If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you combined the energy of a SEC tailgate, a classic rock concert, and a stand-up comedy special, and then shoved it all inside a massive convention center the night before the biggest race in America, Bert Kreischer has your answer.
It’s called the Full Throttle Festival, and it’s officially the ultimate way to kick off Daytona 500 weekend.
Taking place on February 14, 2026, at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, just five miles from the Speedway, this inaugural festival is Kreischer’s vision for the ultimate pre-party for the “Super Bowl of Speed.” Produced by Medium Rare, the live event powerhouse behind spectaculars like Shaq’s Fun House and Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate, the event is designed to fill the massive void on the Saturday night before the green flag drops on Sunday.
“I’d been to these parties, like Shaq’s Fun House and Guy’s big cookout at the Super Bowl,” Kreischer told me. “They were these fun just get-togethers, like music… but I came out, I did comedy, and I was like, ‘What if we did something the night before Daytona 500?'”
Watch Bert and me talk about his Full Throttle festival on YouTube. And while you’re at it, follow me on Substack and Instagram.
For Kreischer, the partnership with NASCAR on Full Throttle is a genuine connection to a culture he loves. His wife is a lifelong fan who has been going to Talladega since childhood, and after attending races himself, he realized the fanbase was a perfect fit for his shirt-off, party-friendly comedy.
He recounted a trip to a race with his podcast co-host, Tom Segura, where the difference in their vibes became immediately apparent.
“If you describe 2 Bears, 1 Cave, Tom’s F1, I’m NASCAR,” Kreischer jokes. “Tom’s a fancy boy. I’m the guy you can meet at a Chili’s. And so we went to NASCAR, and I got recognized so much… Tom looked at me, and he was like, ‘These are your people.’ And I was like, ‘I think they are.'”
The vision for Full Throttle is a party big enough and wild enough to lure those die-hard fans out of the legendary Daytona infield for one night.
“I’ve been to enough NASCAR events to know that you got to get a name that gets you to pack up your campsite, pack up your RV, put the grill away, put the tent down, and put the pickleball away, and go to this thing,” Kreischer says.
The Lineup Is Americana Meets the Modern Pre-Party
To get those fans to leave their RVs, Kreischer curated a lineup that acts as a perfect diagram of the modern NASCAR experience—a blend of deep-rooted tradition and high-energy spectacle.
First, the non-negotiable heavy hitters: Lynyrd Skynyrd.
When I suggested to Bert that having Skynyrd at a NASCAR event is like “cheese and crackers”—a pairing so natural it’s practically elemental—he immediately agreed.
“It’s Americana, you know?” Kreischer said. “If you’re talking Florida and you’re a Florida kid and you’re at NASCAR, you’re gonna go sit barefoot in a parking lot and watch Lynyrd Skynyrd and drink cold beers.”
But Kreischer didn’t want the festival to just be a nostalgia trip. He wanted energy. He wanted a party that feels “young and hip.” That’s why the very first phone call he made wasn’t to a rock legend, but to a global DJ and producer.
via Full Throttle
“First person I reached out to was Diplo,” Kreischer reveals. “Because we’re gonna have it at night, we want someone to close it out… NASCAR isn’t what I think people think it is.”
Diplo will be performing his country-fusion project, Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, for a “boots on the floor” set tailored for race weekend. Rounding out the music bill is Nashville breakout singer/songwriter ERNEST, one of the hottest names in country music right now. Kreischer himself will serve as the host, performing stand-up, and likely taking his shirt off at some point during the proceedings to keep the “anything can happen” energy flowing.
BBQ, Beer, and The “Meat Sweats”
While the music is the draw, the atmosphere is the hook. The festival is being billed as an immersive experience that brings the infield tailgate indoors.
“We’re not just having a party; we’re bringing a rock show, a country show, a comedy show, and the kind of BBQ and beer that would make a pit crew chief proud,” Kreischer said in the press release. “We’re stuffing all of that—the fun, the laughs, the meat sweats—inside the Ocean Center.”
The convention center floor will feature a curated lineup of pitmasters and BBQ concepts, alongside an expansive craft beer program and bars throughout the venue. Fueling the event, NASCAR will also have a significant presence, with interactive displays, photo ops with props, and unique fan touchpoints to bring the spirit of stock car racing into the building.
The Full Throttle Festival aims to become an essential annual tradition, bridging the gap between the incredible build-up on Saturday and the intensity of race day on Sunday.
“The night [before] is inarguably better than the day of, only because of the anticipation,” Kreischer tells me, his excitement palpable. “It’s the funnest. Getting there, setting up your camp, putting up the tables, putting out cornhole… getting the kids’ bikes out, getting your bike out. Oh dude, it’s the best.”
Whether you’re a die-hard gearhead with a campsite booked years in advance or a casual fan just looking for the biggest party in Florida, Bert Kreischer’s goal is to bring 15,000 people under one massive roof to celebrate the Great American Race properly… at full throttle.
The Details:
- What: Bert Kreischer’s Full Throttle Festival
- When: Saturday, Feb 14, 2026 (The night before the Daytona 500)
- Where: Ocean Center Convention Center, Daytona Beach, FL (101 N Atlantic Ave)
- Tickets: On sale this Friday, Dec 5 at 10:00 AM ET at www.fullthrottlefestival.com. Fans can pre-register now.