A Daytona Beach institution has closed its doors after nearly 40 years, marking a major change in the area surrounding Daytona International Speedway.
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The Daytona Beach Hooters permanently closed in early October. The chain restaurant was a staple in the area for nearly 40 years, serving residents and tourists alike.
What a sad day in pop culture history. The Daytona International Speedway Hooters officially closed today.
The store’s Facebook says “permanently closed” & it has been removed from the Hooters site. pic.twitter.com/NKxLaHoe6z
— Joe Kinsey (@JoeKinseyexp) October 8, 2026
No Hooters remain active in Volusia County. The chain previously shuttered its Jacksonville and Panama City locations amid financial issues.
The company filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025. Hooters had previously closed 40 locations nationwide in June 2024.
Hooters had a prominent presence in NASCAR over the decades. The chain had sponsored multiple drivers. This notably includes 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott, who scored a win at Texas Motor Speedway in 2024 while showcasing the Hooters colors.
The most famous driver to showcase the restaurant chain is the late Alan Kulwicki. The 1992 Cup Series champion, Kulwicki drove the iconic No. 7 Hooters Ford from 1991 until his death in 1993.
Kulwicki won three races and the 1992 Cup Series championship with the orange and white paint scheme.
While the Hooters enjoyed a long partnership with multiple NASCAR drivers, the Daytona Beach restaurant served wings and other food to racing fans.
Members of the industry also made the restaurant a mandatory pit stop before or after the Daytona 500 and the Daytona summer race. Some showed up during rare testing sessions at the track.
According to one report, the fan club for Dave Blaney even held a meetup at this particular Hooters location back in 2011.
Now that the restaurant is gone, those heading to the 2.5-mile track will have to find a new location to get wings in February and beyond. Plenty of options remain in the Daytona Beach area, but they will not provide the same NASCAR vibe that Hooters did for multiple decades.
I may not have a hilarious career if it weren’t for Hooters of Daytona. Man. I spent hours upon hours at this Hooters
RIP 🐐 https://t.co/k15d0dqJef pic.twitter.com/RTIcYgmPam
— dale tanhardt (@daletanhardt) October 9, 2026
