While NASCAR has spent the off-season trying to turn back the clock and get back in step with fans, its recent move stirred the pot instead. The launch of a new ultra-premium hospitality club left many die-hards saying it felt like a different tune from the ‘old times’ the sport claims to be chasing.
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The club, dubbed 1948, is being viewed as NASCAR’s answer to Formula One’s Paddock Club and is now at the top of the ticket ladder with a $10,000 price tag. The idea was stitched together by executives Steve O’Donnell and Ben Kennedy, who tapped VP of Signature Experiences Group Michael Verlatti over the past two months to make sure NASCAR was not leaving money on the table for fans willing to pay for a better, luxurious experience.
Veteran reporter Adam Stern detailed the kind of hospitality presented at the Club. Stern wrote, “Food offerings for the $10,000 ‘1948’ club from NASCAR included duck-fat pretzel bites, wagyu beef hot dog sliders, and bourbon-braised short ribs. Spirits included Pappy Van Winkle, Grey Goose, Hendrick’s Gin, Casamigos Blanco, Woodford Reserve, and Johnnie Walker black label.”
Still, plenty of die-hard fans were not ready accept this seemingly elitist change to their beloved sport. Many bristled at the velvet-rope treatment. Reactions ranged from jabs like, “NASCAR ‘we’re going back to who we were’ Next day ’10k suites anyone?'” to gripes such as, “Makes sense at F1, but at NASCAR I want to be in the cheap seats with the proletariat deleting my mini cooler of beers I was allowed to bring in,” and even, “lol that’s not worth 10k. You could put a decal on a car and sit on a pit box for that.”
A few others were less hostile but felt the ship had sailed. “Honestly think this is great, but about 10 years too late. Missed out on the exclusiveness that F1 brought and has garnered. Wish they would embrace this side a bit more without losing core fan.” A few voices, however, backed the move outright, arguing, “Some people will say this is backwards, but it’s not. It’s good for the sport if they can get these acquired by fans coming in.”
.@NASCAR quietly introduced a new ultra premium hospitality concept last Sunday at Daytona called 1948 that will in some ways be its version of @F1’s Paddock Club, in what effectively becomes its top-tier ticketing option at a $10,000 price point per unit for a day. pic.twitter.com/P0G3xQ8eG3
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) February 17, 2026
Podcast host Shannon Spake also chimed in with praise, posting, “It’s beautiful! I was in there Sunday! Great job @DAYTONA.” The concept falls under a newly branded NASCAR division called “Signature Experiences,” with the club set to pop up at a select number of tracks this season, including San Diego and Miami.
At Daytona International Speedway, Verlatti noted that “1948” stands apart because it was sold as a one-day pass, unlike suites and clubs that usually lock buyers into longer runs or multi-day access.
The space itself used to serve as an elite suite for track president Frank Kelleher and staff, but has since been reworked into the next rung on the suite ladder, with upgrades across food, drink, decor, and furniture.
The room now houses artifacts and photos pulled from NASCAR archives and offers access to other parts of the track, along with a dedicated VIP entry, giving guests a way to step behind the curtain while the rest of the crowd watches from the grandstands.
