Top Drivers Hitting the Road to Promote the Daytona 500

In the weeks leading up to the prestigious season-opening DAYTONA 500 Sunday, Feb. 22, stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be logging plenty of miles promoting “The Great American Race” with the Road to the DAYTONA 500 Tour.

The cross-country media blitz will feature close to 20 drivers visiting 11 different cities. Each location will host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for a day of special events and media availabilities, all promoting the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 Sunday, Feb. 22 (TV – FOX, FOX Deportes; Radio – MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“We’re excited to work with the drivers as we build the excitement throughout the country about the DAYTONA 500 and the start of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “The Road to the DAYTONA 500 is a critical element in promoting ‘The Great American Race’.”

The Road to the DAYTONA 500 kicked off Jan. 2 in Jacksonville with 2014 DAYTONA 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr., who prior to flipping the coin at the TaxSlayer Bowl, met with the media alongside the Harley J. Earl DAYTONA 500 trophy and participated in a Twitter takeover of @DISupdates.

Among the other cities and drivers that will be featured on the tour include:

·         Washington, D.C. (Jeff Gordon)

·         Phoenix (Danica Patrick)

·         Atlanta (Kyle Busch)

·         Boston (Kevin Harvick)

·         Chicago (Carl Edwards)

·         Tampa (Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson)

·         Los Angeles (Jimmie Johnson)

·         Miami (Joey Logano)

·         New York (Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin)

·         Orlando (Matt Kenseth)

·         Daytona Beach (Clint Bowyer, AJ Allmendinger and Ryan Newman)

·         Orlando-Daytona Beach, where driver Austin Dillon and owner Richard Childress will officially activate the new vertical transportation associated with its $400 million DAYTONA Rising project with an Escalator Duel.

In addition, during Budweiser Speedweeks, Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne are expected to fly with the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who are providing the flyover for the DAYTONA 500.

Race fans can follow along with each Road to the DAYTONA 500 event on Twitter using #ROADTODAYTONA500 or by visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/TheRoad.

Tickets for the 57th annual DAYTONA 500 and all Budweiser Speedweeks 2015 events are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com

Fans also can follow NASCAR on Twitter and stay up to speed on the latest news by using hashtags #DAYTONA500 and #SPEEDWEEKS. Stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest for the latest news all season long. Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.