BROOKLYN, Mich. (Aug. 25, 2016) – Actor Jake Short will serve as the honorary pace car driver for Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway.
Short, the star of Disney XD’s Lab Rats: Elite Force, will lead the field to the green flag for the Pure Michigan 400. He will also serve as the Honorary Kids Drive NASCAR Ambassador this weekend at the racetrack.
“It’s a thrill for me to go to Michigan to participate in in a NASCAR event,” Short said. “We all grown up and want to be race car drivers – and I get to be experience that. There’s nothing like a NASCAR race.”
Short is the youngest person to ever drive a pace car to start a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
The action starts for Short even before the race goes green. He will be part of a special Q&A with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver AJ Allmendinger. The driver of the JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47 Chevrolet SS will be joined on the pre-race stage by Short to answer questions from fans at 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Fans will need to purchase Pit and Paddock Passes to take part in the session.
“We are excited to have Jake Short join us for the Pure Michigan 400,” MIS President Roger Curtis said. “Short is someone who is well-known among children and he will help us to continue providing memorable experiences to race fans of all ages. As the honorary Kids Drive NASCAR Ambassador, there is no better person to have behind the wheel of the pace car to help us highlight the kid-friendly activities NASCAR does at MIS.”
Prior to starring on Disney XD’s Lab Rats: Elite Force, Short was on Disney Channel’s hit comedy series, A.N.T. Farm. Short is an upcoming American teen actor, who played Fletcher Quimby, an artistic genius gifted in all types of media. Fletcher and his best friends on the show proceeded to go on multiple adventures using their genius talents to their advantage on the newest comedy sitcom on Disney.
In addition to his work in A.N.T Farm, Jake is best known for portraying “Nose Noseworthy” on SHORTS alongside Leslie Mann, Jon Cryer, William H. Macey and Kat Jennings. Jake then was a recipient for the Young Artist Award. SHORTS, directed by Robert Rodriguez who also directed the action-packed feature film SPY KIDS, created a story line about a young boy’s discovery of a colorful, wish-granting rock which causes chaos in his town as people scheme to get it from him.
Jake Short has proved that he is no stranger to film or television. Jake has guest starred in “$#*! My Dad Says” alongside William Shatner, “Dexter” with Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter and Disney XD’s “Zeke & Luther” alongside Hutch Dano and Adam Hicks. Jake is the face of many national commercial campaigns, most notably; Glad, Febreeze, Cool Whip, Coca Cola, Wendy’s and Cocoa Pebbles.
Short moved to California at the age of nine after relocating from Indianapolis to pursue a career in acting, after being influenced by his older brother. When not working, the Indianapolis native enjoys spending his summers in his hometown while staying active in various sports activities, martial arts, tumbling, skating, skiing, and snowboarding. Jake also has a musical interest in playing the guitar and is learning to play the drums and piano. Jake is an enthusiast of the Humane Society.
Tickets are available for all events this weekend online at www.MISpeedway.com or by calling 800-354-1010. Fans can also watch the Pure Michigan 400 live at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is NASCAR’s fastest track and the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike for nearly 50 years.
