HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY NEWS/RUMORS
Address:
One Speedway Boulevard
Homestead, FL 33035-1501
Phone: (305) 230-RACE
1-800-PITSHOP
Main Office: (305) 230-5000
Admin Fax: (305) 230-5140
Email: hmstix@homesteadmiamispeedway.com
OLD Track Specs:
Degree of Banking: Turns: 6 degrees
Straightaways: Length: 1,760 feet, Width: 60 feet, Banking: 3 degrees
Grandstand Seating: 72,000
NEW Track Specs:
Degree of Banking: Turns: 20 degrees
Straightaways: Length: ? feet, Width: ?, Banking: ? degrees
Grandstand Seating: 72,000
Websites:
www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com
TWO Race Tracks Jeff Gordon has never won a CUP race at: There are TWO current race tracks the Nextel Cup Series runs on that #24-Jeff Gordon has not won at [a Nextel Cup race]:
Texas 0 for 15 with a best of 2nd in 2002
Homestead 0 for 8 with a best finish of 3rd 2004
Gordon has won at 22 [20 active] of 24 tracks he has raced on including two not on the circuit any longer, North Wilkesboro and Rockingham.
Gordon won at Phoenix in April to finally knock that track off the list in his 17th try there.(4-6-2008)
- “The 50% Front Stretch”: Homestead Payment Plan: Homestead-Miami Speedway is asking only 50% from fans interested in guaranteeing a coveted spot at NASCAR’s series-crowning Ford Championship Weekend. Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray announced “The 50% Front Stretch Payment Plan,” inviting fans to purchase any seat for the Nov. 14-16 Ford Championship Weekend with just 50% down on the cost of tickets. This unprecedented offer is valid through July 1 and allows for a two-month cushion to pay the remainder of charges by Sept. 1. The “50% Front Stretch Payment Plan” is available by calling (866) 409-RACE or visit HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com.(6-11-2008)
- Ford Championship Weekend Tickets on Sale Saturday: It’s been quite the storyline start for NASCAR’s 2008 Sprint Cup series. And eight races into a 36-week campaign, that bodes well for one phenomenal finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Wanna come? Did you need another reason to visit subtropical Miami in November? A three-day championship tradition unlike any other, Homestead-Miami Speedway provides the South Florida finish line for NASCAR’s series-crowning finale, Ford Championship Weekend. Set for Nov. 14-16, tickets for this annual sell-out go on sale to the public this Saturday, April 19, at 9 a.m. by calling (866) 409-RACE or visiting www.Homestead-MiamiSpeedway.com.(Homestead Miami Speedway PR)(4-19-2008)
- Boxing Icon Lennox Lewis to Ring Bell on Ford 400 Pre-Race: The pre-race ceremonies for Ford Championship Weekend's Ford 400 finale on Sunday will have the electric atmosphere of a championship prize fight, as they will feature a boxing legend alongside 43 of the world's most elite Nextel Cup Series drivers. Homestead-Miami Speedway will welcome Lewis -one of only three boxers in history to capture the heavyweight championship on three separate occasions-to participate in pre-race ceremonies prior to Sunday's Ford Championship Weekend Ford 400, the final race in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Lewis, who in 2004 retired as the reigning heavyweight champion of the world, will be introduced to the crowd during Ford 400 pre-race ceremonies and greet the Nextel Cup drivers during official intros.(Homestead-Miami Speedway PR)(11-18-2007)
- HMS to Build State-of-the-Art Media Facilities: When the NASCAR media press corps return to Homestead-Miami Speedway for Ford Championship Weekend in 2008, there will be even more to cheer than the crowning of NASCAR's champions. Homestead-Miami Speedway-home to the final races of the 36-week NASCAR campaign-will construct a new state-of-the-art press facility in time for the November 2008 season-finale, Speedway President Curtis Gray announced. The new 18,000 square-foot, two-story media facility-scheduled for completion in September 2008-will be centrally located within the garage area and include:
* More than 200 press work stations
* Large interview room with seating for more than 150 people
* Deadline press room with stage and camera riser
* Private interview rooms located adjacent to deadline press areas
* A wireless internet network throughout the building (in addition to hard-wiring)
* Large format video displays located in deadline press, team PR and 80-seat media lounge capable of displaying track closed-circuit TV stats screens and video feeds
* Audio amplification of interviews and track feeds into all press areas, with selectable source audio-input feeds for headphone listening
* A theater-style "observation seating" for viewing of driver-meeting room
In addition, the existing Media Center structures will be renovated to house overflow press.(HMS PR)(11-16-2007)
