TOYOTA TO SPONSOR FIRST STATESIDE NASCAR MEXICO TOYOTA SERIES RACE

TOYOTA TO SPONSOR FIRST STATESIDE NASCAR MEXICO TOYOTA SERIES RACE

AT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

(Phoenix, Ariz.) – Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) President Bryan R. Sperber announced today that Toyota will be the title sponsor for the Toyota 120 NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series race at PIR on Friday, March 1. The landmark event will be the first time that the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series has competed in the United States.

“This is an important race for PIR and the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series, as well as the sport in general,” said Sperber. “To have a sponsor of Toyota’s caliber join us in presenting this event is very exciting.”

The 75-lap event will feature a format that includes a scheduled break following the first 50-laps, with a 25-lap sprint to the finish. A full field of drivers from the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series is expected to participate in the history making race, including 2012 series champion Jorge Goeters.

“It’s exciting to see the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series grow to include a race in the Unites States at PIR,” said Les Unger, Toyota national motorsports manager.  “This was a unique opportunity and we wanted to be a part of this historic event.  We have enjoyed a meaningful relationship with PIR over the years -- currently the Toyota Avalon will serve as the track’s official pace car this year -- and this race entitlement is a great way to expand our partnership.”

“We commend Toyota and NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series decision to hold this historic inaugural race in Avondale at Phoenix International Raceway,”  said Marie Lopez-Rogers, Mayor of Avondale, AZ and president of the National League of Cities.

Toyota began competing in NASCAR regional series racing in 2000, and later joined NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition with the Tundra in 2004 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series with the Camry in 2007.

The NASCAR Mexico Toyota series will kick off its 10th season overall and seventh under the NASCAR banner at Phoenix International Raceway on March 1, 2013 followed by 14 races at eight different tracks throughout Mexico.

Tickets for the Toyota 120 NASCAR Mexico Toyota series event, as well as the entire SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, are available at www.phoenixraceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223)

Daytona International Speedway

At Daytona International Speedway

History

• Groundbreaking for Daytona International Speedway was Nov. 25, 1957. The soil underneath the banked corners was dug from the infield of the track and the hole filled with water. It is now known as Lake Lloyd.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona was a 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20, 1959.
• Richard Petty won his 200th career race on July 4, 1984 at Daytona.

·         Lights were installed in the spring of 1998. However, the July race was delayed until October that year due to thick smoke from wildfires. The second Daytona race has been held under the lights ever since.

·         The track underwent a repave in 2010.

 

Notebook

• There have been 131 NASCAR Sprint Cup races since the track hosted its first race in 1959: 54 have been 500 miles, 50 were 400 miles and four 250 miles. There were also 23 qualifier races that were point races.
• Fireball Roberts won the inaugural pole at Daytona.
• Bob Welborn won the first race at Daytona, the 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500.
• Lee Petty won the inaugural Daytona 500 on Feb. 22, 1959; he led 38 laps and won by 2 feet.
• Fireball Roberts won the first 400-mile race at Daytona, the 1963 Firecracker 400.
• 55 drivers have posted poles at Daytona.
• Cale Yarborough leads all drivers with 12 poles at Daytona.
• Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin lead all active drivers with three poles at Daytona.
• 56 drivers have won at Daytona.
• Richard Petty leads all drivers in victories at Daytona with 10.
• Jeff Gordon has six victories at Daytona, more than any other active driver.
• The Wood Brothers have won 15 races at Daytona, more than any other car owner.
• 17 full-length races at Daytona have been won from the pole; the last to do it was Kevin Harvick in the 2011 Coke Zero 400.
• A driver has swept both races at Daytona only four times, most recently by Bobby Allison in 1982.

