Did you make it to this year’s Daytona 500? We didn’t either, but tens of thousands of fans attended “The Great American Race” yesterday. Those in attendance saw Matt Kenseth hold onto victory over fan-favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the weather-shortened race. The rain started to fall a little over half way into the 500-mile race, and it was called with only 48 of the 200 laps left.

For those who were less than interested in the action on the track, there was action elsewhere on race day. Keith Urban was on hand to perform before the gentlemen started their engines. Tom Cruise served as this year’s pace car driver, Gene Hackman was there just hanging out, and Gavin DeGraw started things off with the National Anthem.

If you’re still in Daytona Beach today, definitely go check out the Daytona 500 Experience—it will help get over your post race depression. ]]> kjb 2009-02-16T09:36:05-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/4/4/102344/8593

Is Spring Break no longer the insane, alcohol-fueled phenomenon it once was? For Daytona Beach, the answer is yes. Daytona became popular for spring breakers after Fort Lauderdale and Palm Springs gave up on attracting the little ruffians in the 1980s. No one wants to play host to drunk co-eds teetering off the edges of balconies and brawling in the street for too long. Or, in Sonny Bono's case, play host to thongs. As Mayor of Palm Springs, he banned them (outside) in 1988. Does that mean Bikini Inspector was a real job for a time over there?

After crunching the numbers and realizing that students are poor, Daytona Beach hasn't advertised to the college set for several years now. They are looking to keep the place classy with their famed NASCAR race and the less-famed Biketokberfest. Students, for their part, are heading elsewhere for their fun; to Panama Beach and Miami's South Beach for partying, and on "Alternative Spring Breaks", like working at Habitat for Humanity. At least they'll be able to do that in a thong.

[Image via Week Kichards/Flickr]

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·   Aghast at Agave [Jaunted]]]> AVB 2006-04-04T10:23:44-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/