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NASCAR Nationwide Series

Thursday, July 24 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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2014 Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard activity Thursday, July 24 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

DAY: IMSA Practice, Qualifying/Hauler Parade

SCHEDULE (all times local):

  • 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Public Gates Open
  • 9-10:30 a.m. Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Practice
  • 10:45-12:15 a.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Practice (All Classes)
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Practice
  • 1:45-2:45 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Practice (All Classes)
  • 3:00-3:15 p.m. Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge – ST Qualifying
  • 3:30-3:45 p.m. Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge – GS Qualifying
  • 4:00-4:15 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – GTD Qualifying
  • 4:20-4:35 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – GTLM Qualifying
  • 4:45-5 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – PC Qualifying
  • 5:05-5:20 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – P Qualifying
  • 5-8 p.m. Hauler Parade, Main Street, Speedway

TICKETS: $10. Children 12 and under free with adult general admission ticket-holder. Hauler Parade is free.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN: 8 a.m. (local time). Pedestrian gates open are Gates 1, 1B, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 South, 9, 10, 10A, 27.

STANDS OPEN : E Stand, E Penthouse, North Vista Wheelchair (as needed-Sec. 21), Northwest Vista (as needed, Sec. 1-5), Northwest Vista Deck, Paddock (as needed, Sec. 9-18), Paddock Penthouse (as needed, Sec. 9-18), South Terrace, Tower Terrace (as needed, Sec. 37-40), Tower Terrace Wheelchair, Wheelchair Accessible (Inside), Backstretch Family Mounds, Turn 2 Mounds, Hulman and Shaw Viewing Mounds, 6th Street Viewing Mound.

MUSEUM HOURS: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for fans 6-15 years old, with children under 6 free. Gate admission to the Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard is not included in IMS Hall of Fame Museum admission and must be purchased separately.

Hauler Parade Kicks Off 2014 Kroger Super Weekend

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The 2014 Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard will kick off this Thursday, July 24, with the sixth annual Hauler Parade. This event allows fans to enjoy the color and excitement of NASCAR leading into the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The event will take place from 5-8 p.m. on Main Street in Speedway. Admission is free.

There will be many events for fans to enjoy throughout the evening, including an appearance by legendary NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett, who will be the grand marshal of the Hauler Parade.

Another featured guest will be retired Green Beret John Wayne Walding of Little Elm, Texas, the hero who received naming rights to the Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com NASCAR Sprint Cup race Sunday, July 27, at IMS.

The event will feature an autograph session with IMSA drivers Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, and fans may also enjoy live music, children’s activities and interactive displays from the Indiana Pacers, the Indiana Fever and the Indy Eleven.

Fans also can watch the haulers parade north on Main Street and east on 16th Street at 7:55 p.m., as they depart the Hauler Parade single-file and enter the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

2014 Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard Schedule

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THURSDAY, July 24

On-Track Schedule

  • 9-10:30 a.m. Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Practice
  • 10:45-12:15 a.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Practice (All Classes)
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Practice
  • 1:45-2:45 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Practice (All Classes)
  • 3:00-3:15 p.m. Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge – ST Qualifying
  • 3:30-3:45 p.m. Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge – GS Qualifying
  • 4:00-4:15 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – GTD Qualifying
  • 4:20-4:35 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – GTLM Qualifying
  • 4:45-5 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – PC Qualifying
  • 5:05-5:20 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – P Qualifying

Off-Track Activities

  • Sixth Annual Hauler Parade (Free, Main Street, Speedway)
    • 5-6 p.m. Hauler Parade festivities begin. Live Music by Tim Dugger (Hauler Parade Stage, Main Street, Speedway)
    • 6 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Haulers Arrive on Main Street
  • IMSA Autograph Session Begins
    • 6:10 p.m. Hauler Parade Welcome with Doug Boles, Dale Jarrett and John Wayne Walding (Hauler Parade Stage)
    • 7-8 p.m. Live Music by Michael Ray (Hauler Parade Stage)
    • 7:55 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Haulers depart from Main Street
    • 8 p.m. Event concludes

Note: On hand at the event will be Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles, NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and Hauler Parade Grand Marshal Dale Jarrett, and IMSA drivers Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas

Tickets

  • General admission: $10. Children 12 and under admitted free with adult general admission ticket-holder.
  • Super Weekend Ticket: Four-day general admission, $82. Children 12 and under admitted free with adult general admission ticket-holder.

