· Advance Auto Parts Clash/DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger Doubleheader Feb. 10
· First DAYTONA Beer Festival to Complement Doubleheader Events
· Advance Auto Parts Clash Draw Party on Feb. 9
· USAC Quarter-Midgets Returning to DIS on Feb. 7-10
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2019) – Daytona International Speedway has a stellar lineup of activities for the first half of DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth, in a fan-friendly build-up for the 61st annual DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 17.
DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth brings two weeks of stock car competition to the “World Center of Racing.” On-track action starts on Saturday, Feb. 9 with the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire, the season-opening race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. On Feb. 10, a premium afternoon doubleheader will pair the Advance Auto Parts Clash, the annual star-studded non-points event for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, with DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger.
Following the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire on Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m., the Advance Auto Parts Clash Draw Party will take place in the UNOH Fanzone with crew chiefs involved in the race joined by USAC .25 midget series competitors in drawing the starting positions. Between 7 p.m. – 8 p.m., 2018 DAYTONA 500 champion Austin Dillon, 2018 Coke Zero Sugar 400 champion Erik Jones, Daniel Hemric, Corey LaJoie, Matt Tifft, Landon Cassill and Matt DiBenedetto will participate in a question-and-answer session and selfie station with guests. The event is free to any ticket holder.
Complementing the Advance Auto Parts Clash-DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger doubleheader will be the first DAYTONA Beer Festival held in the speedway’s Midway Suites from 12-3 p.m. The festival will span multiple Midway Suites, with fans able to choose from more than 70 brands of beer. Tickets for the DAYTONA Beer Festival are $52 and include a “beer passport” allowing guests to sample 10 of the 70-plus brands, a general admission ticket to both the DAYTONA 500 Qualifying session and the Clash. In addition, all DAYTONA Beer Festival ticketholders will receive a collectible Daytona International Speedway mini beer mug and lanyard. Tickets to the DAYTONA Beer Festival must be purchased in advance.
Several other special events will complete the “Week 1” lineup:
· Ormond Beach resident Kaleb Lee will perform a concert in ONE DAYTONA’s Victory Circle on Thursday night, Feb. 7. Lee was a recent contestant on NBC’s “The Voice.” Other activities on Thursday at ONE DAYTONA include a performance by the Seabreeze High School drum line and NASCAR haulers on display.
· The USAC.25 midget series returns for a second year on Feb. 7-10, with its season-opening event taking place on a .20-mile oval constructed in the DIS infield.
· The popular Daytona Beach Half Marathon on Feb. 9-10; for more information, visit http://www.daytonabeachhalf.com. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers Jimmie Johnson and Cassill will be among the competitors.
The Advance Auto Parts Clash will feature Busch Pole Award winners from the 2018 Monster Energy Series season, past Clash champions, past DAYTONA 500 champions and pole winners who competed full-time in 2018 and drivers who qualified for the 2018 Monster Energy Series Playoffs. DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger will establish the top two starting sports for the DAYTONA 500 in addition to setting the grids for the Gander RV Duel At DAYTONA – two 150-mile races on Thursday, Feb. 14 that determine the DAYTONA 500 field beyond the front row.
“The first week of DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth will have an atmosphere all its own, giving our fans a perfect primer for Week 2 and the DAYTONA 500,” said Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile.
“Last year we brought back the Clash-DAYTONA 500 Qualifying doubleheader and this year we’re going to up the ante, building on that old-school tradition that we are not only reestablishing but also rejuvenating. Race fans attending our Week 1 events are going to be treated to a multi-faceted, outstanding DIS experience.”
Tickets for the Advance Auto Parts Clash, DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire, the DAYTONA Beer Festival, the 61st annual DAYTONA 500 and other Daytona International Speedway events can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat, and by downloading Daytona International Speedway’s mobile app, for the latest speedway news throughout the season.
