NASCAR Leads Industry With Annual Summit To Start 2016 Season

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NASCAR

NASCAR Leads Industry With Annual Summit To Start 2016 Season

Innovation And Safety Highlight Concord Gathering

With the DAYTONA 500 right around the corner, the men and women who are tasked with the safety, security and organization across NASCAR gathered in Concord, North Carolina, in a collaboration of ideas and advancements.

NASCAR’s annual Summit, the largest gathering of track services, medical, safety, and security personnel in the motorsports industry, will conclude today after three days of professional seminars, training and topical discussions.

The Summit began nearly 15 years ago when a small group of attendees gathered in January to share benchmarks and prepare for the upcoming NASCAR season. The 2016 Summit marked the 10th year it was held at the Embassy Suites Concord Conference Center.

“Seeking constant improvement is a hallmark that defines these dedicated professionals,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “As the industry collectively prepares to begin another racing season, the Summit provides a unique opportunity to exchange vitally important information, advancements, and best practices – with the overarching intent of delivering the best possible event experience.”

The Summit features general sessions and smaller breakout seminars and workshops specific to each functional area. This year’s event included more than 30 focused sessions on topics ranging from incident management to severe weather protocol. Senior Communication Consultant for Game On Nation and former NFL player Leonard Wheeler, a renowned expert in leadership development, delivered the keynote address for the event.

NASCAR also presented awards to individuals for meritorious achievements in their various fields. Bill Braniff, senior director of construction for International Speedway Corporation’s Design and Development unit, was honored with the Jim Bockoven Lifetime Achievement Award for his exemplary contributions across the NASCAR industry for more than 10 years in the area of track asphalt and maintenance. The full list of those recognized for their work in 2015 includes:

Medical

  • Above and Beyond Award – Andy “Sippy” Biron, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
  • Teamwork Award – Atlanta Motor Speedway Infield Care Center and New Hampshire Motor Speedway Infield Care Center / Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital
  • Excellence Award – Jay Nadeau, Daytona International Speedway

Security

  • Steve Beres – Director of Security, Daytona International Speedway
  • Greg Scott – Senior Manager of Event Operations, Kansas Speedway
  • Bill Hindman – Security Manager, Phoenix International Raceway

Track Services

  • Jim Bockoven Track Services Lifetime Achievement Award – Bill Braniff, International Speedway Corporation
  • Excellence in Track Services Award – George Ewald, Pocono Raceway
  • Track Services Teamwork Award – Road Atlanta
  • Track Services Innovation Award – Dan Eakins (R&B Fabrications)
  • Track Services Mission Award – Kristina Frederick, Kentucky Speedway

The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season will kick off with the 58th running of the Daytona 500® on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway®. The Great American Race® will be broadcast live on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

NASCAR IMC

International Speedway Corporation Partners with DraftKings to Fuel Exclusive High-Speed Experiences

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DraftKings_Logo

International Speedway Corporation Partners with DraftKings

to Fuel Exclusive High-Speed Experiences

International Speedway Corporation today announced a new partnership with DraftKings, a leading daily fantasy sports destination. DraftKings will serve as the ‘Official Daily Fantasy Sports Provider’ of ISC motorsports entertainment facilities.

At ISC facilities across the U.S., tracks will feature DraftKings branding and give on-site opportunities for fan engagement. ISC will communicate DraftKings NASCAR daily fantasy sports games through event-day announcements, broadcast, digital and social channels and through a significant presence on MRN, the nation’s largest independent sports network. Continue reading

Toyota is First Founding Partner of Historic Daytona Rising Project

Photo - ISC

Photo – ISC

Toyota Becomes First Founding Partner of Historic DAYTONA Rising Project At Daytona International Speedway 

Extends Multi-Year Partnership At Several International Speedway Corporation Properties

International Speedway Corporation is announcing a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership with Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A., Inc. that will make Toyota the first Founding Partner at Daytona International Speedway as part of its unprecedented $400 million DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project.  Continue reading

Historian Buz McKim’s Road to NASCAR’s Hall of Fame

Photo - Courtesy of the NASCAR Hall of Fame

Photo – Courtesy of the NASCAR Hall of Fame

Buz McKim hails from Hackensack, N.J. and was born into the sport of auto racing with a father who owned cars which competed in the NASCAR Sportsman and NASCAR Modified Divisions on northeastern race tracks in the early 1950’s. While still in high school McKim attempted a driving career, but, as a natural-born artist, found it was more profitable to paint the numbers on the cars instead.

He pursued a career in commercial art, creating many pieces of work used in Indianapolis 500 yearbooks of the mid-1970s and also designed many paint schemes for cars in NASCAR’s premier series during the 1970’s including the 1975 and 1976 Daytona 500-winning cars of Benny Parsons and David Pearson, respectively. McKim was commissioned by Anheuser-Busch to paint the official portrait of 1997 NASCAR Busch Series champion Randy Lajoie and 1998 champ Dale Earnhardt Jr. McKim later developed a line of limited-edition racing prints dealing with historical NASCAR moments from the careers of Richard Petty, Mark Martin and NASCAR legend Fireball Roberts.  Continue reading

Talladega Fans Now Have Fingertip Access to Tickets Using Smartphones

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Talladega Fans Now Have Fingertip Access to Aaron’s Dream Weekend Tickets Using Smartphones 

Talladega_Superspeed_CIt just got even easier for fans to purchase tickets to NASCAR’s most exciting and unpredictable venue – Talladega Superspeedway. It’s now literally at a consumer’s fingertips.

To directly gain access to Aaron’s Dream Weekend, May 3-5 – which is less than two weeks away – fans can now use their smartphones.  The new mobile-friendly fan experience, created by Moovweb, gives users quick and easy access to purchase event tickets as well as other opportunities such as the Talladega Experience – NASCAR’s ultimate hospitality venue – and much more. Simply log onto talladegasuperspeedway.com on the mobile device and select the “Buy Tickets” link.  Continue reading