Gates Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

FRIDAY, July 25

On-Track Schedule

  • 8:30-10 a.m. NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice
  • 10:30-11:25 a.m. NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice
  • 11:35-1 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice
  • 2:30-5:05 p.m. Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Race (Timed, 150 Minutes)
  • 5:45 -8:30 p.m. Brickyard Grand Prix (TUDOR Series) Race (165 Minutes)

Off-Track Activities (Chevy Day at the Brickyard)

  • Chevy Driver Autograph Sessions (all in Rick Mears and Mauri Rose rooms on Legends Row):
    • Scheduled to appear at 8:30 a.m., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon. 9 a.m., Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr. All participating fans must have a wristband for each session, one autograph per person. Wristband distribution for both sessions starts at 8 a.m. in the Pagoda Plaza, with 150 wristbands available per session. All participants – adults and children – must have a wristband.
  • Team Chevy Driver Q&A (all on Chevy Stage north of Pagoda Plaza): 9 a.m., Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Martin Truex Jr.; 9:35 a.m., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon; 1 p.m., Ty Dillon; 1:15 p.m., Brendan Gaughan; 1:30 p.m., Josh Reaume; 1:45 p.m., Dylan Kwasniewski; 2 p.m., Tony Stewart; 2:15 p.m. Chad Boat
  • IMSA Fan Fest: TUDOR United SportsCar Championship series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race cars on display, drivers available for fan interaction, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Hulman Boulevard (back straightaway of road course)
  • Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Pre-Race Ceremonies: Driver introductions, command to start engines, 2:10-2:30 p.m.
  • Brickyard Grand Prix Pre-Race Ceremonies: Driver introductions, command to start engines, 5:35-5:40 p.m.
  • Kids Zone: Radio Disney, inflatables, games, Hero Zone obstacle course, Pit Stop Challenge, face painting and more, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., infield

Tickets

  • General admission: $30. Children 12 and under admitted free with adult general admission ticket-holder.

Gates Open 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, July 26

On-Track Schedule

  • 9-11 a.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice
  • 12:10-1:50 p.m. NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying
  • 2:10-3:45 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying
  • 4:50-6:15 p.m. Lilly Diabetes 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series Race (100 laps)

Off-Track Activities

  • NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver Autograph Session: Autographs with Ty Dillon, Trevor Bayne, Dylan Kwasniewski, Chase Elliott, Regan Smith, 10-11 a.m., Pagoda Plaza Pavilion All participating fans must have a wristband, with one item to be signed per driver. Wristband distribution for both sessions starts at 8 a.m. in the Pagoda Plaza, with limited availability.
  • Team Chevy Driver Q&A (all on Chevy Stage north of Pagoda Plaza): 11:45 a.m., Justin Allgaier; Noon, Danica Patrick.
  • Nationwide Drivers “Brick Walk,” Pagoda Plaza at 3:15 p.m.
  • Pre-Race Ceremonies: Driver introductions, military salute, patriotic songs, invocation, command to start engines, 4-4:38 p.m.
  • Brickfest Music Festival (Free with admission, infield Brickfest Music Festival Stage)
    • 6:30 p.m. A Thousand Horses
    • 7:15 p.m. The Band Perry
    • 8:45 p.m. Justin Moore
  • Kids Zone: Radio Disney, inflatables, games, Hero Zone obstacle course, Pit Stop Challenge, face painting and more, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., infield. Also at the Kids Zone, the Illiana Watermelon Association will donate and distribute cups of free homegrown Indiana watermelon and will accept donations for Riley Children’s Hospital. Internationally recognized Chef Joseph Poon will be on hand to showcase watermelon carvings, and there will be stickers for the kids. Racecar driver Ross Chastain will also be appearing in the booth to talk with racing fans.

