FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COUNTRY 500

“The Great American Music Fest at Daytona”

Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Willie Nelson and 40 More Stars 

To Rock Daytona International Speedway Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-29, 2016

Tickets on Sale and Complete Music Lineup to Be Released

November 3

Sign up to be on the mailing list and get all the festival info as soon as it becomes available at 

Country500.com; Country 500 on Facebook; @Country500 on Twitter

(Daytona Beach, Fla.) – October 15, 2015 – Daytona International Speedway, the “World Center of Racing,” will host the inaugural Country 500 music festival featuring Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Kid Rock, TBA, Lady Antebellum, Willie Nelson and dozens more over Memorial Day Weekend—May 27, 28 & 29, 2016.  The complete Country 500 lineup, including the Friday night headliner, will be released on November 3 and tickets, camping and VIP packages will go on sale to the public the same day.  Fans should plan to take advantage of the special early bird pricing ($199) for weekend general admission passes beginning on November 3.

Also called “The Great American Music Fest at Daytona,” the Country 500 festival will feature the biggest stars in country music spread over three days and nights, programmed on three huge performance stages—all specially designed and built for the festival.  Country 500 will take place on the infield of the world-famous Daytona International Speedway, a historic first mega-music festival inside the hallowed grounds of one of the most iconic motorsports venues in America.

Just as it is for the great races at the Speedway, Country 500 will allow fans to actually camp out in the infield, literally inside the festival.  A full-range of camping opportunities is available for virtually any budget, from pitching a tent to deluxe RV locations.  

Special VIP packages called “Crew Chief VIP Experience” and “VIP Pit Pass” (see attached) allow for an exclusive upfront, golden-circle viewing area at the main stage with side stage access at the other performances areas plus access to comfortable hospitality areas, private cash bars and many other comforts and amenities. Visit Country500.com or call 1-844-500-FEST for VIP benefits, camping information and all the Country 500 details.

Fans at the festival will also have the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of their favorite country stars at artist meet-and-greets located throughout pit road and the garages. Numerous other features—a select festival menu sold from food booths and food trucks; carnival rides; arcade games; cooling water elements; country-and-western merchandise; fireworks; and more—will all be a part of the festival, as Country 500 transforms racing’s greatest venue into a festival-goer’s dream.

Visit Country500.com or call 1-844-500-FEST for tickets, camping, parking, and other festival information.  Make sure to sign up on the Country 500 mailing list and get all the festival info including travel packages and hotel accommodations as soon as it becomes available.

“Luke Bryan closing out the Festival Sunday night; Kid Rock, Willie Nelson, and a homecoming celebration with Florida Georgia Line all on Saturday night; another superstar still to be announced to close Friday night; plus 40 more stars will be featured on the three stages over three days,” said Festival Producer Quint Davis. “The Country 500, like its older brother on the race track, will positively rock the one and only Daytona International Speedway. Be the first to get your favorite camping spot on the infield inside the Festival.  Look for the full lineup and tickets on sale November 3.”

“We’re proud to develop this new partnership with AEG Live and Festival Productions, Inc. – New Orleans and bring the Country 500 music festival to Daytona International Speedway,” Track President Joie Chitwood III said. “Signature events such as the DAYTONA 500 and the Rolex 24 At Daytona have made DIS the ‘World Center of Racing’ but by securing this marquee music festival with an amazing lineup of artists, we will also be known as the ‘World Center of Entertainment.”

Stay connected with Country 500 on Facebook, Country500.com on the web and #Country500 on Twitter.

AEG Live and Festival Productions, Inc. – New Orleans are partnering with Daytona International Speedway to produce the Country 500.

Festival Contact: Matthew Goldman, 504-410-4100, [email protected]

Daytona International Speedway Contact: Andrew Booth, 386-681-6714, [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE: Artist images and the official Country 500 logo can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/country500-pr and artist b-roll video is available at http://bit.ly/country500-video. 

ABOUT AEG & AEG LIVE

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, owns or is affiliated with a collection of companies including over 100 of the world’s preeminent facilities.   AEG Live, the company’s live-entertainment division, is the world’s second largest concert promotion and touring companies and is comprised of touring, festival, exhibition, broadcasts and special event divisions with 15 regional offices. For additional information, visit: www.aegworldwide.com.

ABOUT FESTIVAL PRODUCTIONS, INC. – NEW ORLEANS

Festival Productions, Inc. – New Orleans (FPI-NO) is a Louisiana company that works in partnership with AEG Live.  FPI-NO is the founder and the producer of the world-famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which draws almost 500,000 patrons from around the world for the 10-day event.   The company has also produced myriad other events over the last four decades, from the Essence Music Festival to two Presidential Inaugural public events on the National Mall, as well as special events for both the NBA and the NFL.  Since 2010, FPI-NO has created and produced several major country music festivals, including Bayou Country Superfest at LSU Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge and Buckeye Country Superfest at the Ohio State University’s legendary “Horseshoe” in Columbus.  