 

Daytona Track History 

• Daytona International Speedway is the home of "The Great American Race" -- the Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 is the biggest, richest and most prestigious race in America and annually kicks off the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Although the Daytona 500 garners most of the attention, the enormous 480-acre motorsports complex boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe -- earning it the title of "World Center of Racing." In addition to nine major weekends of racing activity, featuring everything from NASCAR to the Rolex Sports Car Series to the American Motorcyclist Association and the World Karting Association, the Speedway is also booked for more than two solid months each year for testing and development of various race vehicles. Motorized meandering aside, rarely a week goes by that the Speedway grounds are not used for events that include civic and social gatherings, car shows, athletic games, photo "shoots," production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training. "The Speedway is a venue that is known throughout the world as a top-line race track -- a place where everyone in motorsports wants to claim a victory," said Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "However, we're also committed to being versatile enough and responsive enough to provide a site where community activities can successfully be held." Daytona is indeed the site of a diverse mix of activities. Go-karts, which look deceptively similar to the machines that can be driven by families on holiday, compete for five days in December. Among the racing stars that have competed in go-karts at the Speedway include Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Scott Pruett, Brian Vickers and Jamie McMurray. After a jam-packed month of race car testing in January, Speedweeks arrives. Its diversity includes sports car drivers in the Grand American Rolex 24 At Daytona and stock car drivers competing in five different series. This amazing variety is only table-dressing for the medley of personalities and machines that invade Daytona for Daytona 200 Week in March. Each year, racers and fans from around the world converge on the Speedway for the best in road racing, supercross and dirt track competition. A diverse group of events are held through the balance of the year, including two other major professional weekends, as well as Sports Car Club of America amateur sports car races; antique and classic car shows held in the spring and fall by the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational Facilities District; the Police Motorcycle Skills Championship; various charity and community athletic events such as walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons and dinners; receptions; and picnics.

 

North Carolina Education Lottery sponsor Rockingham

North Carolina Education Lottery signs on as title sponsor of NCWTS race at Rockingham

  

Rockingham Speedway President Andy Hillenburg announced today that the North Carolina Education Lottery will serve as title sponsor when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to the legendary North Carolina oval on Sunday, April 14.

The "North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at The Rock Presented by Cheerwine" will be the third race on the 2013 Camping World Truck Series schedule, and Hillenburg hopes to build on a foundation laid last season, when Sprint Cup Series star Kasey Kahne came from the 36th and final starting spot to win the inaugural running of the race before a crowd of nearly 30,000 fans.

"We're thrilled to have our friends at the North Carolina Education Lottery join us for this historic event," said Hillenburg. "We learned a lot from last year's race, and the positive response we received from fans, competitors and the media was absolutely overwhelming. It'll be a tough bar to clear, but I'm confident that this year's `North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at The Rock Presented by Cheerwine' will be even better."

"The Education Lottery is glad to support one of the state's favorite pastimes, racing, at one of the state's great race tracks, the Rockingham Speedway," said Alice Garland, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. "We're a sales organization and just like other sales companies, we depend on marketing events to support our mission; raising money for education in North Carolina. Lottery players and racing fans alike enjoy the entertainment and excitement of racing. So with this partnership, we'll increase our sales and share with thousands of race fans the benefits the lottery provides to our state."

Leading candidates for Victory Lane on April 14 include defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher of Plano, Texas, along with former champions Ron Hornaday, Jr. and Todd Bodine and 2012 title contenders Timothy Peters and Ty Dillon. The Camping World Truck Series will be joined on the weekend card by the UARA-STARS Late Model and Frank Kimmel Street Stock Series', both of which will compete on Saturday, April 13. The Truck Series stars will practice Saturday, with qualifying at 11 a.m. Sunday, followed by the "North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Presented by Cheerwine" at 2 p.m. ET.

"Qualifying and racing on the same day gives fans a greater value for their race ticket," said Hillenburg. "It should make for an exciting day, since everyone will wake up on race morning wondering where their favorite driver will start later that afternoon."

Tickets, suite packages and camping accommodations for the "North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at The Rock Presented by Cheerwine" are now available at www.rockinghamspeedway.com or by calling 910-205-8800. Saturday general admission tickets are $15 in advance ($20 at the gate), with grandstand tickets for Sunday's main event beginning at just $20.

