This weekend's mid-summer classic, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, marks the official end of the first half of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season. Teams performing well will be hoping to maintain that level, while those teams not doing so well will be hoping to jump start their season and create some momentum heading into the second half.
Those fans attending the 49th annual Pepsi 400 will not be disappointed as the action heats up on and off the track. Three different series will host races this weekend, with the Rolex Sports Car Series race on Thursday night, the NASCAR Busch Series race on Friday night and the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race on Saturday night.
Comedic actor Kevin James will serve as Grand Marshal for Saturday evening's Pepsi 400. His duties for the race will be to give the command to the drivers to start their engines, as well as lead the field around the pre-race pace laps in the official pace car. James is best known for his lead role in the CBS television sitcom, "King of Queens." His most recent film project that he is currently promoting is a performance alongside Adam Sandler in the new Universal Pictures release, "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry."
Fans attending the race on Saturday night are in for a real treat. Sometime between 4:09 p.m. and 4:36 p.m. EDT, NASA is scheduled to launch a Delta II rocket from the Astrotech Space Operations Facility launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in nearby Titusville, south of Daytona. Depending on the weather during that time, fans seated on the frontstretch at Daytona should be able to witness the launch.
Also taking place during the race weekend is a special preview for the upcoming 2008 Daytona 500 which will be the 50th running of the "Great American Race." On Thursday, July 5 former winners of the Daytona 500 will participate in media activities including a round-table discussion that will pair a current active Daytona 500 champion with a retired such champion.
Dale Jarrett, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, will be paired with legendary driver and car owner Junior Johnson. As part of the event, all former Daytona 500 winners that are still living will have their hands, right foot and signature immortalized to be used as part of the Goodyear Heritage of Daytona exhibit.
Daytona International Speedway Quick Facts
- Daytona Lap Record: Bill Elliott (42.783 seconds and 210.364 mph), Feb. 9, 1987
- Daytona 400-mile Race Record: Bobby Allison (2 hrs., 18 min., 21 sec/173.473 mph), July 4, 1980
- 2006 Nextel Cup Winner: Tony Stewart
- Total Purse: $6,202,439