- Mustang Bullitt, F-150 Foose Edition to pace HMS races: Two of Ford's hottest products for 2008 - the Mustang Bullitt and the Ford F-150 Foose Edition - have been selected to pace the three Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR races at Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 16-18. The Mustang Bullitt will pace the Ford 400 Nextel Cup finale, and the Ford 300 Busch Series finale. The F-150 Foose Edition will pace the season-ending Ford 200 Craftsman Truck event. The Mustang Bullitt returns to the streets in 2008, blending the latest in Ford Racing technology with the best Mustang ever. The classic nameplate returns to wow enthusiasts with a blend of high performance, handling and the power that is expected from Mustang. The latest version of the Bullitt will, of course, be Highland Green, true to the original car in the 1968 "Bullitt" movie. It will feature a unique black mesh grille and special interior touches, and will deliver 315 horsepower out of the 4.6-liter, 3-valve, SOHC V-8. The Ford F-150 Foose Edition is the ultimate street tough F-150, as noted hot rod designer Chip Foose, star of TV's "Overhaulin'" put his design stamp on America's favorite pickup truck. Foose's design lowers the truck in the boulevard-spirit, while maintaining the Ford F-150's Built Ford Tough heritage. The 2008 F-F150 Foose Edition is the most powerful half-ton truck on the market, with a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 delivering 450 horsepower and 500 lbs.-ft. of torque.(Ford Racing PR)(11-16-2007)
- "Live" to Headline Miller Lite Rock N' Racing Show at Homestead: Homestead-Miami Speedway and Miller Lite announced that the band behind '90s alternative-rock smash hits "Selling the Drama," "Lightning Crashes," "I Alone" and "All Over You," will perform live at the Miller Lite Rock N' Racing concert prior to the Nov. 18th Ford 400-the final
race in the Chase for the 2007 Nextel Cup Trophy. Tickets [Buscn and Trucks] Remain for Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway's 1.5-mile oval Nov. 16-18, as the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series all crown champions under the lights. To purchase, please call (866) 409-RACE or visit www.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com.(HMS PR)(11-15-2007)
- "Fuel" Frontman Toryn Green to Sing National Anthem at Ford 400: On Sunday, Nov. 18, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, fuel will be propelling the cars of the world's most elite NASCAR drivers during Ford Championship Weekend....But only after the lead singer of Fuel ignites the patriotism of a full house of NASCAR fans. Homestead-Miami Speedway announced that Toryn Green of rock band Fuel will perform the national anthem prior to Ford Championship Weekend's Ford 400-the final race in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Tickets Remain for Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway's 1.5-mile oval Nov. 16-18, as the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series all crown champions under the lights. To purchase, please call (866) 409-RACE or visit www.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com.(HMS PR)(11-13-2007)
- Ford 400 sold out: The Ford 400 Cup finale on Sunday, Nov. 18, at Homestead-Miami Speedway is sold out, speedway president Curtis Gray said. Tickets remain for the Craftsman Truck and Busch Series races, Friday and Saturday.(Miami Herald)(11-9-2007)
- Tix for Ford Championship Weekend on Sale April 21st: At 9:00am/et on Saturday, April 21, tickets for the season finales of the NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series to be held November 16-18, will finally be available to the public for NASCAR's Ford Championship Weekend. Tickets for the 2006 Ford 400, NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season finale, sold out five months before the event, and an even earlier sellout date is expected for 2007. All three NASCAR Series, the Craftsman Truck, Busch, and Nextel Cup will crown champions under the lights during Ford Championship Weekend. The Ford 200 is scheduled for Friday, November 16, the Ford 300 will take place Saturday, November 17, and the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup will culminate with the Ford 400 on Sunday, November 18. Each day will also feature concerts, interactive exhibits, and other exciting action, included in the price of your admission ticket. Don't miss out! For more information or to purchase tickets to Ford Championship Weekend, call (866) 409-RACE or log on www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.(HMS PR)(4-20-2007)
- Ford Execs to serve as starter and grand marshal for Ford 400: Alan Mulally, recently named President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company, will serve as Honorary Starter for Sunday's Nextel Cup Series Ford 400 season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mulally will wave the green flag to get the final race of the season underway as NASCAR crowns its
2006 Season Champion. Additionally, Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford Board of Directors, will serve as Grand Marshal for the event. Ford is a member of the board of directors of Ford Motor Company. As a consultant to the company, Ford is active in company affairs and corporate dealer relations. This will be the third straight year he has given the "Start Your Engines" command. Ford is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company. His grandfather is Edsel B. Ford, company president from 1919 to 1943.