Follow us on twitter @rockinghamspeed use hash tag #filltherock2 for all your tweets about "The Rock"

 

DOLLAR GENERAL TO SPONSOR THE DOLLAR GENERAL 200

DOLLAR GENERAL TO SPONSOR THE DOLLAR GENERAL 200 FUELED BY AMERIGAS

AT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

Major brand builds on NASCAR momentum with track partnership

(Phoenix, Ariz.) – Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber announced today Dollar General, together with AmeriGas, will be the title sponsor of the March 2, 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas is the second race of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

The Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas will be the feature event for the third day in PIR’s March race weekend. The green flag will drop on the Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 2.

“We are excited to welcome Dollar General and AmeriGas as title sponsors of the NASCAR Nationwide Series event on March 2,” said Sperber.  “As the second race of the season, this event has always been an exciting stop on the NASCAR schedule and I’m sure fans will appreciate as much as we do the support of Dollar General and AmeriGas helping to make this race possible.”

In addition to the title sponsorship deal with Phoenix International Raceway, Dollar General is the full-season Nationwide Series sponsor for the No. 20 Toyota driven by Brian Vickers and half-season sponsor for Matt Kenseth’s No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry for 17 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

“Dollar General’s NASCAR participation is a key element in connecting with our customers and we are excited to partner with AmeriGas in Phoenix,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General Chairman and CEO.

“AmeriGas is pleased to announce our partnership with NASCAR and Phoenix International Raceway,” said Andy Peyton, Vice President of AmeriGas Cylinder Exchange. “As a NASCAR partner, AmeriGas is committed to the sport and its loyal fans.  NASCAR fans are among the most passionate in all of sports, and they love nothing more than getting together with friends to watch the race while grilling their favorite food.  We are looking forward to kicking off the 2013 grilling season in such a big way, especially with a valued partner like Dollar General.”

The March 1-3 NASCAR event weekend at PIR kicks off Friday, March 1 with the first ever stateside NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series race. The party continues on Saturday, March 2 with the Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas NASCAR Nationwide Series race, as well as the Talking Stick Resort 50 NASCAR K&N Pro Series- West race.  Sunday, March 3 features the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Phoenix International Raceway’s corporate partners include: AdvoCare, AmeriGas, Amkus Rescue Systems, Anheuser Busch, Casino Arizona, Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Dollar General, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, Gatorade, GEICO, Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, Goodyear Tires, Lucas Oil, Miller Towing Industries, New Holland, Safety-Kleen, Service Master Clean, Sprint, SUBWAY, Sunoco, Talking Stick Resort, Toyota and UPS.

Tickets for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Event Weekend at PIR on March 1 -3 are available now and start at just $25. For Phoenix International Raceway tickets and information, call 866-408-RACE (7223) or visit PhoenixRaceway.com

Dover International Speedway unveils Flash Seats® for 2013

Dover International Speedway unveils Flash Seats® for 2013

Paperless system gives fans “green” ticketing option

DOVER, Del. – Dover International Speedway is pleased to announce that beginning with the 2013 season, it will offer its customers Flash Seats®, an innovative, paperless ticketing system that gives ticket holders electronic venue access using nothing more than their credit card.

Flash Seats is the electronic ticketing system of Dover International Speedway’s ticket provider, Veritix®, and includes a number of great benefits for fans. Flash Seats allows fans to conveniently swipe in on race day with no paper tickets, using a credit card; to easily transfer tickets to anyone electronically, anytime, anywhere, right up to the start of the event; and to eliminate lost and stolen ticket issues.

“By implementing Flash Seats, the track is moving into the modern era of ticketing, while also promoting a greener, more eco-friendly ticketing option,” said Mark Rossi, vice president of sales and marketing for Dover Motorsports, Inc. “In addition, the Flash Seats capabilities create a number of benefits for fans, such as electronic ticket transfers and having your tickets live on your credit card, much like an airline check-in.”

