Daytona

The Dodge Charger Scat Pack is a heck of a deal. Some would argue, including me, that the Scat Pack is a better overall value than the 707 horsepower Hellcat. But the Scat Pack is hardly perfect, and the 2017 Charger Daytona looks to rectify those issue and add a splash of heritage.

When Chevrolet reached out to ask if I wanted to borrow a new 2016 SS for a week, I was pretty excited. But when they said they’d like me to drive it from Chicago all the way to Florida to go see the Daytona 500, I was even more stoked.

I’ve spent the last few days driving a Chevrolet SS from Chicago to Daytona to cheer on Team Chevy as they race for victory in the 2016 Daytona 500. While the pro drivers will take to the track in their 725 hp NASCAR Chevy SS race cars, the 415 hp production SS remained on the public roads for the duration of my trip.

The rain-delayed 2014 Daytona 500 was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr. (unless you happen to follow ESPN or Fox News) and the legendary race has given us some incredible finishes in its storied history. Thankfully, an enterprising YouTuber put together a compilation of every Daytona 500 finish from 1979 through 2013.

/DRIVE had the chance to record this practice session at the 24 Hours of Daytona with driver Tommy Milner and Corvette C7.R Racing. Milner’s helmet-cam allows us to follow along as he takes his place behind the wheel and takes to the course.