Businesses gearing up for big Daytona 500 crowds

Businesses gear up for busy Daytona 500 weekend

As the Daytona 500 gets ready to kick off on Sunday, local businesses are getting ready for a busy few days ahead.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Things are gearing up in Daytona for The Great American Race.

As the Daytona 500 gets ready to kick off on Sunday, local businesses are getting ready for a busy few days ahead. The crowds are expected to fill stores and restaurants on Friday and Saturday nights. Restaurants will be open late to take advantage of the extra demand while thousands of people are in town for the Daytona 500.

The Starlite Diner says the last few years with COVID-19 have been a struggle, so they’re looking forward to the weekend. And because they’re located right next to the hotels on A1A, they expect some really great business.

"We’ve got the same crew, but we’ve all been here for so long, we all got it. We’re always busy. We’re so used to being busy every day especially being in such a big tourist spot, next to all the buildings."

Management says they're hoping to bring in at least five times what they make on a normal weekend.

The Daytona 500 weekend is one of their busiest times of the year. With COVID restrictions gone, the 500 is a sell-out on Sunday, meaning there will be more than 100,000 fans in the Speedway.

Watch FOX 35 on Sunday as Good Day Orlando is LIVE from the Daytona International Speedway with pre-race coverage before drivers hit the track.

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