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By Holly Cain and Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service Qualifying rainout puts Kyle Larson on pole for Daytona Cup race DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Kyle Larson will start on the pole for Saturday’s all-important Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR Cup Series race after rain at Daytona International Speedway on Friday forced cancellation of qualifying for the final regular-season race. Larson won last Sunday at Watkins Glen and topped the Daytona field according to metrics, which by rule are used to order the field in case of a cancellation. Regular-season champion Chase Elliott will start beside his Hendrick Motorsports teammate on the front row. Joey Logano and Daniel Suarez will take the green flag from the third and fourth positions. Given the withdrawal of Kurt Busch from Playoff competition because of lingering concussion symptoms, there are now two Playoff spots available in the final regular-season race. Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. currently hold positions 15 and 16 on points, with Blaney maintaining a 25-point edge entering Saturday’s race. Truex will start 12th in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and Blaney 15th. But it’s not as if those drivers don’t have something to worry about. Any one of 13 drivers below them in the standings could steal one of the remaining Playoff spots with a victory. Seven of those 13 competitors—Aric Almirola, Brad Keselowski, Erik Jones, Justin Haley, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell and Austin Dillon—have Daytona victories on their resumes. Also part of the group of 13 is 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace, Kurt Busch’s teammate. Wallace has three runner-up finishes in 10 Daytona starts, including the last two races at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Chris Buescher doesn’t have a points win at Daytona, but he and teammate Keselowski won their respective Duel 150-mile qualifying races at the track in February. Buescher starts eighth—closest to the front among eligible drivers below the Playoff cut line. “I guess I can’t say I’m shocked by the way this weekend is starting,” Buescher said. “We definitely knew today was pretty rough on radar. I guess with that it does give us a pretty good starting spot for Daytona, but if there’s any race that’s not track-position sensitive, this is it. “That being said. It’s good to have a good spot. I know we’re going to have a fast race car… We’ve got to be smart about it, we’ve got to be clean and take the speed that we know we’ll have and make something out of it.” Martin Truex Jr. faces his most important race of 2022 Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. could only smile and acknowledge that Saturday night’s regular-season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, was poised to be the biggest race of the season for the 42-year old former NASCAR Cup Series champion. Truex goes into the race trailing Penske Racing driver Ryan Blaney by 25 points with two positions in the 16-driver Playoff field still to be determined. If either driver wins the race, the other should get in on points. If there is a first-time season winner, then Truex must make up the 25-point deficit to Blaney to qualify for the Playoffs. “Obviously it’s not been the season we’ve wanted,’’ said the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion, who has three top-5 and 11 top-10 finishes and sits sixth in overall points earned—but is still winless. “It would have been nice to be locked in. You never want to come here to Daytona and not be locked in and having to make something happen. So that’s why, we’ll just go race tomorrow night, see what happens and really (try) not to think about it either way, to be honest with you.’’ Truex has never won a race in 34 previous starts at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. He does have a runner-up finish in the summer race here in 2018 and was runner-up in the 2016 Daytona 500. He comes to Daytona ranked sixth in the championship standings. However, 14 other drivers earned wins to take automatic bids into the Playoffs, which begin next week in Darlington, S.C. Kurt Busch won a race at Kansas this summer—and therefore was Playoff eligible—but he announced this week that he was still not medically cleared to race after an accident in qualifying at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in July. Consequently, two driver Playoff positions will be decided Saturday night. “I think we had a really strong car here in February,’’ Truex said. ”Led a ton of laps, won two stages. Then we got kind of banged up and then finished kind of tore-up, so you didn’t have the speed at the end of the race. “But I had a really strong day going and Talladega went good as well, so I feel like our car is really fast here. And hopefully we can take advantage of that. Would be a fun way to win one here with everything on the line.’’ Three-time runner-up Bubba Wallace craves a visit to Daytona Victory Lane In 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace’s five-year full-time NASCAR Cup Series career, he has four runner-up finishes. Three of them have come at Daytona International Speedway. He has finished second in the last two races at the historic track, and he was runner-up in his first ever Daytona 500 in 2018. However, Wallace doesn’t necessarily consider his past success at the track a true indicator of his chances going forward. “Like maybe five years ago, it would be like, ‘Man, we deserve a win here.’” Wallace said. “Five years to work on that. Now, it’s like you don’t deserve anything. Let’s go out and earn it. No matter if you finish second, how many times we’ve done it, we can still blow up or we could still break something. You don’t know. And so for us it’s just (important) to not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s focus on what we need to do. “It’s just making sure you’re there for the last—I always say five laps, but we may wreck 10 times in five laps—so just make sure you’re there for the last two laps and set yourself up for being one of the first four cars,’’ Wallace added. “That’s what we need to focus on. Let’s get up that point.” Wallace comes to Daytona ranked 20th in the standings, and his only shot at advancing to the 2022 Playoffs is to win Saturday night. The 28-year old has earned four Top-10 finishes in just the last six weeks, including a runner-up at Michigan. Craftsman to return as entitlement sponsor for NASCAR Truck Series Craftsman Tools, whose early sponsorship of the NASCAR Truck Series helped spur its growth and popularity, will return as the entitlement sponsor for the series in 2023. “It doesn’t matter who you are—an auto enthusiast, a home builder, a homeowner—you can relate to the genuine edge that is the Truck Series,” said Doug Redpath of Stanley Black & Decker, Craftsman’s parent company, during Friday’s announcement at Daytona International Speedway. “It has something different, and that’s what Craftsman has—a lot of heritage, we a lot of history together that everybody’s excited about and everybody can relate to. I think that’s what makes this relationship so exciting. It’s a new beginning, it’s a bright future and it’s an exciting future for all of us.” Craftsman was the title sponsor of the Truck Series from its inception in 1995 until 2008. The return of the brand will take place when the trucks race at Daytona on Feb. 17, 2023. Friday’s press conference also included an announcement that Stanley Black & Decker has been named Official Tools Partner of NASCAR. Aric Almirola will continue to bring home the bacon with Stewart-Haas Racing Aric Almirola announced Friday that he will be back competing for Stewart-Haas Racing next year and that team sponsor Smithfield Foods has re-signed for a multi-year deal. Almirola said the formal agreement to continue driving the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford was only finalized this week, despite reports otherwise. Almirola has carried Smithfield branding every season of his 12-year NASCAR Cup Series career—no matter which team he drove for or who was CEO leading the Smithfield corporation at the time. “I know that doesn’t come as a surprise to many of you, but I put a lot of thought and a lot of discussing it with (wife) Janice and the kids and ultimately, the subject continued to get broached from the race team and Smithfield,” Almirola said. “And through all of that dialogue, mainly with the race team and Smithfield, it was very evident that not only did they want me back, but that Smithfield wanted to increase their marketing campaign around NASCAR and around me.’’ Almirola, who scored his first NASCAR Cup Series win in the 2014 Daytona summer race, originally announced he would retire from full-time competition following the 2022 season. But he says Smithfield lured him back, hoping to continue their longstanding partnership at the SHR team. While the brand has a long-term deal with the team, Almirola said he has yet to determine how long he will commit to racing fulltime, however, he said his children—nine-year Alex and eight-year old Abby—were elated at the news that dad was going to continue driving the race car. And Almirola said he’s learned to balance his job as a race car driver, as a sponsor spokesman and as a husband and father—even coaching his son’s baseball games during the week. Essentially, the situation just all worked out. “Smithfield has been the primary sponsor on my race car my entire Cup career and so to continue to have their support and their backing is just an awesome feeling to be their guy and to be wanted,” Almirola said. Longtime Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Greg Ives to step aside Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and a longtime member of the organization announced Friday that at the end of the 2022 season he will be stepping away from his crew chief duties and instead, taking a new role at the Hendrick team shop. “After 17 seasons on the road and making countless memories, I’ve decided to step away,’’ Ives said in a statement released on social media, noting that he wanted to be home more with his wife and his children as they are growing up instead of maintaining the heavy travel schedule required in the crew chief position. “Leading the #48 has been one of the great privileges of my life, and I’m excited to go into the playoffs and chase a championship with Alex [Bowman] and this incredible group of people. I’m also looking forward to the next step in my career, which will be here with my Hendrick Motorsports family.’’ Phoenix Raceway president Julie Giese is Chicago-bound in new executive role Newly-named Chicago track president Julie Giese met with the national media for the first time since being named to the new position last week. She moves to the new role after serving as the Phoenix Raceway president for the past five years - overseeing the massive renovation at the track, which began hosting the NASCAR Championship Weekend two years ago. A Wisconsin native, Giese said she intends to move to Chicago immediately and is looking forward to the track’s July 1-2, 2023 debut on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule—the first true street course event. “I want to be in the community,’’ Giese said of her impending move back to her Midwestern roots, acknowledging that her presence is important in demonstrating the commitment NASCAR has to the community and to this event. The Chicago NASCAR weekend will also include an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race as well as concerts and food trucks in the downtown Chicago track area, anchored by famous Grant Park. Giese said the idea is to give the event a “festival” feel in a market not currently hosting a NASCAR race. And, she says, a crowd of approximately 50,000 is expected each day. Certainly, Giese’s experience overseeing the massive Phoenix track project, along with welcoming and overseeing successful NASCAR’s high-profile Championship Weekends, gives her a leg up on managing the new Chicaco race. “I’m a detail person, and it will take a lot of detail,’’ said Giese, who said she has actually been working on the Chicago race for months behind the scenes and considers herself equipped with a good running start. “This is another opportunity to bring NASCAR To a new set of fans,” Giese added

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 26, 2022) – Smithfield Foods and NASCAR Cup Series driver Aric Almirola will continue their longstanding partnership as both return to Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) with a multiyear agreement that begins in 2023. The 2023 season will be the 12th consecutive year that Smithfield has partnered with Almirola and its sixth together at SHR. The renewed pact comes with a significantly heightened presence as Smithfield will be the anchor partner of Almirola’s No. 10 Ford Mustang for the largest allotment of races since joining SHR in 2018. The extension also marks a turnabout for Almirola. The 38-year-old from Tampa, Florida, came into 2022 ready to relish every moment, for his original plan was to retire at season’s end. In the course of this year, Almirola has discovered a new balance between his passion for racing and dedication to his family. His wife, Janice, and kids, Alex and Abby, join him on most race weekends, oftentimes enjoying once-in-a-lifetime experiences together as they travel the country. His rapport with crew chief Drew Blickensderfer has flourished, and the intense pressure he had put on himself was replaced with the joy of simply being present. Almirola was reinvigorated, and when Smithfield broached the subject of continuing together beyond 2022, Almirola accepted. “I’ve learned a lot this year and perhaps the biggest learning was to never say never,” Almirola said. “I came into this year ready to soak everything up, and I have. I already knew I had the coolest job in the world, but being with my family and being there for Janice and Alex and Abby was really important. My desire to compete and win never wavered, but I didn’t want it to come at the expense of family. We found a way to accommodate both and I’ve never been happier. “Smithfield is a big part of that. They’ve been a part of my life for 11 years and, really, my entire NASCAR Cup Series career. They’re family to me. And, of course, it’s always nice to be wanted. Smithfield wanted me to continue representing them. Stewart-Haas Racing wanted me to continue driving their racecars. Everything just aligned and it’s something we all embraced. “The original decision to step away from fulltime racing at the end of the season was a family one, and so is this decision. Janice, Alex and Abby are just as excited as I am to continue racing the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang.” The Smithfield/Almirola pairing is one of the most tenured in NASCAR. Almirola teamed up with Smithfield in 2012 while at Richard Petty Motorsports for his first full year in the NASCAR Cup Series. Almirola and Smithfield moved to SHR in 2018 where the two immediately found success, making the NASCAR Playoffs, winning in October at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and finishing a career-high fifth in points. Almirola went on to score a career-best 18 top-10 finishes in 2020 before earning another victory in 2021 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon to put him into the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. “Aric has been a part of the Smithfield family for more than a decade and we’re very happy to have him back in the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang,” said Shane Smith, president and CEO, Smithfield Foods. “Just as Aric discovered new ways to enjoy this sport, Smithfield did too. I was at this year’s Daytona 500 with him and it was electric. NASCAR is exactly where we need to be. It’s where our customers are, and no one reaches them better than Aric Almirola. He’s an incredibly talented racer and devoted family man who embodies Smithfield’s values. From day one, Aric has embraced our commitment to do good for our customers, employees and communities. This is a reinvestment in Aric, in Stewart-Haas Racing and in NASCAR.” Tony Stewart, co-owner of SHR with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas, was a driving force behind Almirola joining SHR in 2018. Stewart first met Almirola in 2004 when they were teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing. Stewart was already a NASCAR Cup Series champion with the first of his three titles in hand (2002, 2005 and 2011) while Almirola was just beginning his NASCAR career after being selected as one of the first two drivers for Gibbs’ diversity program. “All of us at SHR are very happy to have Aric back in our Smithfield Ford Mustang,” Stewart said. “I’ve always admired Aric because he’s always working to better himself, to find a better way. This year is proof of that. “We’re in a tough sport, in terms of the competition and in terms of the commitment it takes to compete at this level. Even with all that, Aric has found a way to compete and enjoy life. That sounds simple, but achieving it is hard, yet Aric makes it look simple. It’s one of his many attributes, and it’s one of the many reasons why he’s such a good fit for Smithfield and for us. I’m proud of him and proud to extend our partnership with Smithfield.”

