Press Release | WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY Madison, Illinois (April 23, 2024) – World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) has partnered with BAM (Brand Activation Maximizer) to complement their growing internal marketing efforts. The partnership will focus on creating sponsorship value at the raceway and business development for years to come. Along with BAM, WWTR plans to continue its commitment of being a primary destination for sponsors to optimize value and ensure their brands are seen by the most loyal fans in all of sports. BAM is a marketing and activation agency owned and operated by long-time NASCAR team founders, Tad and Jodi Geshchickter. The relationship between Tad and WWTR president, Curtis Francois dates back many, many years so the partnership was inevitable. With years of experience in vertical opportunities with sponsors such as the Kroger Racing program that prove to be successful, sustained relationships for decades, Tad looks to bring his creative thinking to WWTR with the strength of the team behind him at BAM to bring his vision to life. “We’ve always taken pride in the value that we can bring to our sponsorship partners,” said Tad Geschickter, president of BAM. “The focus for Jodi and I over the years has been focusing those sponsorship efforts on our race team, but now through BAM and this partnership with Curtis and WWTR, we have the chance to expand and bring other partners into the world of motorsports and ensure they get the ROI they need in order to continue for many years to come.” WWTR is the only racetrack in the world to host three national racing series – NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA Drag Racing. Having three powerhouse motorsports visit the facility means opportunities for sponsors to showcase their brands in front of countless diverse demographics of fans during the season. From team partnerships to unique midway and hospitality options, WWTR knows the partnership with BAM can leverage opportunities for the track to become a primary destination for national and international organizations. “WWTR is a unique facility located right in the heart of the U.S.,” said Curtis Francois. “And we know that between the motorsports events that we host and the other opportunities such as concerts and festivals that take place here, that we can be one of the most diverse and appealing destinations for brands to spend their marketing dollars. Teaming up with BAM and the Geschickters is such an incredible opportunity as I know their track record of not only obtaining sponsors but keeping them long term through their incredible activation and marketing capabilities.” The NASCAR race weekend at WWTR will take place June 1 and 2 followed by INDYCAR’s visit August 16 and 17. The NHRA Drag Racing Series will bring its nitro power to WWTR from September 27 to 29, 2024.

Press Release | NASCAR, ALUMNI NETWORK DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 18, 2024) — NASCAR today announced the launch of the NASCAR Alumni Network, a program that will help the sport – and its fans – stay connected with former competitors. The program is open to past NASCAR competitors with a focus on those that competed in more than 100 races in their careers. Members of the NASCAR Alumni Network will have the chance to engage with current and past industry members through exclusive networking opportunities, including an annual at-track reunion. Amber Wells, a 25-year veteran of NASCAR who manages the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the company, has been named executive director of the NASCAR Alumni Network. “The relationships built in NASCAR are very special,” Wells said. “We’ve seen tremendous fellowship in the connections rekindled through the NASCAR Hall of Fame and we want to extend that to all past competitors. Our hope is that this program will not just connect members with us, but also with former teammates and competitors.” The inaugural NASCAR Alumni Network reunion will be held at Darlington Raceway during the Goodyear 400 on Sunday, May 12. The public appearance schedule of those in attendance will be announced at a later date. Former drivers, crew chiefs, team owners, team members and other industry competitors are invited to apply to join the NASCAR Alumni Network at www.nascar.com/alumninetwork. The program launch coincides with “NASCAR Legends Presented by Geico,” a four-week campaign that centers on telling stories of notable traditions and prominent pieces of NASCAR history. The campaign begins this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway and continues for four weeks, culminating at the NASCAR throwback race weekend at Darlington Raceway May 10-12. Fans can visit www.nascar.com/legends for more information.

Press Release | NASCAR, LIQUID DEATH DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – (Apr. 19, 2024) – Liquid Death, the healthy beverage platform and one of the fastest growing non-alcoholic brands, is now officially a NASCAR® partner. The brand will be on-site this weekend in Talladega to jumpstart the partnership with an interactive display featuring the “Thirst Hearse” and offering samples of select iced tea flavors to fans. As part of a wide-ranging, multi-year agreement that makes Liquid Death the Official Iced Tea of NASCAR, fans will see Liquid Death iced teas at select NASCAR-owned racetracks, including social and digital content, on-site experiences, activations, and more. “Liquid Death is a healthy beverage brand that not only produces high-quality iced tea, but also looks to bring death to plastic bottles by using humor and entertainment,” said Jeff Wohlschlaeger, NASCAR senior vice president and chief sales officer. “With so many synergies between our companies, this partnership is a perfect fit. We’re thrilled to have them on board.” Iced tea, one of the company’s newest product lines, saw tremendous growth throughout 2023. Shortly after the line’s launch, Liquid Death’s iced tea now holds the #1 best seller position in the RTD tea beverage category on Amazon as defined by total retail sales. The brand’s line of low calorie, low sugar iced teas contain B vitamins and a microdose of caffeine and comes in five flavors: Green Guillotine, Slaughter Berry, Grim Leafer, Rest in Peach and Dead Billionaire. All cases of iced tea also include limited edition art on the bottom of each case. "This is our first official iced tea sponsorship, and NASCAR is the ideal home for it," said Ryan Heuser, Liquid Death's senior vice president of experiential marketing. "We're thrilled to be bringing our infinitely recyclable, ice-cold cans of Liquid Death to the extremely passionate NASCAR fanbase. We'll be carried at select NASCAR tracks, campgrounds and tailgates across the U.S. and can't wait to kick off our partnership at the iconic Talladega Superspeedway." Liquid Death uses comedy and entertainment to promote both sustainability and healthy products. Liquid Death’s social following captures more than 8 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, making it the third most followed beverage brand globally. A portion of proceeds goes to nonprofits as part of their partnership with 5Gyres and the Thirst Project. The NASCAR season continues this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway when the NASCAR Cup Series hits the track for the GEICO 500 on Sunday, April 21 at 3 p.m. ET. All the action will air live on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

