Blackhawks star, Duncan Keith, named grand marshall for LifeLock.com 400: Duncan Keith, star defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks, will serve as Grand Marshal of the LifeLock.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway® on July 10, 2010. Keith, the 6-foot-1 fan favorite, made headlines during the historic run for the title through sheer stamina, strength and skill - especially after he returned to the ice less than seven minutes after losing seven teeth in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals in the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. He brought home plenty of hefty hardware in 2010, including the Norris Trophy for best all-around performance in the NHL and a Gold Medal from his home country's Olympic Games in Vancouver. Keith will also do a Question and Answer session at 3:30 p.m. on the LifeLock stage in Champions Park, before the LifeLock.com 400.(Chicagoland PR)
Friday, July 10, 2009
Jimmy Fallon named Grand Marshall of LifeLock.com 400: He may be associated with the most recognized opening line in American comedy, but on Saturday evening, July 11 the words fans at the LifeLock.com 400 will be waiting for from Jimmy Fallon will be the most famous phrase in racing – “Gentlemen, start your engines!” Fallon, host of NBC’s new “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” will come to you live from Chicagoland Speedway as Grand Marshal of the anchor event of the weekend, NASCAR Sprint Cup's LifeLock.com 400.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Speedway Exec: Chicagoland will not sell-out: NASCAR, which has experienced phenomenal growth, is feeling the economic pinch along with the rest of the nation. And that means the Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday night is likely to have its lowest attendance since the premier stock-car racing series began coming to the Joliet track in 2001. The bar has been set high. Seven of the first eight races at the 75,000-capacity were virtual sellouts. And the only non-sellout, in 2007, had only a few thousand empty seats. "We won't give the exact numbers, but we're down," new track president Craig Rust said Tuesday. "I do not believe we will sell out, but you can get surprised. The phones have been ringing this week, and we're going to keep pushing till the bitter end. We've seen late walkups at other tracks. It's a later-buying crowd. Fans are waiting longer to make their purchases, given the economy." (Gary Post-Tribune)
Monday, July 14, 2008
NASCAR plans grounded at Chicago's Midway airport: Several planes carrying NASCAR team members were grounded Saturday night at Midway Airport in Chicago when construction work on a runway prevented planes from leaving until early Sunday morning, airport officials confirmed. Among the planes affected were those carrying team members from Penske Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Hall of Fame Racing, among others. Passengers were stranded at the airport overnight with the first flights out not available until 7 a.m. Eastern Sunday. (ThatsRacin)
September 25, 2007
Chicagoland Speedway announces addition of lights: Chicagoland Speedway announced today the installation of lights for the 2008 season. With this new addition to the 1.5-mile, D-shaped oval, Chicagoland Speedway becomes only the 10th Nextel Cup facility able to hold night racing. The NASCAR race weekend at Chicagoland Speedway in 2008 will feature two night races - the Busch Series race on Friday, July 11, followed by the Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday, July 12.(Chicagoland Speedway PR)
June 22, 2006:
Ferrell named Chicagoland Grand Marshall: Columbia Pictures' "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," is coming to the Chicagoland Speedway on Sun., July 9, 2006 as the film's star, Will Ferrell, will serve as Grand Marshal for the USG Shttrock 400, Nextel Cup Series race. Ferrell's co-stars John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan and Leslie Bibb will be Chicagoland Speedway's honorary guests. Ferrell, who was nominated for a 2006 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in "The Producers," will declare the most famous phrase in racing, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" He'll then ride in the Grand Marshal car in front of the Pace Car, which leads the field of NASCAR drivers onto the track for the race. (Chicagoland Speedway PR)
June 5, 2006:
Chicagoland Speedway reap economic success: Every year since 2001, for one weekend in July, the Chicagoland Motor Speedway in Joliet has become the center of the NASCAR universe. And the Joliet area reaps the economic benefits not only in tax revenues but also with restaurants, hotels and other service establishments filled to the overflowing. NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) has become a U.S. sports staple on summer weekends. Spectators and fans come from miles away, some traveling across several time zones, to watch the big-name racers who have become iconic to their hard-core fan base. Some compare NASCAR entering a town to the likes of a Grateful Dead concert. NASCAR aficionados are not by means an army sporting tie-dyed T-shirts, psychedelic paraphernalia, and the masses preaching 60s ideals, but travel in the same spirit as a culture of dedicated followers willing to put the miles on their own vehicles to watch their favorite NASCAR circuit stars. Instead of preaching “peace and love” they are crowing about “Jr’s” (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) last race. Instead of wearing tie-dye they are wearing t-shirts and hats supporting their drivers. It is a culture unto itself, and once a year Joliet is its capital, ready to capitalize on the event. “Life changes here during the four days leading up to and during the race,” said James Haller, community development director for Joliet. “It really is something to behold.” The $130 million track is a 1.5 mile oval-shaped course and sits on approximately 930 acres of land. It was originally scheduled to be built in Plano, but when the plans fell through a group of Joliet-area businessmen put the wheels in motion and had the track built next to the Route 66 Raceway, which is primarily used for drag racing. (Full story at Business Ledger)
