Homestead-Miami Speedway and SAE at Florida International University

On Friday, February 26, Homestead-Miami Speedway participated in Florida International University’s 2016 Engineering Expo. We were invited by FIU’s SAE team, a group of mostly engineering students that design, build, and race a Formula-style car. Each year about 120 teams from all over the country and world meet to compete at our sister track, Michigan International Speedway.

The Engineering Expo hosted around 1,400 students from a few South Florida counties. The expo aimed to engage the students with interactive STEM presentations. STEM refers to science, technology, engineering, and math education; fields that are increasingly present in the real world.

As part of the presentation the FIU SAE team had their vehicle alongside our show car. Together, students were able to compare a professional race car with an SAE car made by the young engineering students. This displayed the gradual steps in development and what can be accomplished by pursuing a career in those fields. 

The iconic sound of the stock car got everyone excited and brought questions about the body of the car, NASCAR as a sport, and qualifications needed to become a professional driver. We were also able to give explanations on aerodynamics, drag, and friction. The visiting students also got tours of a wind tunnel, played with bottle rockets, and explored shops where FIU students weld and design projects. To learn more about the FIU SAE team visit https://sae.fiu.edu/

Championship Four....times Three!

NASCAR turned up the excitement for Ford Championship Weekend as they introduced a Chase format for the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series! This year you will see a set of Championship 4 drivers each day of the weekend as they battle on equal footing for the title. 

Today's announcements by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France featured several major and important changes for the 2016 season.

Here is what we know:

• The NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will implement seven-race, three-round Chase formats with unique characteristics but very much in the same spirit of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

• All three series will conclude the Chase with a Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway to crown a champion. However, all three will begin at different tracks: Chicago (Sprint Cup Series), Kentucky (XFINITY Series) and New Hampshire (Camping World Truck Series)

• Drivers still must declare a series in which they will earn points, and will only be eligible to compete for a championship in that series. The 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who qualified for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be ineligible to compete in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

• The seven-race NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase will begin at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 24, and feature 12 drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 19.  

• A win in the first 26 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase, provided the driver is in the top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race. Drivers who win two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are also all but guaranteed a Chase berth.

• The first round, called the Round of 12, consists of the races at Kentucky, Dover and Charlotte. All drivers will start with their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 12, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-8) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

• Each driver who advances to the Round of 8 (Kansas, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 8 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

• The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver will be crowned the NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.

• The seven-race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase will begin at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 24. It will feature eight drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18. A win in the first 16 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase, provided that the driver is in the Top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race.

• The first round, called the Round of 8, consists of the races at New Hampshire, Las Vegas, and Talladega. All drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 16 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 8, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-6) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

• Each driver who advances to the Round of 6 (Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 6 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

• The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver at the Ford Eco Boost 200 will win the championship.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES CHASE

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES CHASE

The 2016 Ford Championship Weekend will take place November 18-20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Lawnmowers Are Back and Better Than Ever!

CHAMPIONSHIP 4 AUTOGRAPH SESSION

THE CHAMPIONSHIP 4 AUTOGRAPH SESSION

Friday, November 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

4:30 pm at the Fanatics Trackside Store

NASCAR fans, don’t miss your opportunity to attend an exclusive autograph session featuring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title contenders:

·         Jeff Gordon

·         Kevin Harvick

·         Kyle Busch

·         Martin Truex Jr.

Fans must have a wristband (Supplies are limited to 210 total wristbands) to be a part of this exclusive event.  Fans can secure their wristband at the following locations:

Homestead-Miami Speedway display

·         Wristbands will be distributed, beginning at 9 am, at the Homestead-Miami Speedway display

Sprint display

·         Wristbands will be distributed, beginning at 10 am, at the Sprint display

·         Wristbands are for Sprint customers only

·         One wristband per verified Sprint customer (must show Sprint phone)

Fanatics Trackside Store

·         Buy $50 worth of eligible merchandise at the Fanatics Trackside store to receive a wristband

·         Limited to one wristband per qualified customer

Come Sign Jeff Gordon's "Thank You" Banner at #FordChampWknd

NASCAR fans! Before Jeff Gordon’s final race, Homestead-Miami Speedway will present him a “Thank You” banner signed by his fans. Be a part of the moment and visit the Fanatics Trackside Superstore during store hours on Friday, November 20 and on Saturday, November 21 to sign the banner.

MILES2MIAMI: Phoenix International Raceway

Race Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Age: 41
Team : No. 88 - Nationwide Chevrolet
Owner: Rick Hendrick
Crew Chief: Greg Ives

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 28th Annual Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500, his 26th victory in 576 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

This is his third victory and 22nd top-10 finish in 2015.

This is his third victory and 13th top-10 finish in 27 races at Phoenix International Raceway.

Kevin Harvick (second) posted his 15th top-10 finish in 26 races at Phoenix International Raceway.  It is his 27th top-10 finish in 2015.

Joey Logano (third) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 14 races at Phoenix International Raceway.

The Championship 4 drivers, in order of seed, are Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr.

The Championship 4 drivers will compete for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship this Sunday, November 22 at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and locally on 100.3 FM Thunder Country.

Top Events to Attend During #FordChampWknd

 At Homestead-Miami Speedway, there are many different activities to keep fans entertained in between the action on the track. From kid zones to snowmobile shows, there is something for everyone to enjoy while attending Ford Championship Weekend. Don't miss out on any of these great events. Click here to customize your own Championship Schedule and sync it to the calendar on your phone!

Championship Taste – Help support the NASCAR Foundation’s Speediatrics Unit at Homestead Hospital by attending Championship Taste, where attendees will sample fare from 26 different South Florida restaurants. Championship Taste will be held from 7:00 – 10:00 PM at the Chalet Village on Thursday, November 19. Click here for tickets.

Minions Kid Zone – Bring the whole family to the fun filled Minion Kid Zone, where kids will be able to take part in different activities including a bounce house. The Minion Kid Zone will open Friday at 9:00 AM, Saturday at 9:30 AM and Sunday at 10:00 AM. 

Monster Energy Snowmobile Performance – Monster Energy returns for another year of adrenaline packed shows featuring snowmobiles on rubber tracks. Take in the action multiple times throughout the weekend at the display area. 

Smithfield Stage – Stop by the Smithfield Stage all weekend to watch one-of-a-kind productions including a kids science show, performances from local bands and a bacon eating contest. The Smithfield Stage is located inside the admission gates, next to Gate 4.

Smokin’ at the Track – During Ford Championship Weekend several teams will go head to head for the chance to be crowned champion of the BBQ competition. Satisfy your hunger by sampling the team’s creations in the RV Lot.

Ford Car Show – The third annual Ford Car Show will be help on Sunday, November 22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A celebrity panel will judge each entrant. The car show will be located on Speedway Boulevard between Gates 1 and 2. 

Pre-race concert – On Sunday, November 22, country music star Tim McGraw will give a special performance just before the start of the Ford EcoBoost 400. Don't forget, any fan with a pre-race pit pass will be able to watch the performance from the front stretch!