His late father, Henry Ford II, was president of the company from 1945 to 1960 and chairman from 1960 to 1980. All three NASCAR Series, the Craftsman Truck, Busch, and Nextel Cup will crown champions under the lights during Ford Championship Weekend. To
purchase tickets to events at HMS, or for more information, log onto www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com or call the HMS ticket hotline at 1-866-409-RACE.(Homestead-Miami Speedway PR)(11-15-2006)
- American Idol Taylor Hicks to sing National Anthem at Ford 400: After winning the American Idol competition on television's biggest stage last spring, Taylor Hicks will now perform on one of NASCAR's biggest stages by singing the national anthem prior to the Nextel Cup Series Ford 400 on Sunday, Nov. 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Tickets are still available for the Busch Series Ford 300 on Saturday, Nov. 18 and the Truck Series Ford 200 on Friday, Nov. 17, which are part of the Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Tickets are available by calling 1-866-409-RACE or by logging on to www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.(HMS PR)(11-11-2006)
- Up to 4,400 Temp Seats being added at Homestead: Homestead-Miami Speedway announced plans to build temporary seating for the Nextel Cup season finale, which sold out in June. Track president Curtis Gray said as many as 4,400 seats could be added in Turn 4 for the Ford 400 on Nov. 19, and he expects all will be sold. "We'll build the seats as demand warrants, but we've had tons of calls," Gray said. "The popularity of the championship is growing, and the variable banking has really worked. Under our old configuration, I don't think NASCAR would have continued to end the season here." The race will mark the fourth consecutive sellout since Homestead was reconfigured in 2003 with variable banking, which has been hailed by drivers for promoting more side-by-side racing. Gray said the track's 65,000-capacity grandstands could be expanded for 2008 depending on demand for the temporary seats. The track also is hoping Miami resident Juan Pablo Montoya, who is moving into Cup next season, will enter its Busch Series race Nov. 18. Gray said a marketing plan for Montoya has been prepared, including travel packages from the former Formula One driver's home country of Colombia.(USA Today)(9-13-2006)
- Homestead's Ford Championship weekend schedule set: The on-track schedule for the 2006 Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, featuring the championship finales for the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series, November 17-19, has been set. The dates and times for Ford Championship Weekend are tentative and subject to change. The Nextel Cup Series Ford 400, televised live on NBC, is scheduled to start at 2:30pm/et on Sunday, November 19. Following the Ford 400, the 2006 Nextel Cup Champion will be officially crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Nextel Cup Series will both practice and qualify on Friday, November 17. The Busch Series Ford 300 will begin at 7:00pm/et under the lights on Saturday, November 18 with live television on TNT. The Craftsman Truck Series Ford 200, televised live on SPEED TV, will again be under the lights at Homestead-Miami Speedway with an 8:00pm/et start time on Friday, November 17. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck
Series will both practice and qualify on Friday prior to the Ford 200. To order tickets or for more information, call (866) 409-RACE.(HMS PR)(7-29-2006)
- Ford 400 at Homestead sold out: Tickets for Ford Championship Weekend's Nextel Cup Series Ford 400 at
Homestead-Miami Speedway, have officially been 'sold-out'. Ford Championship Weekend, Nov. 17-19, features the season-finales for the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series. As part of Ford Championship Weekend, the sold-out Ford 400 on Sunday,
November 19, will conclude the Chase for the Nextel Cup featuring a ten-race, ten-driver shootout for the series championship culminating under the lights at the 1.5 mile Homestead-Miami Speedway. Although the Nextel Cup Series Ford 400 is sold out, great seats are still available for the remainder of Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway including the season-finales for the Truck and Busch Series. Fans can still order tickets to the Ford 200 and Ford 300 race days and travel packages for Ford Championship Weekend by calling (305) 230-RACE or 866-409-RACE or on-line at Homestead-Miami Speedway's official
website homesteadmiamispeedway.com.(Homestead-Miami Speedway PR)(6-27-2006)
- 800 tickets left for Ford 400 at Homestead: NASCAR's Nextel Cup finale at Homestead Miami Speedway Nov. 19 is nearly sold out, track president Curtis Gray said Friday. Only 800 tickets remain for the Ford 400, which seats 65,000 in the grandstands.