July 12, 2005
Chicago Overnight Ratings Down: NBC's broadcast of Sunday's USG Sheetrock 400 Nextel Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway earned a 4.9 overnight rating and an 11 market share from Nielsen Media Research, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Daily reports. The rating is 5.8 percent lower than the 5.2 overnight figure NBC drew for the Chicago race last year. (Scene Plus)
July 10, 2005
Earnhardt, Jr. Finally Wins. A jubilant Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke through for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup victory of the season Sunday, using a two-tire strategy and holding off Matt Kenseth to win at Chicagoland Speedway. “I was worried I was going to go winless this year,” the relieved Earnhardt said after smoking the tires on his No. 8 Chevrolet and celebrating with his crew in the infield grass. “Now, let’s go out and do it again, win some more.” Kenseth led 176 of the 267 laps but wound up second after choosing to change four tires and falling behind on his final pit stop in the USG Sheetrock 400. (MSNBC - Results - Points)
Another Chicago date in 2007? Lights to be Added? NASCAR chairman Brian France is expected to speak today on the possibility of Chicagoland Speedway adding a second Nextel Cup race to its schedule, perhaps as early as 2007. If that happens, the race track may also add lights, with either or both races landing on Saturday night on the schedule. If a second race at Chicagoland is added, the bigger questions would be when it would run and whether the date would be taken from another track on the circuit. The weather window for running in the area is short, and the fall collides with the college and pro football seasons. What's more, the Indy Racing League's date at Chicagoland is the second Sunday in September. The tickets for the IRL weekend are sold as part of this weekend's races as a package deal. Adding a third weekend to the package could slow sales, but splitting one of the two NASCAR weekends off separately could do the same thing. (Daily South)
July 1, 2005
Stremme to make Cup debut at Chicagoland: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in an alliance with FitzBradshaw Racing announced today that David Stremme will make his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series debut in the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 10th, 2005, with the United States Navy serving as primary sponsor on the No. 39 Dodge Charger. The United States Navy will also serve as the primary sponsor for Stremme in the NEXTEL Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway on September 10th. The upcoming NEXTEL Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway will mark the first foray into NEXTEL Cup Racing for the United States Navy. FitzBradshaw Racing co-owner Armando Fitz noted, “The sponsorship of David by the Navy in a Cup car further exemplifies the relationship between FitzBradshaw Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. We’re thrilled that the Navy has helped David further his racing career by sponsoring his first-ever Cup race.” Stremme is currently eighth in the NASCAR Busch Series point standings, driving the No. 14 Navy “Accelerate Your Life” Dodge. He has posted four top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 2005, to date. (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates)
June 18, 2005
Testing in Chicago: On Tuesday, June 21, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers #9-Kasey Kahne, #18-Bobby Labonte and #45-Kyle Petty will be testing at Chicagoland Speedway in preparation for the July 10th USG Sheetrock 400, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event. Several Busch series teams will also test. The test is closed to the public. (Chicagoland Speedway PR)
March 29, 2005
Chicago NASCAR Movie Screens: Race fans, Chicagoland Speedway, US*99.5 FM and Miller Lite invite you to come out to the Hollywood Blvd. Movie Theatre in Woodridge, Illinois to watch (4) NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races and the Indy 500 on the BIG screen for FREE! All ages are welcome to attend each of the viewing parties. Also, come out to meet radio show hosts from US*99.5 FM and win a variety of prizes. Prizes available to win include tickets to the Friday, July 8 NASCAR Pole Day (with access to the Miller Lite Rock n... Racing concert), Chicagoland Speedway, US*99.5 and Miller Lite merchandise, as well as Richard Petty Driving Experience Ride Alongs and much more! There will also be a Grand Prize drawing at each viewing party. The Grand Prize includes two (2) Chicagoland Speedway Track Packs for the 2005 season and one (1) Richard Petty Driving Experience Rookie School. Races will include, Sunday, April 3: Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway (Doors Open at 10:30 am) Sunday, May 1: Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway (Doors Open at 10:30 am) Sunday, May 29: Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Doors Open at 10:00 am) Sunday, May 29: Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe...s Motor Speedway (Doors Open at 3:00 pm) seating is limited to 250. (99.5 PR)
