First Florida trip advice ?

[RT Kowalski]

I've stayed down on the beach early in the week up to maybe Wednesday in cheap motels for $42 or less in the past..the $42 was 4 years ago when the girlfriend came along..we almost grabbed a room across the street on beach side one of those nights for $65 but we waited too long...if you take hwy 40 straight east from Volusia speedway it dumps you at Ormond Beach, just north of Daytona..it's all pretty much the same area..from there you can roll south to cruise the beach..or North for that matter..there are some seaside motels I've priced at $65-$75 before in Ormond...there are small motels all along there..i'm sure the price goes thru the roof later in week..I've never even bothered to ask..we usually camp directly across from Volusia and meet a friend ..have fun !..late model week at Volusia is as good as it gets..all tickets are pit passes and the pits are fun !.. and watching from the infield is a unique experience

[Bob Hubbard]

Were staying in st augestine beach for the winter …. Went thru air BnB ….Look for super host …...We ar an hour from Daytona & an hour from Volusia …. We love the beach and still get some dirt racing in the mix.... The only down side is its a 3 hour drive too East bay …. Rates are good over here compared to most areas this time of the year ….

[CIRF]

ZERO25 What town CIRF?

I have spent many days fishing Lake George. We used to have a weekend house in the town of Astor. Theres plenty of fish camps in the area that have decent accommodations. Parramores has a nice campground as well.

ZERO, we're set up at an airbnb home in Ft. McCoy. Sadly enough we won't be doing any fishing on Lake George but have high hopes to do plenty of fishing on Crescent Lake during the day and go racing in the evenings. We have friends who live on Crescent 6 months during the year and we fully intend to have them take us out fishing on Crescent as many times as weather will allow.

Our racing itinerary includes going to Ocala for the USAC National Midgets on Feb. 8th & 9th and the Lucas Oil Late Models on the 10th. We'll be going to Volusia for the late models and big blocks on Feb. 11th, 12th & 13th. We'll finish out Speedweeks back at Ocala for the USAC National Wingless 410 Sprint Cars on Feb. 14th, 15th & 16th.

We would suggest to anyone who is going to races in the Volusia/Ocala area to take a trip down to Blue Springs State Park near Orange City (OC is just south of Deland). Very nice and interesting place. If the weather is right you'll get to see Manatee in the spring run between where the springs come up out of the ground to the St. Johns River. Even if the manatee aren't there it's a great way to spend a day. It's worth your time and effort.

[CIRF]

We made our first speed weeks last year for the USAC races at Bubba. We stayed at the "Dinner Bell Motel" in Dunnellon. The price was right and it was clean enough and nice people. Was about 45 min from Bubba and traffic wasn't terrible, but steady. If you need a classy place go somewhere else, but if your demands and expectations aren't very high you could do worse than the "DBM". Our budget was thin so that's how we found it. We ended up having to leave 1 day early and they made no issue of it and refunded my money, which I didnt expect.

http://www.dunnellonmotels.com/

HWM, are you going to Bubba again this year for the USAC events? We somehow missed running into ya'll down there last year.

Hope you can make it.

[Bubstr]

Seven some that looked reasonable in Orange City.About 20 miles south and20 miles east of Daytona. I camp.

[CIRF]

Seven some that looked reasonable in Orange City.About 20 miles south and20 miles east of Daytona. I camp.

Bubstr, we probably all know what you mean but if you go 20 miles south and 20 miles east of Daytona you won't be in Orange City, you'll be on the Atlantic Ocean.

Orange City/Deland/DeBary area is a nice and convenient area. You can be to Ocala in just under 90 minutes and to Volusia in less than 45 minutes. Not really a deal breaker. If you're lodging is in the OC/Deland/DeBary area it's a 2 hour drive down to East Bay, which is a bit longer but doable if you're only going to go down there a couple of times.

[TTS_JF]

I think were heading down for the modified races at Eastbay; be there from the 22nd to the 26th.

I've looked at vrbo & air bnb but haven't made a final decision yet. I've seen lots of options, so hopefully prices aren't through the roof if I decide to go.

[ZERO25]

ZERO, we're set up at an airbnb home in Ft. McCoy. Sadly enough we won't be doing any fishing on Lake George but have high hopes to do plenty of fishing on Crescent Lake during the day and go racing in the evenings. We have friends who live on Crescent 6 months during the year and we fully intend to have them take us out fishing on Crescent as many times as weather will allow.

Our racing itinerary includes going to Ocala for the USAC National Midgets on Feb. 8th & 9th and the Lucas Oil Late Models on the 10th. We'll be going to Volusia for the late models and big blocks on Feb. 11th, 12th & 13th. We'll finish out Speedweeks back at Ocala for the USAC National Wingless 410 Sprint Cars on Feb. 14th, 15th & 16th.

We would suggest to anyone who is going to races in the Volusia/Ocala area to take a trip down to Blue Springs State Park near Orange City (OC is just south of Deland). Very nice and interesting place. If the weather is right you'll get to see Manatee in the spring run between where the springs come up out of the ground to the St. Johns River. Even if the manatee aren't there it's a great way to spend a day. It's worth your time and effort.

Ft McCoy is a quaint little town, but not much there. Great location for going to Bubba and Vsp!

