2001 and 2007: One of my favorite pictures - this is my dad, me, and Fluffball at the Top of Daytona restaurant on Saturday night at the 2001 24 Hours of Daytona. This year was, and will always be, one of my favorite years at Daytona.
Here’s something really cool - we started a tradition within a tradition in 2000 when my dad decided to check out the restaurant at the top of the tallest building in Daytona. We loved the place so much, with its crazy 360 degree wrap around view of the city and ocean, that we started going every year.
We actually ended up with the same waitress who took this picture when we went back six years later in 2007, and she actually remembered us from back in ‘01 (even that we were Viper fans!). As an even crazier coincidence, I had happened to bring some pictures from past Daytona trips with us that year, and actually had the original with me, so I had her take a picture of us at the same table we sat at 6 years earlier (on my old flip phone that I had at the time)! One of my favorite Daytona stories.
The Top of Daytona closed a few year ago when the building was hit hard by hurricane Matthew. However, they’ve been saying on their website that they plan to reopen as soon as the building is finished being repaired, but that date keeps getting pushed back. My dad and I have driven by the building each of the past couple years, hoping that maybe they’re open again. However, this year when we drove by, the entire exterior of the building had been newly restored and apparently they’re planning on reopening sometime this year. I really hope they’re back open for 2021!
