KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Oct. 9, 2012) – An Olympic gold medalist, a Hall of Fame quarterback and a retiring Kansas politician will all be in the spotlight on Oct. 19 and 20 as they take part in the Kansas Lottery 300 and Kansas Lottery 98.9.
Legendary Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson has been named the Grand Marshal for the Kansas Lottery 300 on Oct. 20. The 1970 Super Bowl MVP, 1968 AFL All-Star game offensive MVP and six-time AFL All-Star led the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs to three American Football League Championships and a victory in the AFL-NFL World Championship game. He was named NFL Man of the Year in 1973. Dawson, who was a first round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1957, currently works on the Chiefs Radio Network and in 2012 was honored with the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award for longtime contributions as a sports broadcaster.
Joining Dawson at the Kansas Lottery 300 is 2012 Olympic gold medalist Shannon Vreeland, who will be the Honorary Starter for the race. Vreeland, who hails from Overland Park, Kan., was a part of the gold medal winning 4x200m freestyle swim team with Missy Franklin, Allison Schmitt and Dana Vollmer that set a new Olympic record in the 4x200m freestyle. Vreeland, who is a member of the USA National Team, is currently a member of the University of Georgia Bulldogs swim team, where she has been a member of two of the Bulldogs’ NCAA national champion relay teams in the 4×200-yard relay event. She has been named first team All-SEC twice and was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman Team after becoming the SEC Champion in the 500 free. Vreeland also recently made the USA Short Course Worlds Team, which will be competing at the Worlds in Turkey this December.
On Oct. 19, former Kansas City Chiefs player Walt Corey has been named Grand Marshal for the Kansas Lottery 98.9. A current member of the Kansas City Chiefs Ambassadors, Corey played linebacker for six years for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs and played for the Chiefs in Super Bowl I. After finishing his playing career, Corey moved into coaching and in one of his stops, he spent eight years as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach with the Buffalo Bills and led them to the top ranked defense in 1988 after the Bills were ranked 24th just two years prior. He was also with the Bills for their four Super Bowl appearances.
Kansas Speaker of the House Mike O’Neal, who will retire in January, will be the Honorary Starter for the Kansas Lottery 98.9. O’Neal is a Hutchinson, Kan. native and was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1984. O’Neal is also a practicing attorney and is a member of the Kansas Bar Association.
Tickets for the Oct. 21 Hollywood Casino 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Oct. 20 Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the Oct. 19 Kansas Lottery 98.9 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race are on sale now by calling 866.460.RACE (7223) or visiting www.kansasspeedway.com. Every season ticket comes with a Track Pass that provides you with access to the infield for the pre-race concert, driver introductions and much more!
Parking is always free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring in one 14x14x14-inch soft-sided cooler with their favorite food and beverages.
Fans can follow Kansas Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kansasspeedway or follow us on Twitter (@kansasspeedway). Join the conversation about the Hollywood Casino 400 on Twitter by using the hashtag #HC400.
