Fazzino to unveil Daytona 500 print

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Famous 3-D pop artist Charles Fazzino will unveil two officially NASCAR licensed prints during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, the first commemorating the 48th running of the Daytona 500 and the second celebrating the opening of the 2006 Nextel Cup Series season. The unveiling will take place in the track's media center on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 11:15 a.m. ET.

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Fazzino, who was the official artist for the 2005 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in Indianapolis, is regarded to be one of the most popular pop artists in the world. He has been the official artist for the Super Bowl, Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Belmont Stakes, U.S. Olympic Teams, Country Music Awards, U.S. Tennis Foundation, Grammy Awards, NBC's Today Summer Concert Series, Rosie O'Donnell's "For All Kids" Foundation and the President William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation.

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The Daytona 500 is NASCAR's premier race and traditionally kicks off the Nextel Cup season. It is one of the largest events in all of motorsports, drawing more than 170,000 fans to the track, with the television broadcast shown worldwide.

"We're excited to have one of the most famous pop artists capture the essence of NASCAR's most prestigious race," said Robin Braig, president of Daytona International Speedway. "We look forward to Charles Fazzino's work which will no doubt become a collectible piece of art among race fans."

NASCAR officials take pride in the fact that Fazzino has produced a pair of prints that reflect the growing popularity of the sport.

"It's a terrific testament to the power of NASCAR that an artist of Charles Fazzino's caliber has produced two pieces of officially licensed artwork that are sure to be popular among our fans," said Mark Dyer, NASCAR vice president of licensing. "When you take a look at the sporting events and other national projects that Fazzino has been associated with in the past, it's a real compliment to NASCAR to have him target the Daytona 500 along with the upcoming Nextel Cup season."

"It's a great honor to have been selected by NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway to create the official commemorative artwork for both the Daytona 500 and the 2006 Nextel Cup season," Fazzino said. "I hope my artwork captures the magic and thrill of this exciting racing series and historic racing event."

Fazzino's officially licensed NASCAR prints will be available for fans to view and purchase on NASCAR.COM.

"Charles Fazzino has an exceptional ability to catch the greatness and tradition of a sporting event, and we're honored to be able to share his one-of-a-kind style with our visitors and customers, said Scott Bailey, vice president and general manager of NASCAR.COM. "I'm personally excited to see the fan's response to this incredible piece of art designed for the 2006 Daytona 500, and I know many others are as well."