DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The most anticipated race that NASCAR has to offer this weekend has fans thirsty for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

  • Drivers prepare for Saturday's Coke Zero Sugar 400
  • Red 38 and Smokin’ Gun tailgates offer good food, company
  • Food and drink at both tailgates are free

Practices were cut short Thursday at Daytona as drivers prepare for Saturday night’s race. But Friday’s schedule is unchanged and so is the tailgater spirit.

Saturday night's race at the Daytona International Speedway will feature such stars as Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick.

"This fan-favorite event includes some of the most exciting racing of the season as drivers battle three-wide for a coveted Daytona victory," stated the Daytona International Speedway website. 

Daytona is famous for its tailgates, but one particular spot in the infield stands out.

A tailgate known as Red 38 is the sweet spot for food and drink. On one side of the road you’ll find the Red 38 bar -- on the other you’ll find Smokin’ Gun BBQ.  

“We just have a summertime race party,” said Bill Fenton a NASCAR fan from West Virginia. He’s been running the Red 38 tailgate for 10 years.

“This is kind of our tenth anniversary,” he said. “We just set up, we’ve got friends across the street.”

Across the street is a tailgate decked out in Georgia Bulldogs gear, but don’t let your college football allegiances stop you from going over to say hi -- they have some of the freshest BBQ you’ll find. 

“I just enjoy cooking man,” said Randolph Arbaugh of Georgia.

He’s been running the Smokin’ Gun tailgate as he calls it with his friend Raymond Pitts for years. 

“When you can feed people and they enjoy the food that’s what it’s about,” Arbaugh said.

The food and drink are free. They’ll accept donations, but all they want is friendship in return.

“Whether it’s camping at Nascar or camping anywhere you go, when you do it continuously you meet lots of new people and that’s the best part about it to me,” Arbaugh says.

So if you’re at the Daytona infield this weekend, don’t be shy go ahead and say hello -- just come thirsty and hungry. The Red 38 and Smokin’ Gun tailgates are sure to offer you food and drink. 

Here is more information race fans will want to know about the race: