Homstead-Miami Speedway News
Homestead-Miami Speedway Races |
Winner |
| Race #36, 07 |
Ford 400 |
Greg Biffle |
| Race #36, 07 |
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Greg Biffle |
June 28, 2006
NASCAR Season Finale Sold-Out! NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series season finale continues to be a hot ticket. Homestead-Miami Speedway officials say the Ford 400 has sold out, nearly five months before the Nov. 19 race. Last year the race sold out in August. "I think fans are realizing how big an event this is becoming," Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray said. "It's kind of a must-see, must-attend type of event ... We're developing a true championship in the truest sense of those kinds of events." The speedway seats 65,000 in the grandstands, has 30 garage suites, 16 grandstand suites and 850 club seats in the Turn One Tower. Although no seats were added this year, Gray said, expansion is planned. (Sun Sentinel)
March 8, 2006:
Bill would give $60 million to Homestead-Miami Speedway: The Homestead-Miami Speedway is a tiny step closer to receiving a $60 million sales-tax subsidy, after winning approval from the House Tourism Committee Tuesday. Under bills being sponsored by Rep. Bob Allen, a Merritt Island Republican, and state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, a Miami Republican, the Homestead landmark, which is home to the NASCAR championship race, could receive a sales tax rebate of roughly $167,000 a month for the next 30 years. But the hurdles are considerable before the bills can be considered by the full Legislature. Though the House version breezed through its first committee Tuesday, it still must pass through three additional committees. Its counterpart in the Senate needs approval from five. (Miami Herald)
Mar. 1, 2006:
NFL Quarterback Favre takes laps around Homestead with Ford drivers: Today (2/28), No. 4 was in the No. 6 car, and moving quite a bit faster than he does on the field. Shortly after 1 p.m. today, a relaxed, smiling Brett Favre arrived casually-dressed (hat, t-shirt, shorts, sneakers) at Homestead Miami Speedway. Top NASCAR drivers Carl Edwards, Dale Jarrett and Elliott Sadler were already there, for a Ford promotional event. (Sun-Sentinel Season Ticket Blog)
Nov. 21, 2005:
Update: Sorenson near down helicopter: Reed Sorenson, who finished 28th in the 400, was waiting to board one of the helicopters just prior to the crash. "I was the next one in line to go," Sorenson said. "I saw them hit. One went straight down and the other tried to land in the grass nearby. It took off part of his landing gear. I took off running because I thought parts were going everywhere. After seeing that, I don't think I'll ever fly a helicopter again." Speedway officials said only that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Helicopter Crash outside speedway kills one: Two helicopters collided Sunday at the Homestead-Miami Speedway after the NASCAR championship, killing one pilot, authorities said. One helicopter was taking off from the speedway's helipad shortly before 9 p.m. while another was attempting to land, said Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Richard Martin. "They had either a midair collision or a near-midair collision. One of them did a hard landing right on the helipad. No one on that craft was injured," Martin said. The other pilot died after being airlifted to a Miami hospital, a spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade Police Department said. The pilot's identification was being withheld pending family notification. (CNN.com)
Nov. 7, 2005:
Ford Homestead deal valued near 25 million: Ford Motor Co. will pay $20 million to $25 million to be the title sponsor of Homestead-Miami Speedway's NASCAR triple-header for the next 10 years, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal reports. Terms were not reported when the deal was announced last Friday, but the weekly publication says the amount was calculated by industry insiders. (NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)
Nov. 4, 2005:
Ford inks renewal deal with Homestead-Miami Speedway: International Speedway Corporation announced today that Homestead-Miami Speedway and Ford Motor Company ("Ford") have renewed their partnership whereby Ford will continue to sponsor the Ford Championship Weekend. The new multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement represents one of the largest sponsorship agreements in ISC history. The initial phase runs through 2009, with a renewal option that could extend the partnership to 2014. Under the terms, Ford will continue to build upon the successful platform they have helped create at Homestead-Miami by retaining the following designations: * Title sponsor of the NASCAR Ford Championship Weekend, * Entitlement rights for the season finales of all three NASCAR national touring series including the Ford 200 Craftsman Truck, Ford 300 Busch and the Ford 400 NEXTEL Cup races, and "Official Car and Truck" and "Official Pace Vehicle" of Homestead- Miami's Ford Championship Weekend. Ford will support its position through themed advertising, promotion and/or other mutually agreed to marketing support. In addition, Ford will utilize at-track hospitality, significant signage and display, and local, regional and national promotional campaigns to highlight Ford's involvement with Homestead-Miami. (ISC PR)
Oct. 28, 2005:
