As Nascar enters its 75th season, there is still no event that can match the excitement of the Daytona 500. Over 100,000 will gather at Daytona International Speedway this Sunday for the 65th edition of the race as the Cup Series season begins.
Austin Dillon won the 60th edition of the race in 2018 and takes second place at the Clash at the Coliseum. Even in his 10th full-time season in the Cup Series, there's still no excitement to match the race that's been dubbed the Super Bowl of stock car racing.
The two-time Nascar Champion spoke to M&F about some of his personal must-haves for Daytona.
Austin Dillon
Firefighter suit, helmet, racing shoes
Austin Dillon
I can't go to Daytona without my race gear! These things protect me when I'm in the car.
Coke
Austin Dillon
I'm a proud member of the Coca-Cola racing family and enjoy Coke products both at the racetrack and at home.
Buy Coca-Cola: $1.59 at Amazon
Carolina Cowboys hat
I'm the General Manager of the Carolina Cowboys, a professional bull riding team in the new PBR Team Series. I always outfit them in Carolina Cowboys gear when I'm at the track.
Pickleball and pickleball paddle
Austin Dillon
I recently started pickleball and it has become one of my favorite things to do off the track. We set up a few courts in our race shop and play in a league several times a week. When we get to Daytona I will definitely find a place to play.
Buy Bantam EX-L Paddle: $99 from PickleballCentral
Buy CORE Outdoor Pickleballs (pack of 3): $11 from PickleballCentral
type wipes
Racing can be sweaty. Just think of all the hours we spend in a hot car on a hot summer day. Dude wipes keep me fresh between showers even on the hottest days.
Buy Dude Wipe's six pack abs: $28 from Dude Products
Healthy Snacks
My race day meal is pretty healthy - grilled chicken, rice, avocado and veggies. We don't have much downtime during race season, so I always try to stock up on healthy snacks that are easy to grab between meals.
Buy Kar's Gluten Free Sweet and Salty Trail Mix (30-pack): $12.32 at Walmart
Costa Del Mar sunglasses
My Costas serve me well, whether I'm at the race track or just enjoying nature in my free time.
fishing rod
There's a lot of water in Florida, and when my family and I want to de-stress, there's nothing like getting on the water. I get all my gear from Bass Pro Shops.
Follow Austin on Instagram @austindillon3
Watch Austin at the DAYTONA 500 this Sunday at 2:30pm ET on FOX
