Fans can mingle under the stars with the stars at two fun and exciting events celebrating the 2014 Month of May on Friday, May 9with the Indy Family Foundation Festival On Main Presented by Firestone in Speedway, Ind., and the inaugural Rev Methodist Health Foundation charity event, held in conjunction with Indiana University Health, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Admission is free to the Festival on Main Presented by Firestone in Speedway hosted by Verizon IndyCar Series driver/owner Ed Carpenter and wife Heather, along with their children Makenna, Ryder and Cruz. The event will take place rain or shine from 6-10 p.m. on Main Street in Speedway featuring a wide variety of attractions including a celebrity and Verizon IndyCar Series driver dunk tank, live music, a local craft brew garden, a Cluster Truck Food Truck Congregation, a zip line, a KidZone and a fireworks display. 

The event will showcase a wide variety of automobiles and motorcycles from which fans and celebrity judges will select the top three award-winning entries in the following categories:  Vintage/Classic, Muscle/Hot Rod, Exotic Sports Car, Motorcycle and Truck. A best of show award will be presented along with awards for the top 10 overall.

Proceeds will be directed to the Indy Family Foundation, a non-profit organization that aids those in the motorsports community who find themselves in financial need due to hardship caused by illness, injury or death. For more information visit: www.indyfamilyfoundation.com.

That same evening, Rev, a chic outdoor charitable event, will take place on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway featuring world-class chefs and entertainers, and three-time and reigning IndyCar Series Champion Scott Dixon.

More than 40 Indiana restaurants and chefs will create IndyCar driver-inspired cuisine for guests attending Rev. In addition, chefs Vic Vegas, from the Food Network's Next Food Network Star, and Spike Mendelsohn, twice a contestant on Bravo's Top Chef, will be on-site at the event to add unique twists to some of the favorite foods of IndyCar drivers.

National singer-songwriter and Indianapolis native Jon McLaughlin, along with DJ Lockstar, a popular Midwest DJ and National recording artist London Rose, lead a growing number of entertainment opportunities for those in attendance.

Dixon's wife Emma also joins Rev as honorary co-chair. Emma excelled on a different kind of track, as a runner. As a previous Welsh and British 800-meter champion, Emma's successful running career now helps guide her husband's athleticism as a driver.

Funds raised will go to Methodist Health Foundation in support of IU Health Statewide Trauma programs, including medical services for drivers and patrons provided at the IU Health Emergency Medical Center located at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

For tickets and additional information about the event, including sponsorship opportunities, visit www.revindy.org. More announcements leading to the event are expected in the coming weeks.

The 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 25.

IMS PR

The last chance to save on advance ticket pricing at Watkins Glen Internationalis quickly approaching. This year the opportunity to save on event ticket and package pricing will end April 21, extending beyond the traditional Opening Weekend deadline.

Fans are still able to take advantage of advance pricing to save on general admission, reserved grandstands, hospitality packages, and camping. As a sweetened deal for the Cheez-It™ 355 at The Glen, Pit Terrace seats will also receive a weekend FanVision rental at no additional costs. This offer will be available after advance pricing ends; however fans can save up to $25 dollars on this deal if purchased before the April 21 deadline. Great seats are still available for all 2014 events.

When purchasing WGI tickets fans can also add on the 2014 commemorative Zippo lighter. These collectable lighters are unique only to Watkins Glen International and produced by long-time partner, Zippo. 

Watkins Glen International 2014 Events/Tickets:

·        April 12-13: Opening Weekend

·        June 26-29: Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, IMSA SportsCar weekend

·        July 4-6: SCCA Glen Double Nationals

·        July 11-13: Finger Lakes Wine Festival presented by Yancey’s Fancy New York’s Artisan Cheese

·        August 7-10: Cheez-It™ 355 at The Glen, NASCAR weekend

·        September 5-7: Glenora Wine Cellars U.S. Vintage Grand Prix presented by Welliver

·        September 19-21: Ferrari Challenge North America

How to Purchase:

Event specific information and a complete list of pricing is available at www.TheGlen.com.

