NASCAR drivers hit the road to promote Daytona 500
The cross-country media blitz will feature 11 cities and feature nearly 20 drivers. Each city on the tour will host a driver for a day of special events and media availabilities, all to promote the 57th running of "The Great American Race."
"We're excited to work with the drivers as we build the excitement throughout the country about the Daytona 500 and the start of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said in a release. "The Road to the Daytona 500 is a critical element in promoting 'The Great American Race.' "
The events actually kicked off on Jan. 2 in Jacksonville with 2014 Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. meeting with the media along the side Harley J. Earl Daytona 500 Trophy at the TaxSlayer Bowl, while also participating in a Twitter takeover of the track's Twitter handle and flipping the coin prior to the college football game between Tennessee and Iowa.
The other cities and drivers on the tour include:
— Washington D.C. (Jeff Gordon)
— Phoenix (Danica Patrick)
— Atlanta (Kyle Busch)
— Boston (Kevin Harvick)
— Chicago (Carl Edwards)
— Tampa (Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson)
— Los Angeles (Jimmie Johnson)
— Miami (Joey Logano)
— New York (Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin)
— Orlando (Matt Kenseth)
— Daytona Beach (Clint Bowyer, AJ Allmendinger and Ryan Newman)
Also, on the tour, Austin Dillon and his grandfather, Richard Childress Racing team owner Richard Childress will participate in an Escalator Duel to officially activate the new vertical transportation as part of the $400 million Daytona Rising project.
During Budweiser Speedweeks, Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne are expected to take flight with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who will provide the flyover for the 2015 Daytona 500.