KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Sept. 27, 2024) – Kansas Speedway announced today that NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards will serve as the honorary pace car driver ahead of Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET.
“Carl is one of the most personable superstars in our sport’s modern history and is certainly a fan-favorite here at Kansas Speedway,” said Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren. “We’re thrilled he can join us for what should be an electrifying race to open the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 12 and serve as the honorary pace car driver.”
The former mainstay from Columbia, Missouri is one of the most renowned racers of his era. Edwards had an astounding NASCAR national series career that featured 72 victories – each usually capped by his signature celebratory backflip. His quick Truck Series success earned him full-time rides in both the Cup and Xfinity Series in 2005, where he would go on to win his first races in each series during an early season weekend sweep at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Edwards finished in the top two in the Xfinity Series standings for five straight years, including his 2007 championship, and amassed 38 wins over seven full-time seasons.
Over 13 years in the Cup Series with Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing, respectively, he won 28 races, including the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500, both in 2015. He was the championship runner-up twice, including the closest finish in NASCAR history, losing by tiebreaker in 2011.
Edwards was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023 and was announced as a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee in earlier this year.
NASCAR returns to Kansas Speedway this weekend with four incredible races over three days. It kicks off Friday with a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series/ARCA Menards Series doubleheader and continues Saturday with the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Kansas Lottery 300. Then on Sunday, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will compete in the Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET, the race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 12.
Tickets for all seats are on sale and can be purchased at www.kansasspeedway.com.
About Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a premier motorsports facility in the Midwest. The track, which opened in 2001, hosts two NASCAR Cup Series weekends each year, along with approximately 200 other event days each year. This includes the annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue, the largest barbecue competition in the world which attracts teams both nationally and internationally. The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, which opened in 2012, overlooks Turn 2 of the track. Kansas Speedway’s two NASCAR weekends in 2024 will take place May 4-5 and Sept. 27-29. Fans can purchase tickets at www.kansasspeedway.com and get all of the latest information by downloading the NASCAR tracks app at www.kansasspeedway.com/nascar-tracks-app.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.