1.     By Calling 866.461.RACE (7223)

2.     Online: www.TheGlen.com

3.     In Person: The Shop at 2 North Franklin Street, Watkins Glen, NY. The Shop, Watkins Glen International’s official outlet, is open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

4.     Mobile App: Download The Glen mobile app from the App Store or Google Play for FREE.

5.     Visit the track April 12-13, during Opening Weekend. Gates open 9:30 a.m.

WGI PR

As guests of Talladega Superspeedway in preparation for Aaron's Dream Weekend (May 2-4), NASCAR drivers Michael Waltrip and Chase Elliott were on hand at the Atlanta Braves Major League baseball game against the New York Mets Wednesday at Turner Field in Atlanta, GA.

Waltrip, who won the Aaron's 499 at NASCAR's Most Competitive track in 2003, tossed out the first pitch while Elliott, the most recent winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and son of two-time Talladega winner Bill Elliott, was the Braves’ Honorary Team Captain.

Waltrip, who will compete in the Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega on May 4, claimed his pitch was a strike, saying, “I had some steam on that throw. It was fast, really fast....not as fast as we will go at Talladega, but fast."

Elliott, a life-long Braves fan, is a rookie in the Nationwide Series and currently leads the championship chase in his JR Motorsports Chevrolet with top-10 finishes in five of the first six races in 2014. The Aaron's 312 will be his first attempt at Talladega's 2.66-mile venue.

"It's a dream come true for me to be a part of the Braves game tonight," Elliott said. "I got to meet a lot of my favorite players so it was exciting. It's a big game but our big game is coming up in a few weeks at Talladega. It's the BIG deal. I can't wait. My dad has a lot of history there so it's going to be a special time for me."

TSS PR

Sonoma Raceway has welcomed a Central California-based business as its newest official partner, as 51 FIFTY becomes the raceway’s official energy drink.

51 FIFTY, based in Livingston (Calif.), will be the exclusive energy drink at all Sonoma Raceway major-event weekends in 2014, including the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and IZOD IndyCar Series. 

“I have been racing since 2007 and love being out on the Sonoma Raceway track,” said Carlos Vieira, owner of 51 FIFTY. “When looking for a track to partner with I knew we wanted to keep it close to home, and Sonoma Raceway is a natural fit. I am excited to be partnered with them and am looking forward to what it will bring.”

51 FIFTY is also the primary sponsor for Team 51 FIFTY, a race team based in Livingston (Calif.), which competes in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Vieira, who pilots the entry, has dedicated his team to help raise Autism awareness and funds to directly support local families with Autistic children. His team has raised more than $500,000 since 2007.

The three-year agreement also includes vendor display and sampling space, signage and other assets during race weekends. The beverage will also be available year round for purchase at the raceway through Levy Restaurants, the raceway’s on-site concessionaire.

51 FIFTY, also defined as the California legal code (5150) for someone who is a danger to themselves or to others, contains a blend of the Maca and Astragalus roots, which are known to increase energy, boost immune systems, strengthen vitality and raise resistance to fatigue. 51 FIFTY is widely available at retail outlets throughout Central California. For more information, visit www.51fiftyenergydrink.com or follow them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/51FIFTYEnergy) or on Instagram and Twitter @51FIFTYEnergy. 

Sonoma Raceway PR

Early this week Roush Fenway Racing driver Chris Buescher left Texas in the Balance Financial Ford Mustang as part of a week-long road trip to the historic Darlington Raceway.

Fans voted on his route as part of the Race Around America program. Buescher made a stop in Memphis along the way, to do some drag racing at Memphis International Raceway and cruise around Beale Street with the ‘King’ himself. After making a quick detour in Charlotte en route to the “Lady in Black”, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender picked up SiriusXM NASCAR’s Claire B. Lang for the final leg of his adventure.

These special guests must have added some magic to the mix because when Buescher hit the track this afternoon his No. 60 Ford Mustang 50^th Anniversary race car topped the charts. During the first practice the Prosper, Texas native reached the fourth position and then led the field during the second session, reaching a high speed of 170.365 with a fast lap of 28.865 seconds.

This is Buescher’s third visit to Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2011 he began and finished the race in the 17^th spot and in 2013 he started from the 18^th position; finishing in 12^th.

RFR PR

Elementary students in the Darlington County School District (DCSD) read more than 10,500 books in three weeks, as part of Darlington Raceway’s “Race Into Reading” Program.

Designed as a way to celebrate “March is Reading Month” and to get children excited about reading, the “Race Into Reading” Program challenged first through fifth graders across the county to read as many books as possible.

