Destination Charlotte
Touring & Weekly Series Champions’ Week Set To Kick Off
Daytona Beach, FL — With the culmination of the NASCAR season looming at the end of the week, track promoters, drivers and officials are preparing to descend on Charlotte, N.C., for the celebration of the outstanding achievements in 2010.
Keith Rocco of Wallingford, Conn., will be in the spotlight Friday, Dec. 10 at the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet, where he will be officially presented with the championship trophy for his first national title.
On Saturday, Dec. 11, the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards Gala will bring together the series champions and top drivers from all seven of the NASCAR regional touring series.
The banquets will be held for the first time at the Charlotte Convention Center’s Crown Ballroom adjacent to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Fans throughout the U.S. and Canada, and around the globe, will again be able to watch the festivities from both nights via a live webcast on nascarhometracks.com. The Red Carpet Pre-Show begins at 6 p.m. and the banquets get underway at 7 p.m. each night.
Before the banquets, though, the drivers and track representatives will take part in a schedule of special activities in the Charlotte area, including a tour of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
The week also includes:
• The annual Champions Dinner Tuesday night, which includes the presentation of the championship helmets to each of the touring series champions and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion.
• The 3rd Annual Champions/Media Karting Showdown at Victory Lane Indoor Karting on Wednesday. NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion Ryan Truex will attempt to defend his karting crown against the other NASCAR touring and weekly series champions as well as members of the media.
• In addition to their annual business meeting Thursday, track operators will be treated to a tour of Joe Gibbs Racing and a Dinner Cruise on Lake Norman. Also on Thursday, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series U.S. state and Canadian provincial champions will be recognized at a dinner at Hendrick Motorsports.
• Friday the spotlight is on the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, both with the Grand Champions Awards in the morning, and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet that night.
• NASCAR’s touring series will take center stage on Saturday with its Grand Champions Awards in the morning and the NASCAR Touring Series Awards Gala in the evening.
The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet will feature the top drivers from NASCAR-sanctioned short tracks across the United States and Canada. Invited attendees will include the 2010 NASCAR national champion, U.S. state and Canadian provincial champions, track champions, the national/state/provincial rookies of the year, top NASCAR Finalist Recognition Program honorees, the 2010 Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award winner and many others.
The NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards Gala will include invitees from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, the NASCAR Mexico Series, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1.
In addition to the new NASCAR Hall of Fame complex, the region is the home of the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C., as well as a majority of today’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams.
The Westin Charlotte will be the host hotel for both awards banquets.
Sources: NASCAR PR