ABOUT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Known as the “World Center of Racing,” Daytona International Speedway has activity nearly every day of the year hosting stock cars, sports cars, motorcycles and karts.  Daytona International Speedway has at least eight major race weekends a year with premier events such as the DAYTONA 500, the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola on Independence Day holiday weekend, the Rolex 24 At Daytona sports car event, the Daytona Supercross By Honda and the Daytona 200 motorcycle classic. In addition, Daytona International Speedway showcases daily track tours and is home to the winning Daytona 500 car.

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Country 500 Weekend Festival Passes

3-DAY GENERAL ADMISSION WEEKEND PASS – ($199 early bird all-in pricing)

-3-day general admission; passes are non-transferable

-Includes access to over 40 bands on three festival stages, a select menu of food and beverage offerings sold from food booths and food trucks, carnival rides, arcade games, country and western merchandise, official festival merchandise, a myriad of shade and water elements and much more

VIP PIT PASS – ($599 all-in pricing)

-3-day admission; passes are non-transferable

-Access to the Pit, an exclusive upfront, golden circle viewing area at the Country 500 Stage and VIP viewing at the Daytona Stage and Bluebird Theater

-Access to the VIP Pit Stop, a private hospitality tent where guests can cool of in the shade with access to exclusive beverage for purchase, private merchandise stand, cell phone charging stations and more. 

-Private air-conditioned flushable restrooms

-Exclusive festival merchandise item 

-Express VIP entrance with re-entry all weekend

-Exclusive opportunity to purchase a VIP parking space

-On-site experience concierge

CREW CHIEF VIP EXPERIENCE – ($999 all-in pricing)

-3-day admission; passes are non-transferable

-Access to the Pit, an exclusive upfront, golden circle viewing area at the Country 500 Stage and VIP viewing at the Daytona Stage and Bluebird Theater

-Exclusive access to the Crew Chief Super VIP Deck at the Country 500 Stage featuring a covered viewing platform with premium views of the main stage, private cash bar and air-conditioned restrooms

-Exclusive access to the Country 500 VIP Club, a private indoor air-conditioned hospitality lounge featuring cash bar, comfortable furnishings, private merchandise stand, complimentary light snacks and refreshments, massages, Wi-Fi, charging stations and more

-Crew Chief VIP-only exclusive festival merchandise item 

-Express VIP entrance with re-entry all weekend

-Exclusive opportunity to purchase a VIP parking space

-On-site experience concierge

-Plus a few surprises! 

Buy tickets now!

Thursday, October 15, 2015 marks 15 years since Dale Earnhardt scored his final victory in NASCAR’s premier series. The win stands not only as a bookend to a NASCAR Hall of Fame career, but a triumph of larger magnitude because of the stunning manner in which he prevailed.
 
On Wednesday, NASCAR.com will explore the story behind Earnhardt’s amazing victory at Talladega Superspeedway with a special commemoration, just days before current-day racers return to the Alabama track for a pivotal event in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs.
 
Stay tuned for more as we retell the story of an inspiring piece of NASCAR’s history.

Ray Evernham has strong opinions about rules packages as NASCAR gets ready to introduce the 2016 parameters.

UPDATE: 2016 rules package announced | Fast facts about ’16 rules package

“These cars are too dependent on aerodynamics,” the former champion crew chief for Jeff Gordon‘s No. 24 ride said Tuesday on Sirius XM Radio with Dave Moody. “We have to find a way to make these cars less sensitive.”
 
Evernham referenced issues with side skirts that have cropped up the past few races. Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 78 team was penalized for a side skirt that was flared out too much at Dover, resulting in a P2 penalty and crew chief Cole Pearn being placed on probation. And NASCAR has asked a couple different teams to fix flared out wheel openings on pit road.
 
“You can make a car go a lot slower or a lot faster by kicking a dent in the quarter panel. To me, that’s crazy,” Evernham said.
 
Evernham advocates figuring out the most sensitive points on a car and minimizing the effects of changes to those points. His goal is to make aerodynamics less important and put the racing back in the hands of the drivers. Specifically, Evernham really likes the low downforce package that was used at Kentucky and again with some tweaks at Darlington.

“I know NASCAR’s working on it, and I’m not being critical of them,” Evernham said. “But we were going in that direction last year and we need to do it more.
 
“If we can get off these little things that make so much difference … you can’t regulate it, you can’t keep track of it. We need to figure out what exactly affects the bodies, take those things away and make these things a lot less sensitive.”

