The 66th running of The Great American Race festivities will begin with “Mr. Worldwide” bringing his South Beach flair to the World Center Of Racing
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 26, 2024) – He knows you want to have a good time. And if you’re going to be at the 66th running of the DAYTONA 500 you’ll get it, as Daytona International Speedway today announced that Armando Christian Pérez, Pitbull, will kick-off the Great American Race on Sunday, Feb. 18 by performing the pre-race show on the ballfield.
“There’s no better way to get the energy flowing than with Pitbull performing our pre-race concert for the Daytona 500,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “Pitbull has continued to release major hits for over a decade and has shown tremendous longevity as an artist over the years. He’ll bring all the South Florida vibes and culture up here to put on quite the show for the 66th running of The Great American Race.”
Pitbull announced the next iteration of the “TRACKHOUSE” album series, set for release in February. The lyrics and cover of the EP titled “TRACKHOUSE: Daytona 500 Edition” reflect key elements of NASCAR’s biggest race. Pitbull joined Trackhouse Racing as a co-owner in 2021, connecting the world of music and racing to unite and inspire fans globally.
“It’s an honor to once again be part of the Great American Race, this time performing at the Daytona 500,” said Trackhouse team co-owner Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull).
“So Everyone start your engines, Get Ready and Dale!”
“Mr. Worldwide” has earned 46 total awards throughout his career, sold 25 million studio albums, has over 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and passed 18 billion YouTube views. Most recently his Billboard Hot 100 global hit “Give Me Everything,” featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer surpassed 1 Billion streams on Spotify, his third record to join Spotify’s billion streams club.
He’ll continue touring with fellow artists Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin on The Trilogy Tour during the first part of 2024.
Pitbull has collaborated with numerous famed artists including Jennifer Lopez, Usher, Enrique Iglesias, Kesha, Christina Aguilera, Ne-Yo and many more. Some of his most notable songs include “On the Floor,” “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love,” “I Like It,” “Timber,” “Feel This Moment,” and “Give Me Everything.” At the 2016 Grammy Awards, Pitbull’s second Spanish album Dale won the award for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album.
Pitbull’s concert serves as just one of the many highlights during Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth.
It all starts on Wednesday, Feb. 14, with DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light determining the front row for the DAYTONA 500. That’s followed up on Thursday, Feb. 15, with the Bluegreen Vacations Duel, where drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series battle it out for the chance to race on Sunday.
Friday, Feb. 16 sees the return of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in the Fresh From Florida 250. Then, the racing continues with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 17, with the ARCA Menards Series Race, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 300.
Then, on Sunday, Feb. 18 directly following Pitbull’s performance, drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series will make their 2024 season debut in the 66th running of the DAYTONA 500 at 2:30 p.m. ET. The concert will take place on pit road, visible from the grandstands, but fans with a Hard Rock Bet Fanzone Pass can watch Pitbull’s set up-close. Fans can still purchase the Infield Admission and Hard Rock Bet Fanzone Access Package, even without grandstand admission, which also grants access to driver and VIP appearances, a glimpse into the NASCAR Cup Series garages, up-close access to driver introductions and more. Fans who have already purchased a grandstand admission to The Great American Race can upgrade to include Hard Rock Bet Fanzone access to their experience.
Fans are encouraged to reserve their place in history during Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth by logging onto DAYTONA500.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Additionally, fans can buy or sell reserved seats for the DAYTONA 500 by visiting SeatGeek, the Official Ticket Marketplace of NASCAR.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway via www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as the NASCAR Tracks App, for the latest speedway news.
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. Some of the exciting racing events include January’s Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and Roar Before The Rolex 24, February’s DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, March’s Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By Monster Energy, featuring DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, the August Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, and much more. The Speedway grounds are also used extensively for other events that include concerts (Welcome to Rockville, etc.), sporting events (CLASH DAYTONA, etc.) civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Pitbull
Armando Christian Pérez, Pitbull, invites disruption on a global scale as a GRAMMY®-winning independent international superstar, education advocate, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker. With billions of audio streams, video views, and hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, he has one of the most impressive careers in music history.
Pitbull returned to the road in 2022 with the sold out North American Can’t Stop Us Now Tour along with his SiriusXM Globalization DJs packing amphitheaters and arenas coast-to-coast.
Beyond music, Armando has leveraged his business acumen through a diverse portfolio of investments and partnerships. He is co-owner of the NASCAR racing team Trackhouse and has successfully developed other ventures including his own record label Mr. 305, Inc., and Voli 305 Vodka.
Pitbull’s signature “EEEEEEEYOOOOOO” grito (yell) is one of the most famous sound trademarks in the music industry. Joining the ranks of fewer than 40 sounds that fall under trademark protection by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
He co-founded Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!), tuition-free public charter schools. SLAM! is recognized as one of the top school networks in the world.
Most recently, he released his new long-awaited Spanglish album titled Trackhouse.
Pitbull is currently on tour with Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin on The Trilogy Tour.
