Daytona Sets Preseason Thunder Dates

Daytona Preseason Thunder, the annual three-day NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test session at Daytona International Speedway in advance of the prestigious season-opening 55^th annual Daytona 500, will be held on Jan. 10-12. 

The test sessions mark the first time the new 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars, which highlight greater brand identity for the manufacturers, will turn laps on Daytona International Speedway’s 2.5-mile tri-oval. 

The new-look cars will conduct test sessions between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day, weather permitting. Each session includes a lunch break from noon until 1 p.m. 

“Daytona Preseason Thunder is an exciting time for both the teams and the fans as NASCAR begins the roll out of the new 2013 car,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “NASCAR fans are looking forward to seeing the production modeled race cars on the track beginning with the sport’s most prestigious race of the year – the 55^th annual Daytona 500.” 

Race fans can also rev up their new year at the Daytona Preseason Thunder Fan Fest – the companion event to the January test sessions. Along with watching Daytona Preseason Thunder track activity from the Sprint FANZONE, fans can enjoy Fan Fest on Thursday, Jan. 10 from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. 

The schedule of driver question-and-answer and autograph sessions will be finalized closer to the event. Tickets for the Daytona Preseason Thunder Fan Fest, which include autograph session wristbands, will be available for purchase at a later date. 

Fans can watch each day’s testing at no cost from a section of the Oldfield Grandstands. The Roar Before The Rolex 24, the tune-up session for the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge teams in advance of the 51^st anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, is scheduled for Jan. 4-6. Ticketholders for the 2013 Rolex 24 At Daytona will be admitted free for testing. 

Information on tickets for both the Daytona Preseason Thunder and the Roar Before The Rolex 24 will be available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Tickets for NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious race – the 55th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 24 – are also available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.