LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 05: A general view of
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 05: A general view of "WELCOME TO FABULOUS LAS VEGAS NAVADA" signage prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Navy Week to play prominent role in South Point 400 weekend

Navy Week is coming to Las Vegas and the South Point 400 will be the anchor leg for a week packed with activities.

The Navy and its sailors will play a prominent role in pre-race activities prior to the start of the NASCAR Cup Series event, Oct. 20. The Navy Parachute Team, also known as the “Leap Frogs,” is the Navy’s elite parachute demonstration team and  part of the Naval Special Warfare community.  The Leap Frogs embody the Navy’s commitment to excellence, professionalism and community engagement and have done more than 5,000 demonstrations since 1969. The team will jump into Las Vegas Motor Speedway and feature dynamic parachute formations.

Navy Band Northwest will get the crowd amped before driver introductions with a high-energy concert. With a legacy spanning almost a century, Navy Band Northwest provides ceremonial support, public performances, and educational outreach across the Pacific Northwest. For the first time at LVMS, they will perform hits from all genres, including rock, rap, funk, R&B, and country music.

That’s not all. Musician 2nd Class Elizabeth Wetzel will perform the national anthem to start the highly anticipated race. Wetzel’s all-around experience spans musical talent, educational expertise, and military service. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in 2018 and taught elementary school students while drilling with the Navy Reserve in Phoenix. Wetzel is also a lead vocalist with the renowned Navy Band Northwest.

Navy Week is held in 15 different cities annually to promote the Navy’s role and importance in the every day lives of all Americans. It is held in cities which do not have a significant naval presence and are usually in landlocked states. This will be the first ever Navy Week held in Las Vegas. In addition to LVMS, Navy Week will include events with the Las Vegas Raiders, Vegas Golden Knights, Shriners Children’s Open PGA Tour, and Professional Bull Riders.

For the third year in a row, LVMS’s annual Fall NASCAR weekend will offer fans a FREE Friday that will kick off with a NASCAR Cup Hauler Parade around LVMS on Friday afternoon, Oct. 18, and follow with Xfinity practice and qualifying later that day. Friday’s racing action will conclude with the zMax CARS Tour West Star Nursery Classic at the iconic Bullring, where race fans can attend for as low as $20 during pre-sale, and kids 12 and under can attend for free. Don’t miss your chance to see NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick and his son, Keelan, take on the competition along with a jaw-dropping Monster Truck demolition show. Saturday brings Cup Series qualifying in the early afternoon, followed by the Ambetter Health 302 NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Race weekend will conclude with Sunday’s South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series race.

For tickets or more information on the South Point 400, visit www.lvms.com or call 1-800-644-4444. Weekend and single-day tickets are still available; Sunday tickets for kids 12 and under are just $10 and free on Friday and Saturday with the advance purchase of an adult ticket.

— Las Vegas Motor Speedway —