held the first weekend in February which was the weekend before NASCAR events started and the same day as the Super Bowl.

For 2021, the events will be held over two weekends. The first weekend will feature Roar Before the 24 practice on Saturday and Sunday. The first weekend will feature a 1 hour, 40 minute race that will set the field for the Rolex 24 on Sunday.

The second weekend will feature two events:

Daytona 500 week

Following the Rolex 24, there is no track activity for one week. This prevents a conflict with the Super Bowl. During this time, track officials clean the track and make final preparations for the arrival of stock cars and the increased number of spectators.

Typically, stock car action would begin as early as 10 days before the Daytona 500 with practice sessions, qualifying sessions and races, support series races, exhibition races, and other events.

Because of Super Bowl LV in 2021 in nearby Tampa (on Interstate 4), a 138-mile trip from the Speedway and logistics, NASCAR originally planned consolidation down to a single "Speedweek" of stock car action. However, with COVID-19 restrictions in California, NASCAR announced on December 8, 2020 that Speedweeks will instead be two weeks with the Daytona Grand Prix the final race of the meeting, instead of the Daytona 500. The oval will be the first week, the road course on the second.[3]

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
  • Daytona 500 (start in mid-afternoon, finish shortly after sunset)

Daytona Grand Prix Weekend

The second week will be reserved for the Daytona Grand Prix, which like 2020 was a late addition because of COVID-19 restrictions in certain states as it will replace the Auto Club 400, removed because of California restrictions.

The event will take place on the road course, and with the likelihood of setup changes compared to the 2020 race (spoiler regulations), there will be no practice or qualifying for these events.

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

History
2010 Speedweeks logo
Budweiser Speedweeks logo

In 2004, the Hershey Kisses 300 was stopped on Saturday for rain. The race couldn't continue on Sunday due to the 46th running of the Daytona 500. The race was completed on Monday, with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. winning both the Busch Series race and Cup race in the same weekend.

In 2005, a 5K run was added to the Speedweeks schedule, as part of the Rolex 24.

In 2007, the IndyCar Series hosted an open test on the road course configuration during the week after the Rolex 24. No race was scheduled, however.

In 2012, the Daytona 500 was postponed for the first time in race history.

In 2013, Budweiser became title sponsor of Speedweeks. [4]

Starting with the 2019 season, AdventHealth replaced Budweiser as the official sponsor of Speedweeks in a multi-year agreement.[5]

In 2021, the Daytona Grand Prix, a replacement race in 2020 for Watkins Glen, was added for the fourth week in Speedweeks, as a replacement for the cancelled Auto Club Speedway weekend because of California government restrictions.

Former names

Former events during Speedweeks

See also

References
  1. NASCAR’s testing ban will include Daytona’s Preseason Thunder
  2. Roar Before the Rolex 24 to move back a week in 2015
  3. https://www.news-journalonline.com/sports/20200304/nascar-daytona-shake-up-2021-speedweeks-schedule
  4. Newton, David (February 24, 2012). "Next year's Daytona 500 is Feb. 24". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  5. "Daytona announces official sponsor for Daytona Speedweeks". NASCAR. October 8, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
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