Daytona International Speedway announced today a new entitlement sponsor for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series regular season finale race. On August 28th, Friday night racing returns to Daytona with the Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola.
“Bringing Winn-Dixie and Coca-Cola back together as entitlement sponsors is a blast from the past that works so well as we set up the return of The Chase,” said Frank Kelleher, President of Daytona International Speedway. “Together, this weekend will be a memorable hit of nostalgia as fans watch their favorite drivers make the final push to the postseason.”
Winn-Dixie is headquartered just up the road from Daytona International Speedway in Jacksonville and has served local southeastern communities as the hometown grocer for over a century. With similar long-standing roots in southern culture, the relationship between Winn-Dixie and NASCAR spans many years, including numerous race sponsorships and driver partnerships.
After six years serving in the role, 2008 was the most recent year in which Winn-Dixie was the entitlement sponsor for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series summer race at Daytona International Speedway. Eighteen years ago, fans celebrated their Fourth of July with an up-and-coming Coca-Cola Racing Family driver by the name of Denny Hamlin winning the 2008 Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola. It marked Hamlin’s first career win at the World Center of Racing.
“NASCAR has long been part of the fabric of many communities we serve, and few traditions bring people together like race weekend at Daytona,” said Gayle Shields, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer for The Winn-Dixie Company. “The Winn-Dixie 250 has created memorable moments for generations of racing fans, and now alongside Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, we’re proud to build on that legacy through experiences that bring customers, communities and fans together.”
“As longtime partners serving communities across Florida, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida and The Winn-Dixie Company are proud to come together around an event that celebrates connection, camaraderie and community,” said Meena Sen, Vice-President, Marketing, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida. “The Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola creates memorable experiences for customers while showcasing the energy and tradition of NASCAR.”
Last year, Parker Kligerman relieved an injured Connor Zilisch during the race and took the car to victory – giving Zilisch the win in the record books. The victory added to Zilisch’s incredible season and allowed him to collect seven wins in eight races. While Zilisch ended with a staggering 10 wins in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series last season, Justin Allgaier is nearly matching that pace and currently holds a commanding lead on the field in the points standings. In his way, though, stands the superspeedway savant and winner of the 2026 United Rentals 300 earlier this year at DIS – Austin Hill. Since 2022, Hill has conquered Daytona International Speedway four times – but has yet to do so in the summer race.
The race weekend will feature the regular season finales for the NASCAR Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Action kicks off on Friday, August 28th at 7:30 p.m. ET with the Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola taking the track. Then, on Saturday, August 29th, the stars of the Cup Series battle in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at 7:30 p.m. ET for the final opportunity to earn their spot in The Chase.
To purchase tickets or for more information regarding the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend, log onto daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.