Daytona 500 sign maker guides race fans through speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - For more than 20 years, one man has been making directional signs at Daytona International Speedway.

Glen Morris is the sign shop supervisor and he’s responsible for making thousands of signs that show people were to park, how much tickets cost, the shuttle schedule and where things are located throughout the venue.

“When you have a facility as large as ours it’s easy to get lost,” Morris said. “Everybody needs signs.”

Morris estimates that he makes around 2,000 signs every year. 

He mainly works by himself, but gets help during big events like the Daytona 500. 

“It’s my life. I love it. I look at signs and get ideas from looking at signs all over the place, thinking how I can do better than that, or what a marvelous job they did with it.”

Morris said his love for signs began when he was a kid lettering trucks and floats on the beachside. 

Later, he worked for the Daytona News Journal doing desktop publishing. 

But in 1998, he saw an ad in the newspaper for a job at the World Center of Racing.

“I applied for it and told the people I am the right person for the job,” Morris said.

Morris said he has learned a lot about making signs over the years, and keeping it simple and straight is key. 

“When people see a sign they don’t really say, 'Oh wow, that sign was really straight, it was a good sign,'” Morris said. “But if it’s crooked they’re going to go, 'that sign was crooked.'”

Morris said he will continue to make signs for as long as he can.