Chicagoland Speedway will bring the best of Chicago to the track
Plus commentary…imagine being six-years-old, meeting your favorite driver for the first time.
Last week on June 21st, Chicagoland Speedway celebrated the start of summer and two upcoming Summer NASCAR Weekends of racing by unveiling its new brand identity at a “Summer Beach Party” at Oak Street Beach. The beach party featured NASCAR stars Danica Patrick, 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr and 2011 Chicagoland Speedway race winner Justin Allgaier.
The new brand identity, which includes a refreshed logo and a strategic push to bring the very best of Chicago to the Speedway, also included the announcement of a multi-year partnership extension with Levy Restaurants, the leader in sports and entertainment dining.
“As we kickoff our 11th year as NASCAR’s home in Chicago, we are proud to host two major event weekends of racing for one of the most watched and attended sports in the country. Each year we welcome thousands of guests from all 50 states and several different countries who expect to see elements of Chicago when they come to an event at our facility, and we intend to deliver on that,” said Chicagoland Speedway president Scott Paddock. “In addition to our new branding, we’re proud to have our partners at Levy Restaurants, a long-time staple of the Chicago sports and restaurant scene, committed to enhancing the food and beverage experience by bringing classic Chicago foods and introducing signature offerings to the Speedway. Their expertise will allow fans to experience one of the world’s greatest cities each time they visit.”
While Chicago classics like the Italian beef, Chicago-style hot dog and other local favorites will star on the new menu, Chicagoland Speedway and Levy have also collaborated to create several new signature items that can only be found at the Speedway. The Blueberry Moonshine, the Chicken Waffle Sandwich, Brisket Slider and “The Intimidator” Dog, fully loaded with homemade mac and cheese and crispy bacon, are just a few new items that will debut at Chicagoland Speedway in 2012.
“Nothing gets your adrenaline going more than an incredible day at the races and we are excited to continue our partnership with Chicagoland Speedway,” said Andy Lansing, President and CEO of Levy Restaurants. “Matching the excitement on the track with the dynamite flavors of our home town is a true thrill for us so we look forward to continuing to welcome racing fans with Chicago style food and hospitality.”
In addition to the rebranding efforts and new food and beverage experience, Chicagoland Speedway will bring other elements of Chicago to fans that will enhance the overall guest experience, including integrating iconic architectural elements from the City, on-site entertainment, and new strategic partnerships with Chicago area-based businesses.
Source – Chicagoland Speedway
Commentary – Close your eyes for just a moment and imagine yourself being six-years-old, meeting your favorite driver for the first time. I had the good fortune to be able to attend this event along with six-year-old Miss K. As an observer, it was truly delightful hearing her talk about what might happen, even before attending the event.
Despite the clouds, we donned our swimwear and with Miss K in her fan gear, we headed for the beach and weathered the summer showers without an umbrella.
This was Miss K’s first fan experience meeting NASCAR drivers. She was a bit shy in the beginning but quickly warmed up, then was a bit speechless, once she actually met her NASCAR idol. Miss K is a Danica fan and was talking about going to see her all week. At breakfast, she told me she was dreaming the night before, about being at the beach and talking with Danica.
Among the clouds and all smiles afterward, Miss K was able to get an autograph on her Danica t-shirt and a photo with her too! It was truly inspirational to this one little fan – special thanks to Danica for making some time for her!
All the drivers were friendly and gracious, taking time to sign autographs, take photos and chat with everyone! And it was nice to see the energy and excitement for the the unveiling of the 2012 pace car for the first Chase race with the new Chicagoland Speedway branding and to be able to sample some of the new Chicago-favorite foods that will be offered at the track.
Looking forward to the races this summer in July and again for the first race of the Sprint Cup Chase in September! Anxious to see and hear what else will be new this year with “integrating iconic architectural elements from the City, on-site entertainment and new strategic partnerships…” Fun, Fun, Fun!
See photos from the event in our Fan at the Track – Oak Street Beach & Chicagoland Speedway photo blog. Also included are photos from Chicago area residents and Chicagoland Fans4Racing members, Jeffrey and Darcy – recently at Chicagoland Speedway for the Richard Petty Rookie Experience.
For more information and tickets to the upcoming Chicagoland Speedway races, call 1-888-629-RACE (7223) or go to ChicagolandSpeedway.com. Fans can also stay connected with Speedway activities on Twitter and Facebook.
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