As engines rev and flags wave at Daytona Beach, anticipation rises for NASCAR’s iconic Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, a time when motorsport meets the vibrancy of summer on Florida’s Atlantic coast. Yet, beneath the sound of roaring stock cars, a quieter drama unfolds on the sun-washed beaches just beyond the grandstands. Locals and longtime racing fans recall previous years when weather delays sent thousands flocking to the waves, eager for a break in the adrenaline. But 2025 feels different.

For weeks, lifeguards have issued warnings as powerful rip currents driven by Hurricane Erin’s lingering effect in the Atlantic threaten even the most confident swimmers. A growing concern rivals the spectacle of racecars and rivalries this year: safety in and around Daytona’s dangerous surf.

High su

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