Homestead-Miami Speedway Testing: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series testing will take place at Homestead-Miami Speedway with test sessions scheduled for Monday, October 31 - Wednesday, November 2 and Monday, November 7 - Wednesday, November 9. The teams and drivers will be preparing for the upcoming Ford Championship Weekend, the season-finales for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series, Nov. 18-20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Several drivers currently in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup are expected to participate in the test sessions at Homestead-Miami Speedway including points leader Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson (2nd place), Ryan Newman (3rd), Carl Edwards (5th), Rusty Wallace (6th) , Mark Martin (7th) Kurt Busch (8th) and Matt Kenseth (9th). Driver participation is tentative and subject to change. The test sessions are closed to the general public until further notice due to repairs on the Speedway grandstands following Hurricane Wilma. (HMS PR)
Oct. 25, 2005:
Damage done due to Hurricane Wilma at Homestead: Hurricane Wilma did considerable damage to Homestead-Miami Speedway, which hosts three major NASCAR races in less than four weeks. HMS president Curtis Gray said Monday's winds, which topped 100 mph in the area, did "significant damage" to the garage suites that run the length of pit road. "Steel, canvas all tore loose," Gray told The News-Journal. "It took out some fencing and at least a dozen light poles. We had debris get into the catch fence near the start-finish line, and some damage in the grandstand area." Gray said the damage indicates the facility was struck by a tornado as Wilma pounded the area for at least four hours with hurricane-force winds. Gray said parent company International Speedway Corp. is sending support teams from Daytona and Talladega to help. (News-Journal)
Aug 25, 2005
Ford Fusion named the Pace Vehicle for Championship Weekend: Ford's new "Face for the Chase" is now pacing the race. The all-new 2006 Ford Fusion - set to make its NASCAR racing debut at Daytona in Feb. 2006 - will serve as the official pace car for Ford Championship Weekend, November 18-20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which includes the season finales of both the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, the Ford 300 and Ford 400, respectively. The Ford Fusion, which will be available in dealer showrooms this fall, breathes a fresh attitude into the mid-size car market. It distinguishes itself with its standout exterior design and engaging driving dynamics, and brings to the segment good fuel economy, advanced safety, clean emissions and roomy interior space - all at an attractive value. Today's announcement was highlighted by a special unveiling of the 2006 Ford Fusion pace car in South Florida involving Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford Motor Company Board of Directors, and Curtis Gray, President of Homestead Miami Speedway. Ford Championship Weekend, November 18-20, is Ford's keystone racing event, comprising the final races in NASCAR's top national series, the NEXTEL Cup Series (Ford 400), the Busch Series (Ford 300), and the Craftsman Truck series (Ford 200) on the same weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway. (Homestead/Miami PR)
Aug 10, 2005
Ford 400 Season Finale Sold Out! The Ford 400, the season-finale for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series to be held Sunday, November 20, has officially sold out, Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray announced today. Great seats remain available for the remainder of Ford Championship Weekend, including the season-finales for the NASCAR Busch and Craftsman Truck Series as well as qualifying and practice sessions for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Ford Championship Weekend features the championship-finales for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series to be held in prime-time, under the new lights at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The sold-out Ford 400 on Sunday, November 20 is the season-finale for the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup featuring a ten-race, ten-driver shootout for the series championship culminating at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Although the Ford 400 is sold out, fans are encouraged to purchase tickets to the Ford 200 and Ford 300 before it's too late. "Ford Championship Weekend has established itself as the toughest annual sports ticket to obtain in South Florida," said Gray. "While Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Ford 400 is sold out, fans still have the opportunity to see the stars of the NEXTEL Cup Series and witness NASCAR championship racing for the first time under the lights by purchasing race tickets to the Friday and Saturday events. There's nothing like a NASCAR race under the lights and there's nothing like a major event at night in South Florida. Don't miss your chance to be a part of Ford Championship Weekend and see the debut of prime-time racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway." Fans can still order tickets to the Ford 300 and Ford 200 race days by calling (305) 230-RACE or (866) 409-RACE or on-line at the Speedway's official web site - www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com (Homestead-Miami Speedway PR)
July 6, 2005
More expansion at Homestead next year? The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series finale is more than four months off, but Homestead-Miami Speedway is a bustle of activity preparing for the season-ending event and its trappings, which track officials hope will soon be compared to the Super Bowl and its festivities. "What's ultimately happening is you've created a championship event," Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray said. "The good news is the sport, sponsors and teams all like coming to South Florida in the third week of November. It's a championship-type event place." The lights, which Gray said are meant to make the event "bigger, more prestigious," and the new luxury seating are to help continue boosting the event and meeting demand. Gray said grandstand seating, now up to 66,000 from 36,000 when the first Nextel Cup race was held at Homestead in 1999, could be expanded as soon as next year. And demand continues to grow. The track's 50 existing suites, including 30 above the garages, and 2,000 Speedway Club seats are sold out. Last year those sold out three months before the race. (Sun Sentinel)