Daytona Beach, FL (August 26, 2022) – NASCAR and Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK), the world’s largest tool company and a leader in outdoor equipment, today announced American tool icon CRAFTSMAN® will return as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Truck Series beginning in 2023. After serving as the series’ title sponsor from its inception in 1995 to 2008, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will make its homecoming at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2023. In addition to the Truck Series title sponsorship, Stanley Black & Decker will further expand its presence in the sport, entering into a multi-year partnership designating the company and its iconic brands as the “Official Tools Partner of NASCAR” and “Official Tools” of all NASCAR-owned and operated tracks. “We celebrate the return of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with our customers, distribution partners and employees,” said Doug Redpath, President of Hand Tools,Accessories and Storage for Stanley Black & Decker. “From proud homeowners and homebuilders to auto enthusiasts and master mechanics, CRAFTSMAN has been the brand generations have trusted to get the job done. The Truck Series represents authentic, bold and proud drivers and fans, which embody the same characteristics of our CRAFTSMAN brand. We look forward to our return in Daytona in 2023 to reunite with our loyal fans as we begin this new chapter in NASCAR history.” NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series title sponsorship includes exclusive brand integrations on vehicles, crew uniforms, tracks and more in addition to the branding of the Triple Truck Challenge and Championship Race entitlement. It will also serve as a platform to support the launch of new products, amplify seasonal promotions, and highlight the many ways CRAFTSMAN is building pride. As part of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Title Sponsor announcement, representatives from NASCAR and Stanley Black & Decker revealed a CRAFTSMAN Toyota Tundra truck at Daytona International Speedway alongside current Truck Series driver Zane Smith and inaugural Truck Series champion Mike Skinner. Stanley Black & Decker Named the Official Tools Partner of NASCAR With a mission to celebrate those who make the world, paired with an enduring partnership history with NASCAR, Stanley Black & Decker and its brands such as CRAFTSMAN, DEWALT and MAC TOOLS will be put to work across all NASCAR locations. The company’s tools will be highly utilized from the pit crews during the big race, to the teams responsible for constructing new racing facilities across the country, generating unrivaled enthusiasm on and off the track. “Stanley Black & Decker is an innovative company that has a rich history in our sport and these new agreements connect our brands in an authentic and meaningful way,” said Daryl Wolfe, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at NASCAR. “We know NASCAR fans are brand loyal and recognize how important tool performance is in racing. We are excited to see how this official partnership deepens the connection with our racing community while also bringing back CRAFTSMAN, the brand that started it all in the Truck Series.” As an Official Partner, Stanley Black & Decker has exclusive NASCAR Marketing and Promotional rights and becomes a member of the NASCAR Fuel For Business Council.

by AJ Appeal Author Benjamin Spall defines a Bad Habit as 'A frequent behavior pattern that you deem to have a negative impact on a part of your life.' For racer Joe Sylvester, his bad habit is a craving for destruction and shattering. It isn't as violent as it may seem. Sylvester, a racer through and through has been living at the height of speed for what he says is simply, 'forever.' With past experience in motocross and car racing, a transition to monster trucks racing and freestyle competition seemed only appropriate for the Ohio based competitor. He had two vehicles on display at the 2022 Night Under Fire event at Summit Motorsports Park. One, off to the side of his hauler was an actual truck. Not a super machine like we see on TV, but some major aesthetic and mechanical upgrades allowed fans who signed up for free rides to feel like they were experiencing the real deal. Children and adults alike strapped into the show truck and took a few figure eights from specially designed safety seats in the bed of the truck. Initially Sylvester drove a 1970's Ford truck, reminiscent of Big Foot, but his 'Bad Habit' named monster machine recently became a Jeep and the fans ate it alive. I had the opportunity to speak to Sylvester, who was in a brief lunch break between fan entertainment sessions. While we chatted, friends and families cheered and took photos of their kin riding in the show truck with another driver behind the wheel. The entire thing came off as a quality advertisement for the American automaker Jeep, but the team informed me as of the time of the event that they were not receiving factory funding. Fans who are especially fond of the transition from Ford to Jeep will be excited to hear that Ohio-based Kufleitner Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram is selling a handful of limited edition Jeeps that will adorn 'Bad Habit' badging and have mechanical improvements not available on the retail model. The 'real' thing, however was a piece of state-of-the-art machinery. With respect to Joe, many of the advanced parts and pieces that he verbalized to me that were part of the real Jeep monster truck were so technically savvy that this seasoned autosports follower needed to do additional research when he got home. Joe had attended the famed 'Night Under Fire' more than once in the past, Norwalk was his home drag strip. He said 'I never dreamed I'd be racing here...in a monster truck!' as he explained the purpose for the stop..to break the all-time high speed for a monster truck, 100 mph. Racing Refresh was there for his attempt, and he crushed it...albeit, by the slightest margin. Sylvester clocked in at 101 mph, claiming a world record in front of over 40,000 home fans. After his run we had the chance to speak briefly one more time. You'd think the man was out of gas, but he was enjoying an icy cold-brew, which the heavily caffeinated athlete does as part of his profession. Sylvester owns and runs 'High Octane Coffee Co.' in what I'm liberally referring to as his free time. So what's next for the man that seemingly can't get enough adrenaline in his life? Joe says he will be racing in the big named tours and small alike. He doesn't feel pressure from the mammoth names such as Grave Digger, and he's comfortable being one of the headliners like he was with the NHRA racers at Norwalk. To him, a fiery, fierce, and fun evening in a fully-loaded Jeep is just another BAD HABIT.