BRISTOL, Tenn. (Saturday, January 21, 2012) – He first made his mark as the surly Norm Peterson on television’s Cheers. Now, George Wendt will bring his persona to Bristol Motor Speedway, the track “where everybody knows your name,” to host the mother of all St. Patrick’s Day bashes during the March 17 festivities at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”
The multi-time Emmy nominated actor will be Bristol’s official St. Patrick’s Day ambassador, greeting fans throughout the property, while taking part in several special appearances to celebrate his favorite day of the year.
After the Nationwide and K&N Pro Series East events conclude, Wendt will lend his ale awareness as the host of a rocking festival in the hospitality area. The festival, which features live entertainment, food and drink, will bring Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day activities to a close.
Fans at the party should expect quite the show from Wendt, as the comedian will entertain with stories about his time in Hollywood.
When it comes to his love of “brewskies,” Wendt shares the same passion as his alter ego “Norm.” Wendt even has authored a book on the subject, “Drinking with George: A Barstool Professional’s Guide to Beer.”
“I have a lot in common with Norm,” Wendt said. “I like beer and Norm likes beer. I’ve even wrote a book about it, which I like to call ‘My Ode to Beer.’
“I can’t wait to see those races on Saturday,” he added. “I’ve heard a lot about them, but watching in person will be pretty cool. I’m sure it will make me thirsty at the same time. If any of those fans feels like buying me a beer when they see me, by all means, please follow that urge. Sam won’t let me put any more on my tab!”
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, Bristol literally will turn green during the March race weekend. While the color often has been shunned in the racing world, fans will see the outside stadium lights switch to green at night. Additionally, Beaver Creek, which flows through the property, will change color to match.
“It is exciting to have George Wendt join our St. Patrick’s Day party this March,” said Jerry Caldwell, BMS Executive Vice-President and General Manager. “Not only did he play one of television’s most popular characters; he knows how to have a great time. We thought he would be perfect to help us celebrate.”
In addition to the festival, fans also can see Wendt by upgrading to one of Bristol’s premium areas like the Bud Tap Room, Bristol Club, Half-Mile Club or Pit Road Party Zone. For more information on upgrades, please call 1-866-415-4158 or 423-BRISTOL.
Bristol also will join forces with Danica Patrick, who will be driving a St. Patrick’s Day-themed GoDaddy car, to commemorate the day. Fans can purchase a special ticket package for the race which also gives them access to a question and answer session with Patrick on the morning of March 17, along with a green t-shirt. In addition, one lucky fan who purchases the package wins two hot passes and the opportunity to view the race from Patrick’s pit box.
Fans may visit www.danicagoesgreenatbristol.com to stay up-to-date with all the current news surrounding Patrick, tickets and the St. Patrick’s Day celebration at BMS.
The Patrick ticket package is available for $67 and fans will see two races, the 300-lap Nationwide Series event and the K&N Pro Series 125, during the day’s festivities.
BMS season tickets, which include the Food City 500 (March 18) and IRWIN Tools Night Race (Aug. 25) Sprint Cup races, as well as the Nationwide events and the K&N race, also are on sale. Pricing for all four races begins at just $175 in the Wallace Tower.
A March race weekend package also is available starting at $99 that includes the Food City 500 and the Nationwide/K&N Pro Series East events. A package in the Wallace Tower for both Sprint Cup races also is now available for $99, while packages for fans 15 and younger are available for the March races at half price. Lower row seating for the Food City 500 is available, with tickets starting at $65.
For more information about March race weekend, please call 1-866-415-4158, 423-BRISTOL or visit www.bristoltix.com.
###
Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its 600 Racing subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary. The Company also equally-owns Motorsports Authentics, a joint venture formed with International Speedway Corporation to produce, market and sell licensed motorsports merchandise. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.speedwaymotorsports.com
