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01/11/2013 |
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DAYTONA ON
DECK FOR BEST OF NASCAR'S SHORT-TRACK STARS
UNOH Battle At The
Beach Final Event Details Announced |
Nearly
11 months ago, NASCAR and Daytona International
Speedway announced the concept of a unique
short-track event to take place Feb. 18-19 during
the 2013 Speedweeks. With the kickoff just over five
weeks away, the anticipation and excitement around
the inaugural UNOH Battle At The Beach continues to
rise.
Friday, NASCAR released the entry blanks to the
competitors that outlined the complete details, from
the final event schedule to the complete race format
for the special non-points events.
“Our team has devoted a great deal of time
generating feedback from not only drivers and
owners, but fans and media as well, to work to
create a truly special event that will serve as the
crown jewel of the short-track calendar,” said Brad
Moran, NASCAR touring series director. “The end
result is a format and rules package designed to
showcase the best talent throughout NASCAR’s
regional and touring series.
“The benefit of this being a completely new and
unique event is we were able to take a fresh look at
everything and really create something special and
exciting.”
The UNOH Battle At The Beach will take place on a
.4-mile oval located on the Superstretch at Daytona
International Speedway. The two-day event will begin
Feb. 18, the day after pole qualifying for the 55th
running of the Daytona 500 and setting the stage for
the “World Center of Racing” to host the entire
spectrum of NASCAR racing during Speedweeks.
Highlights of the UNOH Battle At The Beach
include:
* Three 150-lap features: the Late Model division
of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, the NASCAR
Whelen Modified Tours and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.
* The final race for the NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series will be Monday night, while the NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tours and NASCAR K&N Pro Series will be
Tuesday night. Both nights of racing will air live
on SPEED.
* The event is designed to highlight the star power
throughout the NASCAR touring & regional series and
is limited to non-national series competitors.
* The qualifying concept is simple: Race your way
into the field. Translation: 2012 race winners and
series champions received protected spots in the
main events of their respective tour races. The
remaining spots of each of the 34-car fields will be
decided through heat races, and a last-chance race
if necessary.
* Top-10 finishers in the NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series Division I national standings earn starting
spots in the Late Model race.
* Heat races will be seeded by fastest lap speeds in
each of the final practices. Locked-in drivers must
still compete in the heat races to determine where
they’ll start in the features.
* There will be two heat races apiece for the NASCAR
K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tours. The
winners of each of the heat races will make up the
front row, with a coin flip to determine which row
will start on the inside and which will start on the
outside.
* The Late Model division will have four heat races,
followed by a special draw to determine starting
positions one through four for the heat-race
winners.
* The three international series champions – D.J.
Kennington of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
presented by Mobil 1, Jorge Goeters of Mexico’s
NASCAR Toyota Series, and Spain’s Ander Vilarino of
Euro Racecar Series, NASCAR touring series, received
locked-in spots to whichever one of the three races
they elect to enter.
The Late Model rules were announced in October and
are based on both sections – Late Model Stock Car
Division and Mid-West/West Coast Late Model Division
– as outlined in the 2013 NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series Rule Book.
During 2012 Champions Week in Charlotte for the
NASCAR regional and touring series, Daytona
President Joie Chitwood unveiled the special event
trophies. In a tribute to Daytona’s racing heritage,
the trophies are designed to reflect those
previously presented to race winners during the days
of racing on the beach.
Entry blanks for NASCAR-licensed competitors are
being mailed to competitors and are available
through the NASCAR's membership website;
non-licensed competitors are asked to contact Sharon
Grzanich (sgrzanich@nascar.com or (386) 310-6324).
Fans can follow NASCAR regional and touring series
(@NASCARHomeTrack) and Daytona International
Speedway (@DISUpdates) on Twitter and stay up to
speed on the latest news by using hashtag #NASCARBattle.
Tickets for the UNOH Battle At The Beach, along with
all other Budweiser Speedweeks 2013 events, can be
purchased online at
www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by
calling 1-800-PITSHOP.. |
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Source: Jason Christley / NASCAR
Posted: January
11, 2013 |
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