Daytona Announces Speedweeks Start Times

The 56^th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 23, NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious race, will go green at 1 p.m. (TV – FOX Sports, Radio – MRN Radio, SiriusXM). It’s the fifth straight year “The Great American Race” will start at 1 p.m.

Start times for the other remaining events of Budweiser Speedweeks 2014 at Daytona International Speedway are as follows:

·         The 52^nd anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race, Jan. 25-26, 2:30 p.m. (FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2/MRN)

·         The Lucas Oil 200 Presented By American Real MAV TV ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, Saturday, Feb. 15, 4:15 p.m. (FOX Sports 1)

·         The Sprint Unlimited, Saturday, Feb. 15, 8p.m. (FOX Sports 1/MRN)

·         Daytona Beach Half Marathon, Sunday, Feb. 16, 6 a.m.

·         Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, Sunday, Feb. 16, 1p.m. (FOX/MRN)

·         UNOH Battle At The Beach, Tuesday, Feb. 18, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at 7 p.m. followed by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at approximately 8:45 p.m. (MRN)

·         Budweiser Duel At Daytona, Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. (FOX Sports 1/MRN)

·         NextEra Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Friday, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. (FOX Sports 1/MRN)

·         DRIVE4COPD 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, Saturday, Feb. 22, 1:15 p.m. (ESPN/MRN)

Six-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who wheels the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, will begin pursuit of a seventh championship in the 56^th annual Daytona 500, which would tie him alongside racing legends Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt.

In 2013, Johnson became the first driver since NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at the “World Center of Racing.” In this year’s Daytona 500, Johnson will attempt to be the first driver since Sterling Marlin (1994-1995) to win “The Great American Race” for a second straight year.

Tickets for NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious race – the 56th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 23 – start at $65 and are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.