Tickets

  • Reserved seats: Range from $51-67.
  • General admission: $25. Children 12 and under admitted free with adult general admission ticket-holder.

Gates Open 7 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, July 27

On-Track Schedule

  • 1-4 p.m. Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com

Off-Track Activities

  • Team Chevy Driver Q&A (all on Chevy Stage, north of Pagoda Plaza): 9 a.m., Kyle Larson pit crew autograph session; 9:35 a.m., Ryan Newman; 10 a.m., Kevin Harvick, 10:20 a.m., Jimmie Johnson
  • Brickfest Music Festival (Free with admission, Infield Brickfest Music Festival Stage)
    • 8:30 a.m. Lauren Jenkins
    • 9:00 a.m. Scotty Emerick
    • 9:30 a.m. A Thousand Horses
    • 10:20 a.m. Drake White
    • 11:15 a.m. Brantley Gilbert
    • Note: Fans also can enjoy a giant slide, Eurobungy and a mechanical pig in the Brickfest area.
  • Track Walk: Fans who purchased Reserved Seats for Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 can take a complimentary walk on IMS oval from 9:15-10:30 a.m.
  • Brickwalk: Fans can watch drivers walk down Yard of Bricks in Pagoda Plaza to Pagoda for driver introductions, noon-12:25 p.m.
  • Pre-Race Ceremonies: Driver introductions, military salute, patriotic songs, invocation, command to start engines, 12:27-1:08 p.m.
  • Pre-Race Music Performances (Victory Podium))
  • 12:56 p.m.: America the Beautiful: Ashley Campbell; 1:04 p.m.: National anthem, Drake White
  • Kids Zone: Appearances by NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Greg Biffle (9-9:20 a.m.) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (10-10:20 a.m.), Radio Disney, inflatables, games, Hero Zone obstacle course, Pit Stop Challenge, face painting and more, 8 a.m. until Lap 80 of Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com, infield. Also at the Kids Zone, the Illiana Watermelon Association will donate and distribute cups of free homegrown Indiana watermelon and will accept donations for Riley Children’s Hospital. Internationally recognized Chef Joseph Poon will be on hand to showcase watermelon carvings, and there will be stickers for the kids. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Ross Chastain will also be appearing in the booth to speak with racing fans.

Tickets

  • Reserved seats: Range from $41-159.
  • General admission: $30. Children 12 and under admitted free with adult general admission ticket-holder.
  • Turn 3 Infield Public Parking: $25. Must be purchased in advance from IMS Ticket Office or www.ims.com/tickets. Parking in other IMS lots outside of track available for $20.

Gates Open 6 a.m.-6 p.m.

Country Music Stars To Perform July 27-28 At IMS Brickfest Music Festival

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Big Machine once again will bring a host of country music artists, including headliner Justin Moore, to the Brickfest Music Festival on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 during the Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Moore will perform Saturday, July 27 after the Indiana 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and Sunday, July 28 before the Crown Royal Presents the “Your Hero’s Name Here” 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com.

One of the most popular and accomplished young artists to hit the country music scene in years, Moore will play Saturday afternoon on the Pagoda Plaza Stage shortly after the checkered flag for the Indiana 250, with vivacious trio The Cadillac Three opening the show.

Moore then will play a pre-race mini concert on the IMS main straightaway before the 1 p.m. start of the 20th running of the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

A number of other stars on the Big Machine Label Group roster will perform Sunday at the Brickfest Music Festival beginning at 9 a.m. Cassadee Pope will sing the national anthem during pre-race ceremonies while The Cadillac Three and Dustin Lynch will perform pre-race concerts. These performances will take place on the infield stage inside Turn 2, near the IMS Hall of Fame Museum. A Big Machine artist to be announced will sing “America the Beautiful” during pre-race ceremonies.

