Kitchen utensils are neatly organized. Credit: Turner Sports Interactive
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
July 3, 2003
1:32 PM EDT (1732 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- When you have to serve food and beverages, plus satisfy the collectible and product needs of hundreds of thousands of guests at a dozen motorsports facilities from coast to coast, it helps to have an in-house catering and merchandising wing.
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International Speedway Corporation founded Americrown Service Corporation in 1989 to serve that function. The motorsports entertainment company owns and operates a number of motorsports venues, including Daytona International Speedway, the site of Saturday night's Pepsi 400.
After previously subcontracting these functions, ISC saw an opportunity not only to ensure consistent quality and service for its corporate partners and fans, but also the possibility of creating an additional profit center.
Today, Americrown annually coordinates more than 200 large and small special events. To do this, it has assembled a team of managers from all areas of the food service and merchandising industries.
 | VIDEO CLIPS |  | Executive Sous Chef Alec Moore tells us how he prepares to feed over 20,000 hungry guests.
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Americrown's managers bring experience from fields such as theme parks, arena and stadium catering and concessions, convention center management, retail sales, food operations and sports franchises.
Americrown has a fleet of mobile kitchens, concession trailers and tents, souvenir trailers, cook ovens and support vehicles capable of handling large crowds at venues without permanent facilities, or to supplement existing facilities.
Americrown has continued a tradition of working with local non-profit organizations and clubs to enable them to conduct fund-raising operations while providing staffing for the many functions the company has to provide at an event hosting as many as 200,000 guests.
The four-day Independence Day holiday weekend at Daytona is only one example of how the program works.
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| Rows of ovens stand at the ready. Credit: Turner Sports Interactive |
During the weekend's three separate racing events, an estimated 1,000 volunteers from close to 100 non-profit organizations from Volusia, Flagler, Brevard, Seminole and Orange counties will be involved in concessions, merchandise and catering at the "World Center of Racing," raising money for their respective groups.
Non-profit organizations receive a percentage of after-tax sales for their efforts during race weekends at the historic track. In 2002, Daytona enabled these non-profits to generate more than $500,000.
High schools, churches and the Boy Scouts are among the non-profit organizations that work at Daytona.
Susan Gang and the Daytona Beach Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 4401 have been working at the speedway for more than two years, raising money they give to local and national charities.
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| Facilities include a large cooking area, complete with frying and grilling bays. Credit: Turner Sports Interactive |
In addition, the Daytona Beach Aerie is using the money they raise to construct a new building for their office.
"It's our main moneymaker," Gang said.
Non-profit organizations wishing to work at the speedway during race events should contact Americrown at (386) 947-3800.
The division is also capable of creating stand-alone hospitality venues, which it does at several areas at Daytona International Speedway, for both corporate and fan clientele.
As the speedway has expanded to a seating capacity of more than 168,000, its hospitality and guest services operation offers facilities on both the front and backstretches to offer a wide range of amenities in a fun and festive atmosphere.
The Green Flag Club is available on both the front and backstretches before the start of the 45th annual Pepsi 400 and includes appetizers and a dinner buffet, unlimited sodas and water, four beer tickets for guests 21 and over with a valid ID, pre-race pit road access, a NASCAR celebrity question and answer session and an event hat and souvenir pin.
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| No kitchen would be complete without a pantry. Credit: Turner Sports Interactive |
The Party Zone is available on the frontstretch before Friday's second annual NASCAR Busch Series Winn-Dixie 250 presented by PepsiCo and includes appetizers and a dinner buffet, unlimited sodas and water, four beer tickets for guests ages 21 and over with a valid ID, a Busch Series autograph session with select drivers and a souvenir gift.
Members of the exclusive Daytona Club take advantage of a 57,000 square foot climate-controlled suspension tent offering full food and beverage services, plus live entertainment. It is billed as one of the most luxurious pavilions on the Winston Cup circuit.
RCA recording artist Sara Evans will perform a mini-concert at the Daytona Club before the Pepsi 400 and also participate in a question and answer session with attendees. Later, she will sing the national anthem prior to the race.
To attend either the Green Flag Club or the Party Zone, fans must have a race ticket. Both climate-controlled tents will open at 3 p.m. on their respective race days. The Green Flag Club costs $150 per person while the Party Zone is $65.
For more information on Speedway hospitality packages and for tickets to the Pepsi 400 weekend, contact the Speedway ticket office at (386) 253-7223. For information on joining the Daytona Club, contact the Speedway's Sales and Marketing Partnerships at (386) 947-6475.
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