June 29, 2005
Homestead Season Finale tickets Hot: NASCAR fans who wanted to buy an RV spot for the season-ending Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway are out of luck. The 1,000 spots are sold out, and a waiting list has been started. Fans who want to buy grandstand tickets for the Nov. 20 Nextel Cup Ford 400 had better step on the gas, because they are almost gone, too, speedway president Curtis Gray said Tuesday. ''Demand for this year has been better than we expected,'' he said. ``Our goal was to sell out by Oct. 1, and we will sell out comfortably earlier than that.'' The first four Cup races held at Homestead, from 1999 to 2002, always came close to selling out the nearly 65,000 seats, but never did. Not even in 2002, the first time the race was held in the coveted season finale spot. In 2003, despite Matt Kenseth having clinched the Cup title a week earlier, the Cup race sold out for the first time -- but not until race day. A $12 million project to add 20-degree banking to make the racing more exciting helped spark interest. ''We want to become the toughest annual sporting ticket to get in South Florida,'' Gray said. ``I think we're on our way.'' (Miami-Herald)
June 10, 2006
Homestead-Miami Race Set for Later Start Time: The on-track schedule for the 2005 Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, featuring the championship finales for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series, November 18-20, has been set. The three races are scheduled to be held for the first time in a "prime-time", championship atmosphere under the new, state-of-the-art lighting system currently being installed at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The dates and times for Ford Championship Weekend are tentative and subject to change.
The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Ford 400, televised live on NBC, is scheduled to start at 4:00pm/et on Sunday, November 20 and conclude under the lights. Following the Ford 400, the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champion will be officially crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The stars of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series will practice on Friday, November 18 [1:20pm and 4:00pm/et], and qualify for the championship-finale Ford 400 on Saturday, November 19 [at 1:05pm/et].
The NASCAR Busch Series Ford 300 will begin at 4:00pm/et on Saturday, November 19 and finish under the lights with live television on TNT. Practice for the NASCAR Busch Series will be on Friday, November 18 [12:00 and 2:50pm/et] and qualifying will be held on Saturday [at 11:05am/et] prior to the running of the Ford 300.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ford 200, televised live on SPEED TV, will mark the inaugural race under the lights at Homestead-Miami Speedway with an 8:00pm/et start time on Friday, November 18. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will both practice and qualify on Friday prior to the Ford 200 [qual at 5:10pm/et].
Tickets to Ford Championship Weekend are now on sale to the general public and going fast. To order tickets or for more information, call (305) 230-RACE, (866) 409-RACE, or log on to homesteadmiamispeedway.com. (Homestead-Miami Speedway PR)
April 22, 2005
Homestead-Miami Speedway Improvements: International Speedway Corp. is building two new capital projects at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway. Financial details of the projects were not disclosed. At Homestead-Miami, the new Turn One Tower will house 16 luxury suites and approximately 800 club seats. The project is scheduled for completion in time for the 2005 Ford Championship Weekend in November. In Phoenix, the Bobby Allison grandstand will be expanded to encompass the entire area behind Turn 1, adding approximately 14,000 grandstand seats and 25 to 28 luxury suites, and will replace a structure that currently houses 22 suites. The project also calls for the removal of temporary wooden bleachers of approximately 14,000 seats along the backstretch of the track and Turn 3. (OrlandoBizJournal)
April 12, 2005
Homestead Finale under the lights: In an announcement that just about everyone in NASCAR knew was inevitable, Homestead-Miami Speedway made it official Tuesday by saying it would install lights in time for this year's Ford Championship Weekend. The track plays host to the season-ending races in the Truck, Busch and Nextel Cup series in November, culminating with the final races in the Chase for the Nextel Cup Championship on Nov. 20. With the lights in place, the Cup finale will be scheduled for a 4 p.m. start, allowing the Ford 400 to end under the lights. (ThatsRacin)
March 7, 2005
Homestead to End Season Finale in Light: Homestead-Miami Speedway is looking to go under the lights. Curtis Grey, president of the track, said nothing is final yet but the process is moving forward and, so far, everything has been positive. "We're still working through that approval process," Grey said. "But we haven't heard anything negative."The Homestead Air Force base has given their approval to the lights. The city of Homestead is looking to add an additional substation "to give us more electricity," Grey said.Currently, the Ford Championship Weekend in November has no start time listed. Final approval to move the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman series season finales under the lights will rest with NASCAR in Daytona and NBC, the series broadcast partner at that time of year. Fox broadcasts the first half of the schedule. (Sun Sentinel)