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Aug. 24, 2022 NASCAR driver Joey Gase, alongside McGruff the Crime Dog®, are spotlighting the harms of counterfeit products, at the WAWA 250 on August 26. With his #35 car displaying the Go For Real logo, Gase is promoting the successful anti-counterfeiting campaign, which is sponsored by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to raise awareness of the importance of buying authentic products. "I am extremely excited to be teaming up with McGruff the Crime Dog this weekend in Daytona!" said Gase. "I remember McGruff coming and visiting my class when I was in elementary school and how cool that was. I also know my boys will be so excited to meet McGruff at the track on Friday!" This partnership is driven by NASCAR and Gase's deep understanding of the harms that are caused by fakes. The Go For Real campaign educates fans and consumers on the dangers of dupes that permeate multiple industries, including professional sports. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has valued the counterfeit auto-part market at roughly $12 million annually, with 80% of these dupes coming from China. "NASCAR drivers rely on the safety of real auto parts to compete in various races annually," said Paul DelPonte, Executive Director of the NCPC home of McGruff the Crime Dog. "Whether on a track, or on the street, it is vital to choose real products that are tested for safety. Through this partnership we can reach millions of Americans with one message: You're Smart. Buy Smart." "Buying smart and buying real is key to keeping our drivers, as well as our kids and loved ones, safe," said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, and an amateur race car driver herself. "Counterfeit goods, which cross our borders into the U.S. at the rate of over $9 million in value per day, not only harm and cause death, they also take jobs away from American families. Whether it is car or video game components, make-up or prescription drugs, or purses and shoes, this pervasive criminal activity must be stopped. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and I are committed to cracking down on counterfeit goods for the benefit of every American and entrepreneur. I am thrilled that NASCAR – an iconic brand in and of itself – and driver Joey Gase are doing their part to change the narrative and shifting this import work into high gear." You can catch the crime fighters on the USA Network at 7:30 PM ET. To learn more about the Go For Real campaign, visit www.ncpc.org/goforreal or visit NCPC's social media channels @McgruffatNCPC. For more information related to Joey Gase, visit www.joeygaseracing.com or visit Joey's social media channels @JoeyGaseRacing. SOURCE National Crime Prevention Council

Press Release / Hagerty TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 24, 2022 -- The Hagerty Drivers Foundation is hosting its annual "Cars at the Capital" exhibition on the National Mall in Washington, DC from September 2 – 11. Displayed in a beautifully lit glass enclosure will be the 31st and 32nd vehicles to be added to the National Historic Vehicle Register . Hagerty Drivers Foundation "Cars at the Capital" Exhibit Showcases NASCAR's "Fabulous Hudson Hornet" and Chrysler's Jet-powered Turbine Car Sept 2 – 61952 Hudson Hornet (7B-185596) "Fabulous Hudson Hornet," Raced by Herb Thomas From 1951 to 1955, the Hudson Hornet dominated stock car racing just as the sport began to take off. This is the only Hudson campaigned in NASCAR known to exist, the Hudson Hornet also served as inspiration for the character "Doc Hudson" in the popular Pixar film CARS . Sept 7 - 11Chrysler Corporation Turbine Car (Serial No. 9912-31) Chrysler built just 55 of these groundbreaking cars as part of the company's decades long effort to develop a mass-market gas-turbine powered automobile. The cars were distributed to households across the country in a consumer research project that ran from 1963 to 1966. This is one of just nine cars from that program that remain. Each Saturday (September 3 and 10) from 10:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m., the Hagerty Drivers Foundation will host " Cars at the Capital Family Festival Day." This event is free to the public and will take place rain or shine. Located around the glass enclosure on the National Mall (between the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum and the National Gallery of Art), festivities for the young, and the young at heart will include: a tire changing station, activity book focused on the National Historic Vehicle Register cars, metal race cars to color, and a free play table. In addition, food trucks will be on-site from 10am until 3pm.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 25, 2022) (Front Row Motorsports) – Zane Smith, the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Regular Season Champion, will return to Front Row Motorsports (FRM) in 2023 to compete in a dynamic schedule that will include defending his regular season championship with the No. 38 team in the NASCAR Truck Series. In addition, Smith will make his Daytona 500 debut with FRM as part of a plan that will include other NASCAR Cup Series starts for the organization as well as possible NASCAR Xfinity Series races in collaboration with FRM. The plan is part of Smith’s ongoing, long-term agreement and plan for growth with the organization. “We have been thrilled with the performance by Zane this season,” said Bob Jenkins, Owner, Front Row Motorsports. “We always felt that he was the next breakthrough star in the sport, and he has been proving that this season. We have a plan laid out for him and our next step will be to put Zane and that team in NASCAR Cup Series races where we know we can be successful. We also want to give Zane the opportunity to win more races and a championship with our truck series program, and we are excited to see what he will do next season.” FRM will tap its potent NASCAR Truck Series team to prepare a third NASCAR Cup Series car and work with Smith during the select NASCAR Cup Series starts as an open car. FRM will support Smith with new business and marketing efforts for Xfinity Series races. Currently FRM does not have plans to enter its own Xfinity Series entry. The FRM truck series team has led Smith to three wins, fifteen top-10, 10 top-five finishes, and the regular season title. Smith is currently second in points and is competing for the championship. “Chris Lawson, his team, and Zane have really worked well together this season,” said Jerry Freeze, General Manager, Front Row Motorsports. “We do not want to change that chemistry, but also feel this team is up to the challenge with Zane to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series. We will be strategic as what races we select to enter. We want to allow Zane to highlight what many have seen him do this year at the elite level. We will announce those races later once the 2023 schedules are announced. Until that time, we are focused on winning the truck series championship.” Smith has continued to add to an already impressive career on the track this season. He currently has six wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to complement his four ARCA Series wins. Off the track, Smith continues to be one of the sport’s most likeable personalities and is the 2020 NASCAR Truck Series Most Popular Driver. He made his NASCAR Cup Series debut earlier this year with an impressive 17th-place finish and is excited for what is ahead. “Front Row Motorsports has a lot of great momentum now, not only with their Truck Series program, but also with their Cup Series program,” said Smith, a two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship runner-up. “While I’m 100 percent focused now