TMS Host Nation’s Largets Daytona 500 Watch Party – Speedway Digest (press release) (blog)

The O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 NASCAR doubleheader weekend is not for another 42 days but that didn't stop fans from pouring into the infield of Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.

Fans from across the region celebrated the start of the 2017 NASCAR season during Texas Motor Speedway's Daytona 500 Watching Party held in the infield of the 1.5-mile speedway.

"We had the biggest Daytona 500 Watch Party in the country so a lot of fans came to kick off the season in style," Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. "If Sunday's Daytona 500 is any indication, this is going to be a wild season. So many fans at Texas Motor Speedway over the weekend tells me there is tremendous interest in NASCAR for 2017."

The two-day event proved to be the largest watch party for NASCAR's season opener as more than 3,000 campers and tailgaters took part in the free event. Fans lined up their campers as early as Thursday, waiting for their opportunity to select their infield spot when the gates opened. The event, which began Saturday and continued through Sunday's Daytona 500, offered fans the chance to enjoy the start of the race season surrounded by thousands of race fans, watching all the action from Daytona International Speedway on "Big Hoss" - the world's largest TV.

"We missed last year and it looked like fun when you see everything on Facebook getting posted about all the campers rolling in," said Wally Villarreal, who drove nearly three hours from Austin to attend the watch party. "So we decided to come up. We just love this. I love NASCAR. This is my home track. What else can you say?"

Texas Motor Speedway's Daytona 500 Watching Party offered more than just racing. Fans were treated several entertainment options throughout the weekend with a two-day cornhole tournament, performances by country artists Larry Joe Taylor, Brad Puckett and Deryl Dodd, along with the comedy classic "Stroker Ace" shown on "Big Hoss."

TMS PR

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TMS Host Nation's Largets Daytona 500 Watch Party - Speedway Digest (press release) (blog)