By Tommy Lee Byrd – Images by the Author
If you still have your airbrushed T-shirt, neon sunglasses, and cut-off shorts, then you probably remember the ’80s and ’90s very well. Tourist towns like Daytona Beach have been a hot spot for car shows for decades, and one of the biggest is the Daytona Turkey Run, an event that is held twice a year, one in the Spring and one in the Fall. While the Fall event, which is held on Thanksgiving weekend, tends to get the most recognition, the Spring event has a lot to offer as well.
Held at the Daytona International Speedway, the Spring Turkey Run is too much to see in one day on foot. The event is held in the infield of the giant speedway and features a car show, parts vendors, an enormous swap meet, historic race car displays, and much more. There is also a huge car corral, where hundreds of cars are up for grabs for the right price. Dozens of food vendors line every possible walkway, ensuring you won’t go hungry or thirsty. The layout of the event requires a lot of walking, but it’s worth every step. If you didn’t get enough during the day, there is a free cruise-in each night called Turkey Run Nites held right outside the speedway with music, food vendors, and a great turnout of cars under the lights.
The three-day event is packed with awesome cars and trucks, and we noticed a lot of cool Pro Street cars in attendance. Big tires and blowers were plentiful and most were done in a very tasteful, modern style. In other words, we didn’t see many pink cars with turquoise interior, but you can’t rule out any combination when you’re in Daytona. We had a blast on our Spring Break trip to the beach and captured a few of our favorites from the Spring Daytona Turkey Run.
You can find future dates for Turkey Run events and plan your trip at turkeyrun.com.
