With the new school year also comes the Coca-Cola powered Wawa 250 and “Last-Chance” Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the World Center of Racing
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA (August 17, 2022) – New students and teachers at Turie T. Small Elementary School weren’t the only ones getting ready for the school year last week.
On Friday, August 12, Daytona International Speedway drove one of its eye-catching 2022 Pace
Cars (at the school zone speed limit of course) to the school entrance to surprise students at their “Meet the Teacher” event with cool tickets and grandstand tickets to the next Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Friday, August 26 (as part of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend). The tour was part of a “Back to School” partnership between Daytona International Speedway and four local elementary schools.
About 500 students were present at the Turie T. Small event, preparing for the start of the school year on Monday August 15 by meeting their teachers for the 2022-2023 school year. The students also met their new principal, Joy Boyd-Walker, as she welcomed the K-5e students who seemed just as eager to reunite with their classmates.
“The kids and their parents loved seeing the race car and getting all these gifts today,” Principal Boyd-Walker said. “We are excited to start the school year, and the support from the Daytona International Speedway community has been phenomenal.”
In addition to the race car and “loot bags,” which were filled with branded lanyards, sunglasses, stickers, notepads, and more, NASCAR and Daytona International staff members Speedway have brought 100 tickets to the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola – the next NASCAR Xfinity racing series.
“We really wanted to do something special for our local community and our schools here in Daytona Beach,” said Josh Harris, vice president of customer and event experience for DIS. “I’m so happy that we can be here at Turie T. Small and show our support for the kids as they prepare to start the school year.”
Nearly two weeks ago, the speedway sponsored the Volusia Back to School Bash presented by Daytona International Speedway at Volusia Mall. More than 2,700 families attended the event, where DIS provided branded “loot bags” filled with notepads, pens and other back-to-school materials to several hundred children and families.
As part of the same initiative, Daytona International Speedway is partnering with school principals to present the “Drive Your Future” award. Principals will honor one student per month, based on performance or behavior, and with the award, those students will receive four passes to visit the historic World Center of Racing along with other goodies. All award-winning students will also be offered breakfast with their principal, joined by Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher, at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
This Friday (August 19), the track pace car is once again ready to make the trip from International Speedway Boulevard to Palm Terrace Elementary, to congratulate their kindergarten class on completing their first week of school. In addition, the track will deliver 100 Wawa 250 tickets, 600 backpacks with back-to-school supplies, PLUS an ice cream party for a class.
As Daytona International Speedway welcomes back-to-school students from the local community, it’s also gearing up to welcome NASCAR drivers and fans to the iconic 2.5-mile trio oval track.
The Coca-Cola powered Wawa 250 is set to be green-flagged on Friday, August 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET and will feature seasoned veterans and “young guns” from the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The next day, Saturday, August 27 at 7 p.m., is the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the regular season’s last chance race to earn a spot in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
For more information on Daytona International Speedway and the upcoming race weekend, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
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