The speckled perch (specks) are starting to bed and Crescent Lake is known for them. Good luck, you shouldn't have much problem catching plenty this time of year!

[CIRF]

Ft McCoy is a quaint little town, but not much there. Great location for going to Bubba and Vsp!

The speckled perch (specks) are starting to bed and Crescent Lake is known for them. Good luck, you shouldn't have much problem catching plenty this time of year!

We've been through Ft. McCoy a couple of times over the years but it's been a while. We like the out of the way places like Ft. McCoy where traffic headaches are pretty much nonexistent.

The specks are some of the best eating fish there is. We'll concentrate on specks 'till we get enough to fillet out for a meal then focus on shiners to go after large mouth bass and see if we can't boat a big one. There is nothing like a Florida large mouth for fishin' fun!

[Krooser]

Some of my Speedweeks memories...

Blowing an engine in my modified at New Smyrna then changing it out in the back of Rusty's Engine Service in Ocala. About two AM we were bolting in the new engine when the SWAT team climbed over the fence and arrested me and my pit guy for breaking and entering and grand theft after someone reported we were burglarizing the shop.

Got out of the cuffs about 5am and raced at Lake City that night.

We were visiting Porky's Place on Rt 92 in DeLand and we ran out of booze (byob joint). Just for the hell of it my boss at 141 Speedway whipped out his winkie to get stamped so he could get back in without paying another cover charge. Sounded like a good idea so we had the girl at the door stamp all of our winkies.

That same trip we found a hit and run victim laying in the median strip. A young girl had been hit on her bike and I just saw her hand come up as she tried to signal us. She had two fingers and a thumb ripped off one hand. I wrapped her up in a towel, stuck her hand in our ice chest and headed east to Halifax hospital. Two miles west of Daytona we got stopped by the Shefiff for doing 85... he took her to the hospital while we waited for another deputy to fill out a report.

Around 1979 we used to stay on A1A in a little mom and pop motel right next to modified legend Ritchie Evans.

One year my pitman mistakenly picked up a TV at one of the bars in town...

[Bubstr]

East West What the hay. All roads lead to Volutia.. They got me in a nursing home for a few days and the drugs are good, in-between taking them and falling asleep.. I'll get these nurses trained and go home around the 12th.

[Goodwrench]

Go to East Bay, plenty of rooms reasonably priced, just my two cents...

[Highwayman]

Some of my Speedweeks memories...

Blowing an engine in my modified at New Smyrna then changing it out in the back of Rusty's Engine Service in Ocala. About two AM we were bolting in the new engine when the SWAT team climbed over the fence and arrested me and my pit guy for breaking and entering and grand theft after someone reported we were burglarizing the shop.

Got out of the cuffs about 5am and raced at Lake City that night.

We were visiting Porky's Place on Rt 92 in DeLand and we ran out of booze (byob joint). Just for the hell of it my boss at 141 Speedway whipped out his winkie to get stamped so he could get back in without paying another cover charge. Sounded like a good idea so we had the girl at the door stamp all of our winkies.

That same trip we found a hit and run victim laying in the median strip. A young girl had been hit on her bike and I just saw her hand come up as she tried to signal us. She had two fingers and a thumb ripped off one hand. I wrapped her up in a towel, stuck her hand in our ice chest and headed east to Halifax hospital. Two miles west of Daytona we got stopped by the Shefiff for doing 85... he took her to the hospital while we waited for another deputy to fill out a report.

Around 1979 we used to stay on A1A in a little mom and pop motel right next to modified legend Ritchie Evans.

One year my pitman mistakenly picked up a TV at one of the bars in town...

That's how racing on the road is suppose to be. You need to write a book, might help get that Mastersbilt going a bit quicker. Smart/Camera phones ruined a lot of things that use to be fun.

[CIRF]

That's how racing on the road is suppose to be. You need to write a book, might help get that Mastersbilt going a bit quicker. Smart/Camera phones ruined a lot of things that use to be fun.

HWM, are you going down to Ocala again this year?

[Barbecueboy]

Some of my Speedweeks memories...

Blowing an engine in my modified at New Smyrna then changing it out in the back of Rusty's Engine Service in Ocala. About two AM we were bolting in the new engine when the SWAT team climbed over the fence and arrested me and my pit guy for breaking and entering and grand theft after someone reported we were burglarizing the shop.

Got out of the cuffs about 5am and raced at Lake City that night.

We were visiting Porky's Place on Rt 92 in DeLand and we ran out of booze (byob joint). Just for the hell of it my boss at 141 Speedway whipped out his winkie to get stamped so he could get back in without paying another cover charge. Sounded like a good idea so we had the girl at the door stamp all of our winkies.

That same trip we found a hit and run victim laying in the median strip. A young girl had been hit on her bike and I just saw her hand come up as she tried to signal us. She had two fingers and a thumb ripped off one hand. I wrapped her up in a towel, stuck her hand in our ice chest and headed east to Halifax hospital. Two miles west of Daytona we got stopped by the Shefiff for doing 85... he took her to the hospital while we waited for another deputy to fill out a report.

Around 1979 we used to stay on A1A in a little mom and pop motel right next to modified legend Ritchie Evans.

One year my pitman mistakenly picked up a TV at one of the bars in town...

Great stuff....thanks for sharing.

Mistakenly picked up a tv, lol.