All performances are free with admission to the track for each day. A glance at the performers:

Justin Moore

Moore’s star has grown significantly since he was named Billboard’s “Top New Country Artist of 2009.” Southern Country stylist Moore recently released the lead single, “Point At You,” from his upcoming third album. He has sold more than 4.5 million digital downloads to date and his gold-certified sophomore album, “Outlaws Like Me,” hit the No. 1 spot the week it was released. The project includes the fastest-rising single of Moore’s career, “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” which ascended to the No. 1 spot, the fan favorite “Bait A Hook” and his first love song, No. 1 smash “Til My Last Day.” His debut album scored three consecutive smash singles – the No. 1 “Small Town USA” and the hits “Backwoods” and “How I Got To Be This Way.”

Cassadee Pope

Pope’s unique vocals and powerful performances stole the national spotlight when she won Season 3 of NBC’s hit show, “The Voice,” as part of Team Blake (Shelton). She excelled throughout the competition, taking three “Voice” performances to the No. 1 spot on the iTunes All-Genre Chart. She recently returned to “The Voice” to debut her first Republic Nashville single “Wasting All These Tears,” which is available on iTunes and has already catapulted to the No. 1 spot on the Country Singles Chart. Recorded with esteemed producer Dann Huff, the lead single will be one of the many featured on her forthcoming debut album, slated for later this year. The talented singer/songwriter is working with CMT on a DOCU SERIES, which will debut in the fall and give an inside look at the making of her album. This summer, the Florida native is on the road with Rascal Flatts on the LIVE & LOUD Tour.

The Cadillac Three

The Cadillac Three is a high-energy trio that describes its sound as “country fuzz.” Composed of Nashville natives Jaren Johnston, Kelby Ray and Neil Mason, the band is a country group with a rockin’ edge. Johnston, the group’s lead vocalist, is known for writing Keith Urban’s No. 1 smash “You Gonna Fly,” two new cuts on Tim McGraw’s latest record and several other tunes for acts like Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans and Dierks Bentley. The Cadillac Three is expected to release new music later this year.

Dustin Lynch

With his debut single, “Cowboys and Angels,” Broken Bow Records’ Dustin Lynch has earned a No. 1 album and more than a million single sales. He’s soared to No. 1 on the MTV Music Meter, earned a No. 1 ringtone on CMT, a Top 5 on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs Chart, and a No. 2 country radio hit. Lynch is the ONLY new male act to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Album Chart in 2012. People magazine declared “Dustin Lynch” to be “one of the best debuts of 2012,” ELLE named him one of its Top 10 Up-And-Comers, and the editors of Rolling Stone lauded him as one of “Nashville’s Newest Hitmakers” in its 2013 Best of Rock issue. Lynch’s new single, “Wild In Your Smile,” was most added at country radio upon release. He is a writer on Big Machine Music.

This musical lineup continues the relationship between Big Machine and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that began with superstar group Rascal Flatts performing on the main straightaway and the legendary Reba signing “America The Beautiful” before the start of the 2011 Crown Royal presents the “Your Hero’s Name Here” 400 at the Brickyard.

Popular recording act The Band Perry served as the featured performers before last year’s Crown Royal Presents the Curtiss Shaver 400 at The Brickyard, with Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks, signing the national anthem.

Big Machine Label Group, led by President and CEO Scott Borchetta, includes Big Machine Records, The Valory Music Co., Republic Nashville and Big Machine Music.

The 20th running of the Crown Royal Presents the “Your Hero’s Name Here 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com on Sunday, July 28 will be the climactic event of the second annual Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard.

The weekend schedule also features the NASCAR Nationwide Series racing in the Indiana 250 Saturday, July 27 on the IMS oval, and GRAND-AM Road Racing conducting separate races for its Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge on Friday, July 26 on the 13-turn IMS Grand Prix road course.

