DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 28, 2023) – Daytona International Speedway hosted a special luncheon event today featuring DAYTONA 500 Champions Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael Waltrip.
Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher spoke to guests in attendance, detailing NASCAR’s historic 75th Anniversary season, highlighting the success of the 2023 events at The World Center of Racing and previewing what’s to come in 2024, ending with a surprise announcement – the ninth consecutive sellout of the DAYTONA 500. This is the earliest the track has announced a sellout in the modern era.
The event was attended by community representatives and elected officials from Daytona Beach, Volusia County, and the state of Florida. Leaders from local businesses were in attendance as well alongside partners and representatives of NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway.
- Two-time DAYTONA 500 Champion Michael Waltrip acted as Master of Ceremonies for the event. Waltrip gave the introduction to kick-off the event.
- Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher discussed the historic NASCAR 75th Anniversary season, while also recapping 2023 at The World Center of Racing, including the record-breaking attendance at the Welcome to Rockville music festival, a fantastic Rolex 24 Hours at DAYTONA, Bike Week Presented by Monster Energy which featured a historic seventh win from Eli Tomac at DAYTONA Supercross, and the longest-ever DAYTONA 500 in NASCAR history.
- Kelleher also discussed the economic impact The World Center of Racing had on the greater community in 2023, and gave guests a glimpse into all the events taking place at the track in 2024.
- DAYTONA 500 Champions Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael Waltrip helped announce the 2024 DAYTONA 500 has sold out, nearly three months in advance of The Great American Race. This is the ninth consecutive sellout of the DAYTONA 500, the earliest the track has announced a grandstand and camping sellout in the modern era.
- Waltrip and Stenhouse discussed what it means to be a DAYTONA 500 Champion and be a part of this special event to announce the 2024 sellout.
- Track President Frank Kelleher discussed what it means to sellout the event so far in advance and to announce the sellout 81 days away from the NASCAR season opener.
- Waltrip and Stenhouse then took the stage for a Q&A session to discuss their racing careers and their hobbies outside of the car.
- Stenhouse announced the return of his partnership with Cottonelle for the 2024 DAYTONA 500.
- Guests took photos with Stenhouse, Waltrip and Kelleher next to the historic Harley J. Earl trophy.
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, Heroes Honor Festival, etc.), sporting events (DAYTONA Soccer Fest, CLASH DAYTONA, etc.) civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
About NASCAR
Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, 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’).
