DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The biggest stage in NASCAR is the Daytona 500, especially this year with the 50th running of the Great American Race. While not every area race fan can make it to Florida this weekend, they can see several of the drivers racing on Sunday at Gateway International Raceway July 19 for the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250.
One of the top stories coming out of Speedweeks was St. Louis native Kenny Wallace and his amazing performance in Thursday's qualifying race. Thanks to an eighth-place finish, "Herman," who will race the #36 Fitz Motorsports Dodge in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race here, starts 17th Sunday.
"Besides my wife and my children, this moment right now is the greatest time in my life," Wallace said in a post-race press conference. "It beats any Nationwide championship, any three-time most popular driver. This right here, this is the 50th Annual Daytona 500, the biggest sporting event in the United States right now, and I raced my way into it."
Another driver making headlines in Daytona is defending Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 winner Reed Sorenson. The 22-year-old driver for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has been fast all week and rolls off the starting grid fifth for the Daytona 500. Sorenson will defend his NASCAR Nationwide Series win here at GIR on July 19 and looks to put his Dodge Charger in Victory Lane for a third time, something that has never been done at the 1.25-mile oval.
"I spoke to his parents and members of his crew and they refer to Gateway as 'Reed's track,'" Gateway International Raceway Vice President and General Manager Lenny Batycki said from the Daytona International Speedway media center. "They're looking forward to coming back to the St. Louis area and putting on a great show and giving Dodge another victory in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250."
Columbia, Mo.-native Carl Edwards won the series title last year and is racing double duty in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the fourth consecutive season. Edwards, who won the 2006 event at GIR and called the victory at his home track the biggest win of his career, leads a group of NASCAR double-dippers to Gateway that includes Roush Fenway Racing teammate David Ragan, 2007 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship third-place finisher Clint Bowyer, and last year's Nationwide Series championship runner-up David Reutimann.
"The Daytona 500 is the showcase for some of the best drivers in the world and we're going to have several of them at Gateway," Batycki said. "When you throw in NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars like Jason Leffler and Johnny Sauter as well as the drivers we expect to be the future of the sport like Brad Coleman, Bryan Clauson, Landon Cassill, and Joey Logano, it definitely makes the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 a must-see event."
To be a part of the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Gateway International Raceway, call 866-35-SPEED or visit GatewayRaceway.com.
One of the top stories coming out of Speedweeks was St. Louis native Kenny Wallace and his amazing performance in Thursday's qualifying race. Thanks to an eighth-place finish, "Herman," who will race the #36 Fitz Motorsports Dodge in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race here, starts 17th Sunday.
"Besides my wife and my children, this moment right now is the greatest time in my life," Wallace said in a post-race press conference. "It beats any Nationwide championship, any three-time most popular driver. This right here, this is the 50th Annual Daytona 500, the biggest sporting event in the United States right now, and I raced my way into it."
Another driver making headlines in Daytona is defending Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 winner Reed Sorenson. The 22-year-old driver for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has been fast all week and rolls off the starting grid fifth for the Daytona 500. Sorenson will defend his NASCAR Nationwide Series win here at GIR on July 19 and looks to put his Dodge Charger in Victory Lane for a third time, something that has never been done at the 1.25-mile oval.
"I spoke to his parents and members of his crew and they refer to Gateway as 'Reed's track,'" Gateway International Raceway Vice President and General Manager Lenny Batycki said from the Daytona International Speedway media center. "They're looking forward to coming back to the St. Louis area and putting on a great show and giving Dodge another victory in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250."
Columbia, Mo.-native Carl Edwards won the series title last year and is racing double duty in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the fourth consecutive season. Edwards, who won the 2006 event at GIR and called the victory at his home track the biggest win of his career, leads a group of NASCAR double-dippers to Gateway that includes Roush Fenway Racing teammate David Ragan, 2007 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship third-place finisher Clint Bowyer, and last year's Nationwide Series championship runner-up David Reutimann.
"The Daytona 500 is the showcase for some of the best drivers in the world and we're going to have several of them at Gateway," Batycki said. "When you throw in NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars like Jason Leffler and Johnny Sauter as well as the drivers we expect to be the future of the sport like Brad Coleman, Bryan Clauson, Landon Cassill, and Joey Logano, it definitely makes the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 a must-see event."
To be a part of the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Gateway International Raceway, call 866-35-SPEED or visit GatewayRaceway.com.