By Adam Carabine

Press Release | TRACKHOUSE RACING FORT LIBERTY, N.C. (April 17, 2024) – In advance of the 65th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend, Charlotte Motor Speedway launched its 2024 Mission 600 campaign Wednesday, visiting the 82nd Airborne at Fort Liberty, with Coca-Cola Racing Family driver Daniel Suárez and his Trackhouse Racing crew chief Matt Swiderski. Now in its seventh year, Mission 600 pairs NASCAR drivers with regional military bases in an effort to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives of the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and to build meaningful connections between the worlds of motorsports and the military. “We are so thankful for these guys; if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have the freedoms that we are able to enjoy,” said Suárez. “To be able to spend some time here and be able to learn about what they do, how they do it, their specialties, the guns, everything, it’s mind-blowing. “The guns, to shoot, all that stuff is cool. But the coolest part is to get to know them. Like, who are these individuals? What do they do on a weekly basis? How did they got to this point? Obviously, I have so much respect for them. Some of them have been here for 29 years. That’s half a lifetime. It’s quite impressive, and I have learned a lot from these men and women today.” As part of Mission 600, Suárez and Swiderski, alongside Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter, spent the day learning about the equipment and training that members of the 82nd Airborne receive. The trio toured Fort Liberty in Infantry Squad Vehicles and fired an M119A3 Howitzer, a 105mm weapon that uses a six-man team – much like a NASCAR pit crew – to aim and fire. The group also dined with service members in Fort Liberty’s Warrior Restaurant and participated in live-fire exercises with an M4 Carbine. The exercises, designed to simulate shooting in combat environments, are aimed at testing a soldier’s ability to calm themselves after rigorous activity. “It’s amazing (shooting a Howitzer). You don’t really know what to expect when you pull the handle, probably one of the coolest experiences I’ve had,” Swiderski said. “You try to appreciate what all these people do and the families behind these people. You come out here and actually get to meet them and see their personalities, it’s really impressive what they put on the line and how hard they work to protect our families.” Fort Liberty is the largest military installation by population in the U.S., providing the infrastructure and training that enables a ready, capable force to fight and win the nation’s wars. The 82nd Airborne Division is America's immediate response force - ready to deploy and answer the nation's call in 18 hours. At Charlotte Motor Speedway, Memorial Day Weekend provides the opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, particularly those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. With the support of the U.S. Department of Defense, the patriotic Coca-Cola 600 pre-race show includes representation from all six major branches of the military. “The Sunday before Memorial Day is the greatest day in racing, but we also want to be sure that we set the right tone and timber – that we’re on the eve of Memorial Day, which is a very solemn holiday for us as Americans,” Walter said. “We actually pause the race halfway for a moment of remembrance. The fact that we have the 600 Miles of Remembrance, where the name of a fallen service man or woman is on the windshield. We have Gold Star Families there and we love on them. Our fans appreciate the words of service, and duty and sacrifice. It sets the right tone, and our fans appreciate that.”

By Matt Marr Pole-sitter Kyle Larson led Ty Gibbs and the rest of the field to the green flag. As green flag pit stops took place, on lap 38 a fire near Ty Gibbs’ pit stall delayed his scheduled stop, costing him the lead. The caution came out at lap 50 for Jimmie Johnson spinning off of Turn 4 - this was Johnson’s first start since the Daytona 500. Larson led the final 25 laps of Stage One to take the win on lap 80. The third caution of the day came out as Christopher Bell went around in Turn Four and in a chain reaction collected Alex Bowman and John Hunter Nemechek. Initially believing it to be a tire going flat, Kyle Larson lost a wheel during a caution on lap 173.  Larson was held for a two-lap penalty, and further crew member suspensions will take place. After Josh Berry spun and hit the wall for the second time of the race bringing out another caution, Ross Chastain and Michael McDowell led the field to the restart on lap 142. Chastain hung on to win Stage Two. Harrison Burton stole the lead from Bubba Wallace after the restart as another caution waved for Wallace and Chase Briscoe spinning in Turn Three on lap 173. Chase Elliott took the lead going three wide off the restart with 33 laps to go over Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin. Hamlin spun and crashed with 2 laps to go after fighting Elliott for the lead. On the ensuing overtime restart, William Byron got into the back of Chastain bringing out the caution.  However, the white flag had already been thrown, thus guaranteeing the victory for Chase Elliott and snapping his 42-race winless streak. Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 Top 5: 1. Chase Elliott 2. William Byron 3. Brad Keselowski 4. Tyler Reddick 5. Daniel Suarez

Each week here at Racing Refresh we like to take a look back to the week that was on X in the racing world. Let's get started! 10. How cool is this! The legend of Mike Joy continues to grow. 9. It is Talladega week, and that means you're going to see some new things! 8. Is this thing on???? Yikes... 7. I see no lies here. They should make a 2024 version. Chase Elliott belting out some Luke Combs would be fire. 6. Texas is back! They might need to add that 2nd date back on the schedule. 5. Many people don't realize Ritchie Petty has four Cup Series starts to his credit. 4. Our hearts are with the Labonte family during this incredibly difficult time. 3. What a finish! This one will live forever. 2. You can be closer?!? My goodness. 1. It's been 42 races since the si-reen last rang. I'm sure it was a party at the pool room!