RELATED: Twenty NASCAR terms to know
 
Evernham’s first move would be to eliminate the splitter.
 
“Then I’d keep cutting the spoiler until the drivers scream,” Evernham said. “Then I’d cut another inch.”
 
NASCAR met with representatives from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota at New Hampshire and have encouraged dialogue with drivers and teams about rules this and other items this year via a drivers’ council. The result of those meetings — the 2016 rules package — was announced on Wednesday.

RELATED: Official release | Photos: See low downforce cars | Fast facts

NASCAR announced the base 2016 rules package for Sprint Cup Series teams on Wednesday, and the low downforce setup that received rave reviews from drivers following races at Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway is the centerpiece.

Next year’s base package includes a 3.5-inch spoiler (currently 6 inches), a 0.25-inch front leading splitter edge (currently 2 inches) and a 33-inch wide radiator pan (currently 38 inches; it was 28 inches at the Darlington and Kentucky races).

 

The result of the smaller spoiler and other components will produce less downforce — downward thrust of a car created by aerodynamics — which drivers say gives them more control of the car and also results in both less throttle time and slower speeds in the corners.

 

“NASCAR has worked tirelessly with our teams, drivers, manufacturers and Goodyear to develop a rules package that provides fans with the best racing possible,” NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell said. “The success of the races at Kentucky and Darlington in similar trim proved extremely valuable in accelerating rules development for 2016. Now, as teams have even more time to prepare and a strong baseline of data, we anticipate the racing to be even better.”

 

The low downforce rules will also allow Goodyear to develop a tire that complements the new package and produces more fall-off, which would likely lead to more passing. A softer tire, like the one built for Darlington, led to drivers conserving their tires while slipping and sliding all over the track.

 

This base package is planned for all tracks except Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway; each track will have its own tire combinations and drive train configurations, a flexibility NASCAR sought to produce the best racing for various track lengths and layouts.

 

Other changes in effect in the base package are adjusted rear gear ratios to maintain 9,000 RPM maximum engine speed, and a 1.38 third gear ratio for tracks smaller than 1.25 miles.

 

“We’re continuing to work with the industry on developing the appropriate elements of the rules for each track, and by that I mean what are the tires that would match up or the gears, as an example,” O’Donnell said. “The core goal for us continues to remain the same, and that’s deliver the best and safest racing possible for the fans, and it’s a goal that the entire industry shares. It’s a great thing in terms of working together with the industry, this year especially. It’s never been stronger. We’re confident it’s going to continue to deliver great racing for the fans.”

Teams began 2015 with a rules package that featured both less downforce and less horsepower. A move to take even more downforce away resulted in a second package used only at Kentucky and Darlington as officials experimented with what the ’16 package might look like. NASCAR also tested a high drag package at Michigan and Indianapolis.

The reaction from drivers and crew chiefs following the events at Darlington and Kentucky amounted to rave reviews.

• “This is what race car driving’s all about. And I feel like now it’s back in the driver and crew chief’s hands to get their car handling like it’s supposed to, not just an arms race of who builds the fastest cars in the shop.” — Denny Hamlin

 

• “Sold. Keep doing it. Ship it.” — Carl Edwards

 

• “I think it was awesome. We had a lot better show. You saw cars spinning out on their own, slipping and sliding around. I thought it was really close racing, passes for the lead — stuff we haven’t seen in a long time.” — crew chief Darian Grubb

 

Superspeedways Daytona and Talladega have a few tweaks for next year, too. Engine roller lifters will replace the current solid lifters (adding approximately 10 horsepower), which in turn will reduce the size of restrictor plates from 29/32 inches to 57/64 inches.

The digital dashboard will also become mandatory in 2016 for all races, and safety enhancements include a new fire suppression activation system, right-hand side double NACA duct to better cool drivers at tracks where a side window is used and an enhanced safety belt restraint system.

Wednesday’s announcement followed a lengthy period of dialogue between the sanctioning body, teams, drivers, manufacturers and Goodyear.

 

Representatives from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, as well as others within the industry, met with the sanctioning body at New Hampshire regarding the packages, and drivers have met with NASCAR several times this season to discuss many issues, including rules.

 

“Through a lot of dialogue that went on with the industry, we took a pause and we were having a number of different ownership conversations, a number of conversations with the drivers and Goodyear, and decided that we wanted to take a step back and really look at what was the best route to go to get to the rules package that we got to for 2016,” O’Donnell said. “I think, yes, it took longer, but what you’re seeing is an industry that’s really aligned in the direction we’re headed in for 2016 still. There will always be work to do. It’s always going to evolve. But I think we’ll really have a good base package to continue to work from.”