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January 10, 2018

Legends, star power and fan appreciation highlight ninth annual NASCAR Hall of Fame weekend


RELATED: Meet the Class of 2018

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – An exciting weekend is in store for NASCAR fans beginning on Friday, Jan. 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina, featuring the stars of today and the legends of yesteryear.

The weekend will be filled with activities starting on Friday evening with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Induction Ceremony. The star-studded event will be followed by NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day on Saturday, Jan. 20 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and will include a one-of-a-kind experience for fans.

On Friday, Jan. 19 (8 p.m. ET on NBCSN and MRN), NASCAR icons Red Byron, Ray Evernham, Ron Hornaday Jr., Ken Squier and Robert Yates will be honored and inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as the Class of 2018. As part of the Induction Ceremony, Jim France will receive the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR and Norma Brandel will receive the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.

As in previous years, NASCAR legends and current drivers will be in attendance as the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2018 is inducted. Scheduled to make an appearance are reigning 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Ben Kennedy and Brad Keselowski. For tickets to the Induction Ceremony, visit nascarhall.com.

As part of NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day on Saturday, Jan. 20, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will offer free admission to the venue. NASCAR drivers past and present will participate in Q&A and autograph sessions throughout the day. Admission to the Hall of Fame and to the Q&A sessions will be free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis during NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day. Admission to driver autograph sessions is free but will require a ticket for participation. Doors will open at 8 a.m. and the Hall of Fame will close at 5 p.m.

Tickets to the autograph sessions below, featuring stars from all three NASCAR national series, must be secured in advance. Tickets will be available free of charge on nascarhall.com starting at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 13. Each fan can secure up to two tickets for only one of the seven autograph sessions (one ticket for an individual or two tickets for an individual and their guest). NASCAR Next driver autograph sessions do not require tickets. For more information on Fan Appreciation Day please visit nascarhall.com.

Q&A / Autograph Session
(High Octane Theater/Pre-Function Space Outside Crown Ballroom)
NASCAR Drivers
(Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series)
Session 1 (9 a.m. Q&A / 9:30-10:30 a.m. Autograph Session) Paul Menard, Cole Custer and Justin Haley
Session 2 (10 a.m. Q&A / 10:30-11:30 a.m. Autograph Session) Kyle Larson, Matt Tifft and Noah Gragson
Session 3 (11 a.m. Q&A / 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Autograph Session) William Byron, Elliott Sadler and Michael Annett
Session 4 (12 p.m. Q&A / 12:30-1:30 p.m. Autograph Session) Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott, Spencer Gallagher and Cody Coughlin
Session 5 (1:30 p.m. Q&A / 2-3 p.m. Autograph Session) Ryan Blaney, Ryan Reed and John Hunter Nemechek
Session 6 (2:30 p.m. Q&A / 3-4 p.m. Autograph Session) Alex Bowman and Dalton Sargeant
Session 7 (3:30 p.m. Q&A / 4-5 p.m. Autograph Session) Tyler Reddick and Joey Gase
Q&A / Autograph Session

(High Octane Theater/Great Hall)

NASCAR Next Drivers
Session 1 (10:20 a.m. Q&A / 11-11:40 a.m. Autograph Session) NASCAR Next drivers Harrison Burton, Hailie Deegan, Chase Purdy and Zane Smith
Session 2 (11:20 a.m. Q&A / 11:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Autograph Session) NASCAR Next drivers Chase Cabre, Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst, Cayden Lapcevich and Ty Majeski
Q&A / Autograph Session

(High Octane Theater/ Pre-Function Space Outside Crown Ballroom)

NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Inductees
10:40 a.m. Q&A / 9-10 a.m. Autograph Session* Ray Evernham, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Ken Squier

*Note: The Class of 2018 autograph session will be open to NASCAR Hall of Fame members only.

Times for Q&A sessions with all of the above drivers are noted and will begin prior to their autograph session. Q&A sessions are open to all guests and media. Please note that the schedule is subject to change.

Driver Q&A sessions will take place at the High Octane Theater in the Hall of Fame (access from Level 1 & 2) and will each last approximately 20 minutes. Autograph Sessions will take place in the pre-function space outside of the Crown Ballroom in the Charlotte Convention Center (connected to the Hall of Fame and accessible from Level 3). Note the NASCAR Next driver autograph sessions will take place in the Great Hall of the Hall of Fame.

Also, NASCAR tracks and official partners will be in attendance and will have various displays set up at the Hall of Fame for fans to visit, participate in and win prizes. As part of the festivities, Mack Trucks, the “Official Hauler of NASCAR,” will debut its new Mack Anthem, which includes several design features inspired by race cars. Following a ceremonial moment turning the Mack Anthem keys over to NASCAR, fans will have a chance to take a spin in the truck, which will haul NASCAR’s equipment and technology essential for facilitating the best racing in the world.

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