This marks the event's quickest ticket sales, with last year's race selling out in August.(Miami Herald)(5-8-2006)
- Homestead Ford Championship Weekend Tix on sale Saturday: Tickets for the season finales, Ford Championship Weekend, of the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series to be held November 17-19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be available at 9:00am/et on Saturday, April 22. Last year's tickets for the Ford 400, Nextel Cup
Series season finale, sold out four months before the event, and an even earlier sellout date is expected for 2006. All three NASCAR Series, the Craftsman Truck, Busch, and NEXTEL Cup will crown champions under the lights during Ford Championship Weekend. The Ford 200 is scheduled for Friday, November 17, the Ford 300 will take place Saturday, November 18, and the Chase for the Nextel Cup will culminate with the Ford 400 on Sunday, November 19. Each day will also feature concerts, interactive exhibits, and other exciting action, included in the price of your admission ticket. For more information or to purchase tickets to Ford Championship Weekend, call (305) 230-RACE; 1-866-409-RACE, log
on homesteadmiamispeedway.com.(HMS PR)(4-21-2006)
- Homestead Season Tix on sale: Season tickets to the 2006 racing season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which includes the IRL IndyCar Series season-opening Toyota Indy 300 and NASCAR's season-ending Ford Championship Weekend, are now on sale to the public. Season-ticket holders will be guaranteed seats to the Speedway's six major racing events, have access to an exclusive, reserved parking area, and enjoy savings of $65 per ticket package. These lucky fans will also receive a "License to Thrill", which is the opportunity to drive their own car on the Speedway under the lights. The 2006 racing season at Homestead-Miami Speedway begins with the Toyota Indy 300, March 24-26, featuring the IRL IndyCar Series, along with the Grand Prix of Miami, featuring the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. The weekend also includes the superspeedway debut of the new USAC Silver Crown Series cars, and the Indy Pro Series, the training ground for the IndyCar Series. Ford Championship Weekend, November 17-19, features the season finales
for NASCAR's three premier series. Season ticket packages range in price from $135 - $215, a $65 savings compared to individual tickets purchased separately. Supplies are limited. To order season tickets and to reserve the opportunity to drive your own car on the track call (305) 230-RACE, (866) 409-RACE, or log on to homesteadmiamispeedway.com.(Homestead Speedway PR)(2-24-2006)
- Busch not to participate in Homestead events: A day after Roush Racing suspended Kurt Busch for the remainder of the season, officials at Homestead-Miami Speedway announced that the defending Nextel Cup champion will not participate in events leading up to Sunday's Ford 400. The unveiling of the 2004 Nextel championship banner at 1:00pm/et Tuesday has been canceled, speedway spokesman Phil de Montmollin said. The banner currently is on display, but Homestead had scheduled to formally honor Busch, who last year won the first Nextel Cup under the current chase format. Entering this Sunday's race he ranks ninth, 441 points behind leader Tony Stewart. ``It's not a real big deal for us, because the championship banner will be up,'' speedway president Curtis Gray said. Greg Biffle, fourth in the chase, will replace Busch at a question-and-answer session during the ``All-Star Welcome to Ford Championship Week,'' with Marlins' outfielder Jeff Conine. During the event from 6 to 9 p.m. at Conine's Clubhouse Grille in Hollywood, fans can view the Nextel Cup and win two tickets to the Ford 400.(Mercury News)(11-15-2005)
- Ford and Homstead sign up thru 2014: The season finales of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck, Busch and Nextel Cup series will remain Ford-titled races through 2014, under an agreement between Ford and Homestead-Miami Speedway announced today at the South Florida International Auto Show. The 10-year extension of Ford Championship Weekend is the largest motorsports sponsorship in Ford history. The initial phase of the contract runs through 2009, with an automatic renewal that will extend that partnership to 2014. The agreement continues Ford's role as "official car" and "official truck" of the race weekend, and continues Ford entitlement rights to the Ford 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series final event, the Ford 300 NASCAR Busch Series final event, and the Ford 400 Nextel Cup Series final event. The 2006 Fusion will serve as the official pace car for this year's Ford 300 and Ford 400. And starting at Daytona Speedweeks 2006 in February, the Roush Racing, Robert Yates Racing and Wood Brothers race teams will field at least
eight Fusions - Ford's first all-new race car nameplate since the 1968 Ford Torino. On Thursday, Nov. 17, Ford and Homestead-Miami Speedway will co-sponsor a Ford Championship Weekend Race Fest at Las Olas in Ft. Lauderdale from Noon -11 p.m., featuring music, interactive games and appearances by six of Ford's NASCAR stars. This year's Ford Championship Weekend marks the swan song for the racing version of the Ford Taurus. Heading into the last three races of the season, the Taurus has four NASCAR championships (three Nextel Cup, one Busch), and 106 Nextel Cup victories since it made its competition debut in February 1998.(Ford Racing)(11-4-2005)
- Miami Herald:
Homestead track delays decision and
Questions surround Ford 400 weekend by Cammy Clark.(10-27-2005)