Dover, the first NASCAR track to utilize Flash Seats, will offer the new ticketing option as a replacement for print-at-home tickets, and as an alternative for traditional track-printed tickets. Customers can select “Flash Seats” during the checkout process, at which point tickets will be applied to their credit card. On event day, all the customer will have to do is swipe their credit card to be scanned at the gate for entry.

“As the only NASCAR track to use Flash Seats, Dover is putting itself at the forefront of ticketing technology and showing its commitment to fans by giving them a system that is convenient and easy to use,” said Guy Villa, vice president of sales for Veritix.  “We know that Dover fans will appreciate the flexibility that Flash Seats offers.”

NASCAR returns to Dover International Speedway May 31-June 2, 2013 for the June 2 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the June 1 “5-hour ENERGY 200” NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the May 31 “Lucas Oil 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

For tickets or more information, call 800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com. You can also keep up with the Monster Mile at Facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway or on Twitter at @MonsterMile.

PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY TO OFFER ENHANCED PRE-RACE PIT PASS

February 4, 2013

PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY TO OFFER ENHANCED PRE-RACE PIT PASS EXPERIENCE

(Phoenix, Ariz.) – Fans looking for a behind-the-scenes peek to the NASCAR action at the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ on March 3 at Phoenix International Raceway, will now have an opportunity to enjoy an enhanced experience with their ‘Pre-Race Pit Pass’.

Offered at $60 per person, the Pre-Race Pit Pass entitles pass holders to a variety of added, backstage action on the NASCAR Sprint Cup race day, including:

·         Garage Walk Access :: Catch a glimpse of your favorite driver or car as they roll out of the garage and onto pit road before the start of the race (participants randomly selected).

·         Driver Introductions :: Access to pit road and the track to watch driver introductions.

·         Trophy Photo Opportunities :: Pose in Gatorade Victory Lane with the iconic SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ Trophy prior to the start of the race

Pre-Race Pit Passes are available now for purchase on PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). Passes must be accompanied by a Grandstand Ticket to the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™.

Once purchased, fans will receive a redemption coupon which must be brought to the race and may be redeemed at any Trading Post location in the Fan Midway during pre-race pit access hours. Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and Pre-Race Pit Pass holders must show photo identification for redemption.

Tickets for the March 3 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, as well as all other events throughout the March race weekend at Phoenix International Raceway are available at www.phoenixraceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

About Phoenix International Raceway

Since 1964, Phoenix International Raceway has served race fans as the premier motorsports venue in the Southwest. Watch the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ on Sunday, March 3. Tickets for the entire March 1-3 NASCAR event weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). For more information, visit PhoenixRaceway.com, Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway and Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.

Two-Car draft at Talladega "pathetic

Two-Car draft at Talladega "pathetic": Many NASCAR fans didn't like the two-car tandem draft that dominated restrictor-plate racing, especially at Talladega Superspeedway, in 2010 and 2011. They were joined by some of the top executives of the sport, including one who recently railed against the style of racing and blamed it for the sluggish ticket sales at Talladega Superspeedway. International Speedway Corp. President John Saunders, whose company owns 12 tracks, including Talladega and Daytona International Speedway, minced no words when talking about the racing during a conference call last week with financial analysts. "The tandem racing, two or three events of that kind of stuff & was quite frankly pathetic," Saunders said. "It's not what Talladega has been known for." Bad weather, including tornado warnings, that occurred during Talladega's spring weekends in 2010 and 2011 and high unemployment also hurt attendance, Saunders said. But he also said drivers' negative comments about the racing at Talladega encouraged fans to stay home. The Talladega stands were far from full last year, and NASCAR estimated the Talladega crowd last October at 88,000 an estimate that includes those camping in the infield. In fan surveys after its fall 2011 race, 75 percent said they didn't like the two-car draft, Lynch said. While NASCAR implemented rules designed to limit it in 2012 rules that kept drivers from using the two-car draft up until the race's final laps the damage appears have been done.(Sporting News)(2-4-2013)