Students from Rosenwald Elementary/Middle School in Society Hill swept the competition, winning both the Top Class award and all three Top Reader awards!  The Top Class award went to Ms. Allicyn Steverson’s first grade class.

They read an astonishing 722 books! The top three readers were K’Anndra Dickey, a first grader who read 102 books; Shareah Milling, a first grader who read 90 books; and Shaila Vickery, a fifth grader who read 88 books.

The Race Into Reading Program kicked off on March 10 and ran through March 28, 2014.  As part of the program, all Darlington County School District early childhood and elementary students received a Darlington Raceway bookmark, a Darlington Raceway magnet and a youth admission ticket to the NASCAR Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 on Friday, April 11.

The winning classroom visited Darlington Raceway on Thursday, April 10, and met NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers Dakoda Armstrong and Dylan Kwasnieswki. They also toured the track, made duck houses at the Chevy display, and watched the cars warm up and practice for the following day’s Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 race.

“I am so proud of our students and their love of reading. We truly appreciate Darlington Raceway for providing this opportunity for our students and for creating such a fun and exciting reading competition,” said Kim Mason, principal of Rosenwald Elementary/Middle School. “The competition in the building was fierce because reading is a cornerstone at Rosenwald. All of our teachers and students were in it to win it!”

“We’re so excited that this program produced over 10,500 books read in the Darlington County School District over a three week period,” track President Chip Wile said. “This program has shown tremendous growth in its second year. It’s these types of programs that really make a difference in our local community schools.”

The Reading Program is just one of many the track has created over the years as part of its youth initiatives. It also offers one of the best kids ticket offers in the industry with 12 and under half-price for any seat to the Bojangles’ Southern 500 and FREE in general admission sections for the Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200.

Darlington Raceway PR

Warm weather has finally melted away months of snowfall, meaning New Hampshire Motor Speedway is finally ready to go green in 2014. Speedway officials will formally open the gates today, welcoming the New Hampshire Cycling Club (NHCC) to pedal its way around the 1.6-mile road course. The track weathered the winter perfectly and the speedway is in race condition for the kickoff to a new season of high-speed excitement.

The two-wheeled riders will be the first to cross the Granite Stripe this year, but they certainly won't be the last. The speedway, which is celebrating its 24th anniversary this year, will be active for nearly 200 days through October.

The New Hampshire Motor Speedway maintenance, cleaning and operations teams have been hard at work prepping the track and facility for the last two weeks. On top of clearing several feet of snow from the track and infield, the operations crew has gone through the entire property with a fine-toothed comb, checking for winter damage and de-winterizing several buildings and areas throughout the near 1,200-acre campus.

"We have faced a few challenges with the deck of cards Mother Nature dealt us," said Tom Blanchette, the speedway's director of operations, "but with the best team in the business here at the Magic Mile we strive to make it happen for our guests and clients every day, so they can enjoy all of the great amenities and excitement we have to offer."

April will be a busy opening month for the Magic Mile. The NHCC, which is a central New Hampshire-based cycling club, competing in several events, including the New Hampshire Motor Speedway Thursday Night Training Series, is just the first group to use the facility. Over the weekend, the Porsche Club of America (PCA) North Country and the BMW Car Club of America White Mountain Chapter will both be on the track. PCA North Country will be on-track Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, while the BMW White Mountain will hold an a advanced driving skills school in the S3 parking lot, using plastic pylons, to provide a safe learning environment for these low to moderate speed maneuvers.

The U.S. Legend Cars Moat Mountain Road Course Series and the Sign Works Oval Series, as well as the Gifford's Ice Cream Bandolero Series will holding testing and race sessions on Saturday, April 19, while the Loudon Road Racing Series (motorcycles) will have its first event during the April 26-27 weekend.

The Formula Hybrid Competition returns from April 28-May 1. Featuring high-performance hybrid and electric race cars, Dartmouth College's 8th annual Formula Hybrid Competition features cars built by teams of undergraduate and graduate engineering students, who compete in aspects of design, acceleration, handling and endurance of their vehicle, and abide by a long list of rules.

Speedway Children's Charities will once again hold its 10th annual Safe Kids 500 on April 30. The fun, free, family event hosted by Speedway Children's Charities and the Injury Prevention Center at CHaD promotes bike safety among children.

NHMS PR