Fans of Watkins Glen International have another reason to cheer for their favorite driver to take the checkered flag for Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen – actually, they have one million reasons.
Sprint (NYSE:S) announced at New Hampshire Motor Speedway earlier today the biggest promotion in its history as the title sponsor for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D. The six-consecutive race series announced on Sunday runs from Indianapolis on July 31 to Atlanta on Sept. 4 and puts a total for $3 million on the line for a driver, charity of the driver’s choice and one incredibly lucky fan. This string of races includes the 26th consecutive visit by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to legendary Watkins Glen International on Sunday, August 14.
“The Sprint Summer Showdown is absolutely awesome and will undoubtedly bring even more excitement to an already action-packed Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen weekend,” said Michael Printup, president of Watkins Glen International. “The fans are our number one priority at The Glen and we also recognize how important our role in the community is in supporting local charities. The fact that Sprint is willing to change a fan’s life forever and make a significant impact on a worthy charity is tremendous.”
Any driver who wins one of the five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events between the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will become a finalist for the $3 million Sprint Summer Showdown payout on Labor Day Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. If one of those five drivers wins the Advocare 500 at Atlanta, then the driver, the driver’s charity and one lucky race fan will each collect $1 million.
“The HTC EVO 3D, the first wireless device that can capture and play back 3D images and video without 3D glasses is changing the game in wireless, so we thought it was appropriate to get the word out with a competition-based NASCAR Sprint Cup Series promotion that changes the game for drivers and fans,” said Tim Considine, director of sports marketing for Sprint. “Giving these Sprint Cup drivers the opportunity to win a million for their charity, a million to change the life of a fan, and – oh, by the way – a million for their own wallet, will definitely ratchet up the on-track excitement. Add to that the hunt for those Chase for the Sprint Cup wild-card positions and race fans will not want to miss a lap of the action.”
Fans can enter each week for their chance at the million-dollar prize by picking which driver they believe will win that week’s race at www.sprint.com/speed or by visiting the Sprint Experience display at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. Some of the top picks for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen will undoubtedly be five-time champion Tony Stewart, four-time champion Jeff Gordon, defending champion Juan Pablo Montoya, and road racing ace Marcos Ambrose.
When they enter, fans will have access to expert picks, driver performance history at each track and more to give them the best chance of submitting a winning entry. After each week’s race, one race fan will be randomly chosen from those fans who correctly picked that week’s winning driver.
The lucky fan chosen after each race will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway and be there in person to see whether his or her driver can win at Atlanta. If that driver claims the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D, the fan will win $1 million. Fans can change their picks until the scheduled start time for each event.
“It’s always great to win, but to make a difference in the lives of other people by doing so is why I’m excited about the Sprint Summer Showdown,” said Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion. “The fans are what make this sport, and helping charities accomplish their goals is extremely important to me. I’m hoping I’m the guy that gets to hand over $1 million to some lucky fan and to charity. I’ll do everything I can to make it happen.”
The six races that make the Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D will be contested on a variety of unique track designs, from the half-mile oval at Bristol Motor Speedway to the road course at Watkins Glen International, playing to different drivers’ strengths.
WGI PR
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