on the Truck Series playoffs and racing to win a championship for our partners, I’m excited for what the future holds next season as I get the opportunity to also compete at the next level and continue to grow as a race car driver.” Smith and the team return to the track on Friday, September 9 at the Kansas Speedway for the third playoff race of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 25, 2022) – Today, NASCAR announced that Julie Giese, current President of Phoenix Raceway, will transition to the same role overseeing all NASCAR operations for the NASCAR Cup Series first-ever Chicago Street Course, which will take place July 1-2, 2023. While Giese will immediately begin work on several key initiatives in Chicago, she will also continue to oversee all day-to-day operations at Phoenix Raceway through NASCAR Championship Weekend in November. Following the crowning of four NASCAR champions in the desert, Julie will turn her focus full-time to the Chicago Street Course, including relocation to Chicago and opening a NASCAR office. Along with building a fully dedicated in-market team, Giese will lead all efforts for the event, including NASCAR’s commitment to deliver benefits to Chicago’s residents, engagement with youth programs and support for the local business community. “Julie brings a long history of driving results and managing high profile initiatives at NASCAR venues – from her work in promoting the $400 million redevelopment of Daytona International Speedway to her leadership role as president of a thriving Phoenix Raceway,” said Chip Wile, NASCAR senior vice president and chief track properties officer. “Most importantly, Julie understands the importance of diversity and prioritizing the local communities in which we race. As such, she will work with local, diverse business owners to partner on all aspects of the event weekend – from philanthropic efforts to suppliers, caterers and hoteliers." Under her leadership, Giese also oversaw a $178 million modernization effort at Phoenix Raceway to reinvent the fan experience and transform the venue into a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment facility. As a result, Phoenix became home to NASCAR’s Championship Weekend in 2020, and it was announced in June that Championship Weekend will return to Avondale for the fourth consecutive year in 2023. Since attendance limitations due to the COVID pandemic were lifted in 2021, all three NASCAR Cup Series events (one spring race and two Championship races) at Phoenix Raceway have sold out, including the fastest sellout in the history of the track for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship race later this fall. “I look forward to making Chicago my new home and leading NASCAR’s deep involvement in Chicago to make this incredible event successful for this great city and for motorsports,” said Giese, a Wisconsin native. “NASCAR events bring tremendous economic impact to their host communities as the world’s most loyal fans come to see the greatest drivers in the world. We look forward to hosting them in the world-class city of Chicago. “As for my time at Phoenix Raceway – I am humbled to have had the opportunity to lead such an amazing team, and to work alongside and develop relationships with so many tremendous people across the Avondale and Phoenix communities. I look forward to celebrating with them all during 2022 NASCAR Championship Weekend.” Phoenix Raceway continues to be a critical venue on the NASCAR schedule, including hosting the next two NASCAR Championship Weekends in 2022 and 2023. NASCAR will begin a search for the next president of Phoenix Raceway, and further details will be announced once the search is complete. Tickets for the 2023 NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend will go on-sale later this year at NASCARChicago.com . Additional details and elements of the weekend will be announced soon, and fans can follow @NASCARChicago on social media for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event. The NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale takes place in an unpredictable, dramatic primetime setting this Saturday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. ET when the green flag flies for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 live from Daytona International Speedway. Catch all the action on USA Network, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

CONCORD, N.C. (Aug. 25, 2022) – Before the action heats up on track and NASCAR ’s best battle in a pivotal Playoff clash at the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 , fans at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be treated to an entertaining weekend of music, motorsports and fun in the Fan Zone. Driver appearances, fan Q&As and concerts kick off Friday, Oct. 7, with a Joe Gibbs Racing Fan Fest and NASCAR hauler parade. Following the parade, rock legend and Poison frontman Bret Michaels will bring his “Parti-Gras” to the fans with a hit-filled concert of rock, country and pop tunes to crank up the weekend fun. “The Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 has become one of the most anticipated events of the NASCAR season,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “When we started planning, we realized that we just couldn’t squeeze all the fun and excitement into two days, so we’re going to kick things off a day early and Rock the ROVAL starting Friday afternoon.” Joe Gibbs Racing Fan Fest Joe Gibbs Racing will bring out its star-studded driver lineup to kick off the weekend on Friday, Oct. 7, with the first-ever JGR Fan Fest at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The fan-friendly event will feature driver appearances with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Christopher Bell at the Fan Stage and an autograph session with all four Cup Series drivers, plus Xfinity Series stars Ty Gibbs and Brandon Jones at the Toyota Racing display. Fan Fest opens at 4:30 p.m. with a bevy of entertainment, including a Twinstunts motorcycle stunt show, free Ferris Wheel rides, discounted merchandise at select souvenir haulers, fun race-themed concessions, a DJ and more. The first 100 fans to pick up a wristband from the information tent at the Avenue of Flags starting at 4:00 p.m. on Oct. 7 will get access to an exclusive autograph session with all participating drivers. