As NASCAR descends on Daytona Beach for the start of the 2026 season, a photo from 2007 has started to snowball on social media. The image, snapped nearly two decades ago at the 2007 Daytona 500, shows a concession menu where a Crown Royal mixed drink cost just $8.00.
At a time of increasing costs for everyone, we can only be nostalgic about how ‘little’ it costs to grab a drink at the legendary event.
Inflating Not Only Tires
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cumulative inflation from 2007 to 2026 is approximately 53%. If drink prices had simply tracked with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), that $8.00 Jack Daniel’s would cost roughly $12.25 today.
Instead, fans attending major sporting events in 2025 and 2026 are routinely facing prices double that amount. At last year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans, a basic “premium” cocktail sold for $18.99, while specialty drinks featuring Crown Royal – the same liquor listed on the viral 2007 menu – climbed as high as $26 to $40.
On a side note, the most expensive drink was a tequila cocktail called Voodoo Magic, which sold for an astonishing $59.
While the cost of living has risen, the cost of leisure is at an all-time high, transforming the stadium experience from a blue-collar weekend staple into a luxury product. This isn’t just a NASCAR thing. It’s happening everywhere. The Formula One Miami Grand Prix saw ridiculous pricing, with a side of fries reaching $6 and a chicken pizza upwards of $29.
To its credit, NASCAR has noticed what’s going on. While the NFL and F1 have leaned into this upper-class market with high-price hospitality, stock car racing is trying its best to accommodate people like you and me.
In his 2025 State of the Sport address, NASCAR President at the time, Steve Phelps, discussed something close:
“We are only going to be as good as what we can provide to the drivers and the access that we provide the drivers to get in front of. Whether that’s early morning shows, late night shows, Sesame Street — I know Bubba [Wallace] did that earlier this year — all these things are opportunities to meet a fan or a potential fan where they are. That’s what we need to do.”
At the iconic Martinsville Speedway, the famous Jesse Jones southern-style hot dog remains a fan-favorite. For decades, the track has held the line on the price at exactly $2.00 with the track refusing to allow inflation to come between the bright red, slaw-covered frankfurter and fans.
2007 was a very different place for NASCAR. That year, the championship was at the tail end of its massive ratings boom. The tracks were overflowing with fans and the revenue model relied on volume instead of margin.
The cars may be faster in 2026, but Happy Hour may be a thing of the past.
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