Bill Elliott to serve as grand marshal of Thursday’s Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown

The green flag will soon be waving for the start of the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at South Boston Speedway.

Former NASCAR star Bill Elliott will serve as the grand marshal of this year’s Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown. His son, Chase Elliott, the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, is among the competitors who will be bidding for the Showdown title this year.

The event, which is in its eighth consecutive year of existence, will be making its second straight appearance at America’s Hometown Track.

The 200-lap feature race will get cranked up at 7:30 p.m. however, the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown will offer up a host of activities throughout the day Thursday.

The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown benefits the Denny Hamlin Foundation and its ongoing support of Cystic Fibrosis research and treatment.

In addition to Chase Elliott other NASCAR stars who will be battling for the victory Thursday include David Ragan, Timothy Peters, Hermie Sadler, Jeb Burton and Gray Gaulding to name a few.

Past winners of the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown include Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart.

Matt Bowling a NASCAR Whelen All American Series competitor claimed the victory at South Boston Speedway last year. His victory, along with a win by C.E. Falk in 2010 at Southside Speedway, marked the only times that non-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers had won the event.

South Boston Speedway is currently offering suite packages and general admission ticket sales in advance of the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown.

The suite package, which is priced at $200 per person, includes a seat in Suite 1, an invitation to attend the driver’s meeting prior to the race, and the opportunity to attend a special Celebrity Driver Meet & Greet session where autographs can be obtained.

General admission tickets are also on sale and priced at $25 each. Children, ages six and under, will be admitted free with a paid adult. South Boston Speedway’s 2015 season tickets will not be honored for the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown.

Grandstand gates will open Thursday, April 23 at 10 a.m. The first of three practice sessions scheduled will get cranked up at 11 a.m.  Qualifying time trials are set to roll off at 5:20 p.m. and heat races will begin at 6 p.m. The 200-lap feature race is scheduled to get the green flag at 7:30 p.m.

SOBO Speedway PR