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver autograph session is scheduled for 5:00 p.m., followed by driver stage appearances at 6:30 p.m. Fan Fest is free in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Zone, until 7:00 p.m. NASCAR Hauler Parade Following the Fan Fest, Charlotte Motor Speedway will keep the party going as NASCAR’s Cup Series haulers parade into the infield – driving right through the Fan Zone – in preparation for Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL™ 400. The high-energy parade will be emceed by Trackside Live host Jose Castillo and will feature “drive-up” songs personally selected by each hauler driver. Fans can line the parade route near the Fan Zone and grab a photo with their favorite hauler before it settles into the infield for a fun-filled weekend of white-knuckled racing. Bret Michaels to Rock the ROVAL™ Poison frontman Bret Michaels will cap off Night 1 of the Rock the ROVAL fun, stepping out from his record-breaking Stadium Tour to bring his Parti-Gras to race fans kicking off the weekend with unrivaled fan fun. With more than 100 million records and streams sold worldwide, the son of a veteran, music icon, TV star, creative entrepreneur and lifelong philanthropist will crank up the party with hit after hit from his three decade music career during a 90-minute set. The concert is free for any fan with a race ticket for either the Drive for the Cure 250 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina or the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400. Single-day concert tickets will also be available for just $30. In addition to driver, appearances and A-list music acts on the Rock the ROVAL™ stage, the 10-acre Fan Zone will provide a bevy of interactive games and displays, food trucks, partner activations and more throughout the three-day event. TICKETS: The Fan Zone will be open each day to fans with a ticket to any of the weekend’s NASCAR events Oct. 8-9, including Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Xfinity Series race or Sunday’s pivotal Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 showdown. Adult tickets for Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina start at just $25. Kids 12 and under get in free with an adult. Tickets to the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 start at just $49 for adults. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10 with an adult. For tickets, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets . Fans can also purchase a single-day Fan Zone pass to take in all the fun outside of the speedway for just $30. FOLLOW US: Keep track of all of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app

By Holly Cain NASCAR Wire Service One last chance to earn a spot in the Playoffs at Daytona DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Drama, intrigue and action have perpetually been a part of NASCAR Cup Series races at the sport’s crown jewel, Daytona International Speedway. And this weekend, the next chapter of the thrilling Daytona storyline will formally set the 2022 16-driver Playoff field. The Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will complete the Playoffs standings. With the news on Thursday that Kansas race winner Kurt Busch will not participate in the Playoffs while continuing to recover from injuries in an accident at Pocono, Pa. in July – that now leaves two Playoff driver positions to be decided Saturday night. The two highest ranked drivers still without a victory this season are Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney and Joe Gibbs Racing's Martin Truex Jr. Blaney, who just announced a contract renewal with the championship organization last week, holds a 25-point advantage on Truex. If one of the 14 drivers (excluding Busch) already with a victory should win Saturday, then both Blaney and Truex would advance to the Playoffs. Should a new winner hoist a trophy Saturday night, then the highest ranked among Blaney and Truex would take the final Playoff position. Blaney – who is the defending winner of this race - certainly carries a more optimistic outlook if based solely on past performance at Daytona. The 28-year-old driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford had a pair of runner-up finishes in the 2017 and 2020 Daytona 500 and in 2018, led 118 of the 207 laps in the Daytona 500 only to finish seventh. In all he’s led 191 laps in 14 starts. Truex, 42, has had some promising runs at Daytona, including a runner-up finish in the 2018 400-miler and in the 2016 Daytona 500. However, that represents two of his three career top fives in 34 race starts. He’s had only one top-10 finish in the last seven races there – finishing fourth in the summer of 2020. Both drivers struggled a bit on the Watkins Glen, N.Y. road course last weekend – Blaney finishing 24th and Truex finishing 23rd. Blaney has only two top-10 finishes in the last five races of the season. His best finish of 2022 is a third-place at Nashville. Truex, has three top-10s in the last five races. His best showing of the season is fourth-place – at both Richmond, Va., and New Hampshire. “Daytona is interesting," the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Truex said. “It hasn’t been one of my better tracks, but I really enjoy going there. In the Daytona 500 this year, we had a really strong car and led laps, won the first two stages and were feeling good about things. Then, we had an issue on pit road and had to go to the back and we were swept up in a crash. “To me the strategy at Daytona is to just try to stay up front as much as possible or as close to the front as you can and hope that when the big crash happens, it’s behind you. That’s really the strategy; the only strategy is to try and stay up front. For us, as much of a wild card race as this is, I think we’ll have a good shot at winning and it’d be great to get our first superspeedway win with everything on the line. It’d be quite a story." There are 16 active former Daytona race winners entered this weekend. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin’s three Daytona 500 wins make him the winningest among those. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick is the only other active driver with multiple Daytona wins (2007 Daytona 500 and 2010 summer race). There have been six new winners in the last six Daytona races, including Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Austin Cindric who claimed the Daytona 500 trophy this February. The last 12 summer 400-milers have been won by different drivers. Nine of those are still active, including Harvick, Aric Almirola, Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Erik Jones, Justin Haley, William Byron and Blaney. Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota has been the runner-up at Daytona in the past two races – finishing second to Blaney in a race that ended under caution last summer and runner-up to Cindric by a slight 0.036-second in this year’s Daytona 500. Wallace, who still needs to earn a victory to advance into the Playoffs, is having a strong summer. He had a career best string of four top-10 finishes from New Hampshire to Michigan – including a second-place finish at Michigan after winning the pole position. Daytona has been a strong point in his young resume where three of his four career top-five finishes there have been runner-up showings. Another favorite this weekend is Chase Elliott, who formally wrapped up his first Regular Season Championship during last week’s race at Watkins Glen, N.Y., The sport’s “Most Popular Driver” boasts a series-best four wins this season, but he is still looking for his first career Daytona victory. “I think that it’s just a balance that you really have to try to find and it’s one that I can’t say that I’ve really found quite as good as those guys (Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin)," Elliott said. “You’ve got to have a knack for it. You’ve got to enjoy it and embrace it. To me, that’s kind of step one of figuring it out, just embracing it. “I don’t know about the figuring it out part, but it’s been embraced." XFINITY SERIES PREPARES FOR SOME FRIDAY NIGHT FUN AT DAYTONA With four races remaining to set the 12-driver 2022 Playoff field, the