Sunday was race day at Daytona International Speedway and more than 100,000 people watched the Great American Race in person.
>>> CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE STREAM <
This is the eighth year in a row that the speedway has been a complete sell-out.
Thousands of fans along the route helped boost Central Florida’s economy by spending money at local shops and hotels.
Read: Volusia County businesses poised for Daytona 500 start
But hundreds of families are still living in hotels after back-to-back hurricanes hit our shores last year.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency told Channel 9 that Hurricanes Ian and Nicole hit more than 30,000 homes in Volusia County.
Read: FEMA sends supporters to Volusia County to help displaced hurricane victims
FEMA still pays for families living in hotels, which has made it difficult to find accommodation for major events like the Daytona 500.
But fans across the country said they didn’t notice any significant changes in racing because of the hurricanes.
Read: Daytona Beach embarks on $12 million project to improve major corridor
A group came from Baltimore to celebrate a bachelorette party. They said finding accommodation was a challenge, but once they got to the track everything was business as usual.
And more than a dozen beach structures are still considered unsafe.
Volusia County’s emergency management will be hosting mitigation meetings next week ahead of the next hurricane season.
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