Source: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver Could Win $1 Million At Indiana 250

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The Indiana 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, July 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be the final event in the Dash 4 Cash, a popular, returning program that could award $1 million to a driver and will award $100,000 to a fan.

This year, the Nationwide Series race June 28 at Kentucky Speedway will be the qualifier for the “Dash 4 Cash,” the beginning of the popular NASCAR Nationwide Series program that could result in a $1 million payout to one talented driver. The Kentucky race will determine the four eligible drivers that could win one of the four $100,000 payouts that make up the program beginning July 5 at Daytona International Speedway.

Following Daytona, the next three series races are Dash 4 Cash (D4C) events: July 13 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, July 21 at Chicagoland Speedway and the Indiana 250 on July 27 at IMS.

Last August, Sam Hornish Jr. was the highest-finishing points-eligible driver in the final D4C race at Iowa Speedway – which paid him and his fan partner, Tammy Altieri, $100,000 each.

“We had a lot of good races throughout that stretch last season,” said Hornish, second in the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series standings. “We were finally able to win the Dash 4 Cash bonus at Iowa. For us, it is great because it is a nice bonus, but at the end of the day to be able to give the fan a $100,000, as well, was awesome. She was so excited, and it was truly life-changing for her. Nationwide Insurance and their commitment to this series is unprecedented.”

Here’s how the Dash 4 Cash (Twitter – #Dash4Cash) program works:

  • The top-four finishers in the Kentucky race who are eligible to receive NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points will qualify for the first D4C race at Daytona International Speedway.
  • The highest finisher of those four drivers at Daytona – he or she does not have to win the race – will win the first $100,000 D4C award and automatically qualify for the next event at New Hampshire. Additionally, the top-three finishing points-eligible drivers at Daytona will also qualify for the race at New Hampshire.
  • Those rules will apply for the remaining three events. If one driver wins the first three D4C awards and then wins the Indianapolis race outright, Nationwide Insurance will award the driver an additional $600,000 bonus, bringing the total payout to $1 million.

Fans can apply to be a part of the action by entering the NASCAR Nationwide Series $100,000 Sweepstakes at www.nascar.com/Dash4Cash.

Four lucky individuals and a guest will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the final D4C event, the Indiana 250 at IMS during the Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard. The four fans will be randomly paired with the four eligible D4C drivers for that race, and the fan whose driver wins the D4C award will also go home with a check for $100,000, like Altieri did last year.

“The Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash program is something that is unique to the racing community in general,” said Nationwide Series contender Justin Allgaier. “I have not seen a title sponsor develop a program quite like this is. The money part is really cool, but the prestige and the want to win it is the biggest part. We’ve been fortunate to qualify for it several times, but I have also been on the outside looking in. Hoping this year we can qualify for all four races and go for the big bonus at the end.”

Interesting Entry List For The Indiana 250

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The entry list for the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indiana 250 on Saturday, July 28, features an interesting mix of drivers.

A handful of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars will race in the 100-lap event, including 2011 Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard, 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne.

Also included are two female drivers, 2005 Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick and Johanna Long (photo above)*.

Two Indianapolis 500 veterans are entered, Patrick and 2006 winner Sam Hornish Jr.

Other interesting entries include action sports superstar Travis Pastrana and Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of 1995 Brickyard 400 winner Dale Earnhardt.

The Indiana 250 starts at 4:50 p.m. Saturday.

*Funny side note. While I was out at IMS back in March to meet with Stéphan Grégoire, Johanna Long happened to be there as well while they put up the flags. I snapped a few photos since I was there already. The next thing I know, they think I am there to interview Johanna (understandable of course), but I had no clue who she was…that always makes for an awkward interview, right? So that didn’t occur, but I made sure I was informed as soon as I got back to my office. So who knows, maybe we’ll catch up with her now that I do know who she is.