NASCAR Xfinity Series shows up at Daytona International Raceway for Friday night’s Wawa 250 powered by Coca-Cola (7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) expecting a dramatic chapter in the 2022 championship story. Two-time defending race winner Justin Haley will be making his first Xfinity Series start of 2022 in a fourth Kaulig Racing Chevrolet this week. His presence as a race favorite will certainly step up the intensity in a field still hotly contesting that regular season championship. Going to Daytona, three-time race winner A.J. Allmendinger now carries a hefty 61-point lead on rookie, five-race winner Ty Gibbs, who will do double duty – also driving Kurt Busch’s No. 45 Toyota in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race. The duo atop the points finished runner-up (Allmendinger) and 27th (Gibbs) at Watkins Glen, N.Y. last week, but neither of them has won on the 2.5-mile Daytona oval. Allmendinger was runner-up in the last two Daytona races, finishing a slight .023-seconds behind Haley in this race last year. Three are four former winners entered this weekend – Haley, JR Motorsports driver Noah Gragson (2020, Spring) and the most recent winner Austin Hill, who took the trophy in the February season-opener. Joe Nemechek, who won this race in 1998 and 2002 will be teaming with his son, John Hunter Nemechek in a pair of Chevrolets fielded by Sam Hunt Racing. Former NASCAR Cup Series Daytona race winner Ricky Stenhouse will be competing in the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet in a weekend double. There is no denying the intensifying competition in the series. The top six drivers in the standings are all multi-time race winners. Beyond Gibbs’ five victories, Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier and Noah Gragson all boast three wins. Josh Berry and the most recent Daytona winner Hill have a pair of wins and Brandon Jones has one trophy. Sam Mayer, Riley Herbst, 2021 Xfinity Series champion Daniel Hemric, Landon Cassill and Ryan Sieg are currently safely inside the Playoff cutoff. Currently Sieg holds a 39-point advantage on Sheldon Creed for the that final transfer position. Sieg has three top-five finishes at Daytona including third-place showings in 2013 and 2016. Creed, the 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, finished sixth this February in only his second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the track. He has two top-10 finishes in three Truck Series starts at Daytona. The Xfinity Series qualifying at Daytona is set for 3:05 p.m. ET on Friday and will be televised on USA Network. There are 43 drivers vying for 38 starting positions. NASCAR Cup Series Next Race: Coke Zero Sugar 400 The Place: Daytona International Speedway The Date: Saturday, August 27 The Time: 7 p.m. ET The Purse: $8,312,719 TV: NBC, 7 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90) Distance: 400 miles (160 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 35), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 95), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 160) NASCAR Xfinity Series Next Race: Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola The Place: Daytona International Speedway The Date: Friday, August 26 The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET The Purse: $1,756,567 TV: USA, 7 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90) Distance: 250 miles (100 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 100) --30--

Mooresville, N.C. (Aug. 25, 2022) — 23XI Racing announced today that Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD, will miss the start of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as he continues to recover from an injury sustained at Pocono Raceway. Kurt’s health and well-being continue to be of utmost importance to 23XI and the team fully supports his decision to focus on taking the time to get better.   The decision will also result in the team withdrawing the medical waiver that was requested for Busch to remain eligible for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, should he have been cleared to return to competition in time.   Busch effectively earned a spot in the playoffs with a dominant win at Kansas Speedway in May. The victory marked Busch’s ninth consecutive year with a win and earned him a spot, at the time, in the playoffs for the 10thconsecutive season.   While Busch will no longer be eligible for the Driver’s Championship, the No. 45 team will continue to compete for the Owner’s Championship.   “Kurt has elevated our entire organization this year,” said 23XI team president, Steve Lauletta. “Although Kurt will not be competing for a championship this season, he will continue to play a vital role in the organization as he works with our competition group to keep improving and strengthening the team.”   “As much as I wanted and hoped to be able to get back in the No. 45 car to make a playoff run with our team, it’s still not the right time for me,” said Busch. “In addition to not being cleared to return to racing, I know that I am not ready to be back in the car. I respect the sport of NASCAR, my fellow drivers and the fans too much to take up a playoff spot if I know I can’t compete for a championship this season. The decision was not an easy one, but I know it is the right thing to do. I will continue to take time to heal and strengthen as I prepare to be back in the car and will do all I can to help 23XI continue the success we have had this season.”   Ty Gibbs will continue to substitute for Busch and will be behind the wheel of the No. 45 Monster Energy Toyota Camry TRD this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Aug. 24, 2022) – To celebrate its 75thanniversary, Martinsville Speedway will welcome fans to the track for an evening of activities on Wednesday, Sept. 7 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. To thank fans for their continuous support over 75 years, Martinsville Speedway will offer free Martinsville Hot Dogs, cold beverages, birthday cake, live music, iconic photo moments with the 75th anniversary logo and Martinsville Speedway grandfather clock, and track laps for fans in their personal vehicles. All activities are free to the public for the track’s iconic 75th anniversary.   “Martinsville Speedway is home to some of the most historic moments in NASCAR history and every memorable moment has been filled with the cheers of our loyal race fans,” said Clay Campbell, Martinsville Speedway President. “To share our gratitude, we are inviting the community and race fans across the country to celebrate with us on the anniversary of our first race.”   Founded by H. Clay Earles, Martinsville Speedway held its first race on Sept. 7, 1947, three months before the creation of NASCAR, with 9,013 fans and 750 seats ready on its original dirt track. On Sept. 25, 1949, future NASCAR Hall of Famer Red Byron won the first NASCAR race held at the Martinsville Speedway dirt track. Bill France Sr., founder of NASCAR and inaugural inductee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, joined Earles as a 50 percent partner on the track in the early 1950s. Martinsville Speedway is the only NASCAR track to host NASCAR Cup Series races every year since its inception in 1949. The track was paved in 1955 and remains the shortest track on the Cup Series schedule at .526 miles. Its width is 55 feet with 800-foot asphalt straights and tight 588-foot concrete turns, banked at 12 degrees.   