NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES DRIVERS READY TO HIT THE ROAD TO THE DAYTONA 500

Cross-Country Media Blitz to Feature Close to 20 Drivers Promoting the DAYTONA 500 on Feb. 22

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Jan. 13, 2015 – In the weeks leading up to the prestigious season-opening DAYTONA 500 Sunday, Feb. 22, the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be logging plenty of miles promoting “The Great American Race” with the Road to the DAYTONA 500 Tour.

The cross-country media blitz will feature close to 20 drivers visiting 11 different cities. Each location will host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for a day of special events and media availabilities, all promoting the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 Sunday, Feb. 22 (TV – FOX, FOX Deportes; Radio – MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“We’re excited to work with the drivers as we build the excitement throughout the country about the DAYTONA 500 and the start of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “The Road to the DAYTONA 500 is a critical element in promoting ‘The Great American Race’.”

The Road to the DAYTONA 500 kicked off Jan. 2 in Jacksonville with 2014 DAYTONA 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr., who prior to flipping the coin at the TaxSlayer Bowl, met with the media alongside the Harley J. Earl DAYTONA 500 trophy and participated in a Twitter takeover of @DISupdates.

Among the other cities and drivers that will be featured on the tour include:

• Washington, D.C. (Jeff Gordon)
• Phoenix (Danica Patrick)
• Atlanta (Kyle Busch)
• Boston (Kevin Harvick)
• Chicago (Carl Edwards)
• Tampa (Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson)
• Los Angeles (Jimmie Johnson)
• Miami (Joey Logano)
• New York (Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin)
• Orlando (Matt Kenseth)
• Daytona Beach (Clint Bowyer, AJ Allmendinger and Ryan Newman)
• Orlando-Daytona Beach, where driver Austin Dillon and owner Richard Childress will officially activate the new vertical transportation associated with its $400 million DAYTONA Rising project with an Escalator Duel.

In addition, during Budweiser Speedweeks, Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne are expected to fly with the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who are providing the flyover for the DAYTONA 500.

Race fans can follow along with each Road to the DAYTONA 500 event on Twitter using #ROADTODAYTONA500 or by visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/TheRoad.

Tickets for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 and all Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 events are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com

Fans also can follow NASCAR on Twitter and stay up to speed on the latest news by using hashtags #DAYTONA500 and #SPEEDWEEKS. Stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest for the latest news all season long. Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.

 

NEW TWIST TO DAYTONA 500 QUALIFYING PRESENTED BY KROGER

Preseason Thunder Testing Canceled

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. September 29, 2014 – A new twist to qualifying for the DAYTONA 500 is among the 2015 rules changes that NASCAR officials announced.

DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, which traditionally features single-car qualifying, will switch to the group qualifying format for 2015. The top two starting positions will be determined through the group qualifying format on Sunday, Feb. 15.

Group qualifying, which debuted this year but was not implemented for the DAYTONA 500, has provided added entertainment to race fans and features all cars on the track at the same time attempting to post the fastest lap.

The results from DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger will also set the field for the Budweiser Duel At Daytona 150-mile qualifying races on Thursday, Feb. 19. The results from the Budweiser Duel will finalize the starting lineup for the DAYTONA 500.

Also among the rule changes announced on Tuesday is a ban on all testing in 2015, and as a result, Preseason Thunder testing for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 is canceled. In addition, the Preseason Thunder Fan Fest, the companion event to NASCAR testing, will no longer occur in its existing format.

NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, teams and drivers are developing a plan over the next several weeks to celebrate the start of the 2015 season and the DAYTONA 500 in the weeks leading into the sport’s biggest event. More details on those plans will be provided at a later date.

The Roar Before The Rolex 24, the critical three-day test for the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge teams, as well as Scout Days will continue as scheduled for Jan. 9-11. The season-opening 53rd anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be on Jan. 24-25.

Tickets for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 22 as well as the rest of Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 events are available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest news all season long.  Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.

 

NASCAR DRIVERS RYAN NEWMAN, MARTIN TRUEX, JR, AND USAF THUNDERBIRDS, VISITED DAYTONA RISING

Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III and the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – February 28, 2014 – During Budweiser Speedweeks, DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation project, had a couple of special visitors take hard-hat tours.

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, and Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, visited the construction on Friday, Feb. 21.

On the morning of the 56th annual DAYTONA 500, the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who performed the flyover later in the day, toured the massive project with Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III.

About DAYTONA Rising

Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, and Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, visited the construction on Friday, Feb. 21.

DAYTONA Rising is a $400 million reimagining of an American icon – Daytona International Speedway. Five expanded and redesigned entrances, or “injectors,” will lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators, transporting them to three different concourse levels. Each level features spacious social areas, or “neighborhoods,” along the nearly mile-long frontstretch. At the conclusion of the redevelopment, Daytona International Speedway will have approximately 101,000 permanent, wider and more comfortable seats, twice as many restrooms and three times as many concession stands. In addition, the Speedway will feature over 60 luxury suites with track side views and a completely revamped hospitality experience for corporate guests.

DAYTONA Rising: Reimagining an American Icon, expected to create 6,300 jobs, $300 million in labor income and over $80 million in tax revenue, will be completed in time for the 2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona and DAYTONA 500. DAYTONA Rising was recently cited as a key source of expected job growth in Volusia County as part of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Toyota recently became the first Founding Partner of DAYTONA Rising, joining the Speedway to help provide the very best experience for fans through over 20,000 square feet of engagement area, branding rights for the Toyota Injector and one of the new neighborhoods.

Barton Malow is serving as the design-builder for the project. In addition to DAYTONA Rising, Barton Malow has renovated the University of Michigan “Big House” and the Rose Bowl.

ROSSETTI, an award-winning architectural design and planning firm for the past 40 years, which headed the design for Ford Field NFL Stadium, University of Notre Dame Compton Family Ice Arena and five Major League Soccer Stadiums, is leading the master planning of the DAYTONA Rising site.

Race fans can follow the progress of the DAYTONA Rising project by visiting www.DAYTONARising.com and connecting with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.  Also, fans can see the construction project up close by taking one of the daily tours available at the Speedway on non-event days throughout the year. Visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/tours or the Speedway Ticket and Tours Building for more information.

For tickets and more information on Daytona International Speedway events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.