If you’re looking for 2025 Daytona 500 tickets right now, you’re either a strategic secondary-market hunter or you’re a little bit late to the party.
The 67th running of the Great American Race officially sold out its grandstands back on January 13, 2025. That was the 10th year in a row the "World Center of Racing" hit capacity before the green flag even dropped. Honestly, if you didn’t grab yours during the initial June 2024 on-sale, you’ve basically been at the mercy of the resale market ever since.
But here’s the thing. Most people think "sold out" means "impossible to get." It doesn’t. It just means the math changes. You aren't paying face value anymore, and you're definitely not just clicking a button on the official speedway site without a plan.
Why 2025 Daytona 500 Tickets Are Still a Hot Topic
The 2025 race was historic for reasons beyond just the sellout. William Byron managed to go back-to-back, winning his second straight 500 in the No. 24 car. That kind of history drives the value of everything—including the ticket stubs people keep as memorabilia.
If you were one of the fans who braved the rain delays on February 16, 2025, you saw a race that was red-flagged twice but finished under the lights. That’s the "Daytona experience" in a nutshell. It's unpredictable. It's loud. It’s expensive if you wait until the last minute.
For those looking at the aftermath or planning for next time, understanding the 2025 market is key. Prices for Sunday-only grandstand seats usually start around $170 on sites like Vivid Seats or SeatGeek, but those are the "cheap" seats. If you wanted to be near the start-finish line in the 300 or 400 levels, you were looking at $600 to $1,300.
The Seating Chart Trap
Most sporting events reward you for being close. In NASCAR, and especially at a massive 2.5-mile track like Daytona, being in the front row is actually kinda terrible.
You can’t see the backstretch. You’re basically just watching a blur of color scream past you at 190 mph while getting pelted by bits of rubber.
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The real pros look for the higher rows. Sections 340 through 362 are the gold standard. You want to be high enough to see over the "superstretch" and watch the pack drafting on the far side of Lake Lloyd. If you find tickets in these sections on the resale market, expect to pay a massive premium.
Where the Tickets Actually Went
Daytona uses a "renewal" system. This is what trips up most first-timers.
People who bought tickets for the 2024 race got first dibs on the 2025 Daytona 500 tickets. They usually have until May or June to renew. Whatever they don’t take gets tossed to the general public in early summer.
- Renewals: Happen in the spring.
- Public On-Sale: Usually starts in June.
- Sellout Window: Typically happens between November and January.
If you’re hunting for tickets after the sellout announcement, you’re dealing with brokers and fans who can’t make it. This is where you have to be careful. The speedway moved its digital management to Ticketmaster recently, so if someone is trying to sell you a paper ticket for a modern race, run. Everything is mobile now via the NASCAR Tracks App.
Breaking Down the Cost
Let's talk real numbers. No fluff.
For the 2025 race, the "get-in" price hovered around $200 for most of the winter. However, if you wanted a 4-day package—which includes the Duels on Thursday, the Truck race on Friday, and the Xfinity race on Saturday—those packages were listed for $670 and up.
A lot of people think they can just show up and buy a ticket at the gate. Sorta risky. While you can sometimes find Fanzone passes or "Pre-Race Access" at the ticket office (located at 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd), the actual grandstand seats for the Sunday race are long gone by then.
The Secret to Finding Value
If you missed out on the 2025 Daytona 500 tickets but still want the experience, look at the "Speedweeks" events.
The Bluegreen Vacations Duels on Thursday night are honestly some of the best racing of the week. It’s shorter, high-stakes, and the tickets are significantly cheaper—often under $100. You get the same atmosphere, the same smell of high-octane fuel, but you aren't fighting 100,000 people for a bathroom stall.
Also, keep an eye on the weather. 2025 had rain delays. In the past, when races have been pushed to Monday, the secondary market often crashes. Fans who traveled from out of state can't stay an extra day, and they start dumping tickets for pennies on the dollar on Sunday night. It’s a gamble, but it’s how the locals often get in for cheap.
Actionable Steps for the Next Race
If you’re reading this because you missed the boat on 2025, don't let it happen again for 2026. The 2026 Daytona 500 is already scheduled for February 15, 2026.
- Sign up for the pre-sale list. Go to the official Daytona International Speedway website and give them your email. They will ping you the second the 2026 tickets go live in June.
- Download the NASCAR Tracks App. Get your account set up now. Link it to your Ticketmaster email. This avoids the "I can't log in" panic on race morning.
- Book your hotel before your tickets. This is the mistake everyone makes. Hotels in Daytona Beach, Ormond, and Port Orange triple their prices the week of the 500. Secure a refundable room a year in advance.
- Monitor the "Deal Score." If you're forced to buy on the secondary market, use SeatGeek or StubHub’s value filters. Don't just buy the cheapest seat; buy the one with the best "sightline-to-price" ratio.
The 2025 race proved that NASCAR's popularity isn't slowing down. With William Byron's victory and the sellout streak continuing, the demand for these tickets is only going up. Stay ahead of the curve, or you'll be watching from the couch while everyone else is at the World Center of Racing.