In 1964, Earles decided it was time for a “different” type of trophy for race winners, so the track introduced the Martinsville grandfather clock in Victory Lane. The grandfather clocks are manufactured by a local company, Ridgeway Clocks, as part of a historic tradition that continues to this day. Fred Lorenzen won the first Martinsville grandfather clock.   Earles remained chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Martinsville Speedway until his death on Nov. 16, 1999. In 2017, he was recognized with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Landmark Award. From Martinsville Speedway’s founding, Earles believed in offering fans an exceptional experience for a reasonable price.   “You’ll sell the fan a memory as much as you’ll sell them a ticket, and if the memory is good, they’ll come back,” shared Earles in 1998.   Clay Campbell carried on his grandfather’s legacy by joining Martinsville Speedway in 1978 and becoming track president in 1988. Campbell, the longest serving track president in NASCAR, has led Martinsville Speedway’s continued success at the track and the organization’s active role giving back to the local community.   After 70 years of racing, Martinsville Speedway became the first major motorsports facility in the nation to install LED lights in 2017. In the fall of that year, Martinsville’s Cup Series race was the first to finish under the lights at the track. On June 20, 2020, the first full Cup Series night race at Martinsville Speedway was won by Martin Truex Jr.   In April, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Martinsville Speedway unveiled a year-long exhibit honoring the track’s historic 75th Anniversary season. The first-ever exhibit showcases many historic Martinsville Speedway artifacts including the first Martinsville Speedway grandfather clock that was awarded to Fred Lorenzen on Sept. 27, 1964, the last non-grandfather clock winner’s trophy awarded to Fred Lorenzen on April 26, 1964, Jeff Gordon Helmet from his 93rd and final career victory (and ninth at Martinsville) on Nov. 1, 2015, and more.

Written By: Matt Marr Photo By: Matthew O'Haren/USA Today Sports A monumental first on Sunday as 7 different countries were represented at Watkins Glen with 2007 F1 Champion Kimi Raikkonen highlighting the international invasion. Chase Elliott brought the field to the green flag but due previous heavy rains, the start was single file. Michael McDowell took advantage of a wet track and made a pass for the lead around Elliott on lap 4. Chase Briscoe worked his way around McDowell for the lead as green flag pit stops occurred near the end of the stage and held on for the Stage 1 win. Todd Gilliland led the start of Stage 2 alongside Joey Logano. Logano held off Kyle Busch to win stage 2. Not the day that he had hoped for, Kimi Raikkonen was involved in a chain reaction incident after Ross Chastain spun Austin Dillon through the "bus stop" and Loris Hezemens sent Raikkonen into the tire barrier. With 4 laps to go, on the final restart, Kyle Larson dove down hard into turn one pushing teammate Chase Elliott up the hill as Larson took the lead. Larson held off AJ Allmendinger to win the Go Bowling at the Glen. Go Bowling at the Glen top 5: 1. Kyle Larson 2. AJ Allmendinger 3. Joey Logano 4. Chase Elliott 5. Daniel Suarez

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 24, 2022) – Daytona International Speedway will unveil its two newly-updated, three-sided, LED trilon leaderboards, which will broadcast in over 281 trillion colors, during this weekend’s Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola and the Coke Zero Sugar 400.   The trilon leaderboards, which are located on opposite ends of the front stretch, have stood tall for years in the UNOH Fanzone near the NASCAR Cup Series garage and at pit road exit. Now featuring three crisp, colorful LED screens, they stand approximately 77-feet tall and 10-feet wide so fans in all sections of the venue can get a clear look at driver positions as they continuously swap throughout the races. With the ability to broadcast in more than 281 trillion colors, the newly skinned trilons will shine bright in the evening sky, as the sun sets throughout the two anticipated nighttime races (Aug 26 & Aug. 27). Both scoring towers will now offer incredible and unique technological features, which include:   Each leaderboard panel has 737.28 square-feet of LEDs Leaderboards will be integrated with live NASCAR Timing and Scoring feeds to allow for fans to track their favorite driver Color Capacity is 281 trillion colors Each leaderboard has a total of 2,211.84 square-feet of active LED Each LED module measures 14.4 x 14.4 inches Total number of LED modules for each side of the leaderboard is 512 Each three-sided leaderboard has a total of 1,536 total LED modules LED Lifetime is 100,000 hours 256 levels of dimming capabilities Ability to play separate and/or different content on each side of any of the leaderboards simultaneously Total weight of the LED Panels per leaderboard is 19,968 lbs. Content can be displayed in static or motion formats   Connected to each of the scoring trilons is a jumbotron (26’ x 48’) where fans can catch additional replays of the most intense moments of the Wawa 250 and Coke Zero Sugar 400, as life-like as watching it in real time. The track has a total of four jumbotrons that line pit road, with two attached to the leaderboards and the others behind the middle sections of pit road. The two screens in that middle sector are larger in size (40’ x 80’), allowing fans to see the action LIVE from the mammoth grandstands, allowing fans to watch the video boards for even more content during the races on the iconic 2.5-mile tri-oval.   The giant video boards will also be used as a part of the #LightUpDAYTONA experience via the NASCAR Tracks App. Fans can download the app to become a part of the light show that will take place after the pre-race ceremonies on both Friday and Saturday, then again after the 2nd stage break in Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400. When prompted, fans will open the app, face their cameras towards the track, and after clicking “light show”, their phone flashlights will light up the grandstands in tune with the vibrant video display reflected on those video boards.   These latest electronic additions are part of a host of new amenities designed to enhance the fan experience at Daytona International Speedway, along with UNOH Fanzone and Kid’s VIP Experiences, the various entertainment performances, and so many more race weekend festivities.   The leaderboards and jumbo screens will be alive during pre-race activities and during the action of the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca Cola on Friday at 7:30 p.m., then again during the battle that will ensue in the final race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season – the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday at 7 p.m.   For information regarding ticket purchasing or further details about the upcoming race weekend at the World Center of Racing, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com