Richmond Raceway is offering fans the opportunity to see a different side of their favorite NASCAR drivers with Gridside Live! in The Classic Amphitheater on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The interactive fan program will be highlighted by entertainment with the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers as part of Fan Appreciation Weekend. All fans with a Federated Auto Parts 400 ticket are invited to attend.
Gridside Live! brings all your favorite Monster Energy Series Playoff drivers to one stage with hosts Monica Palumbo and NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Spencer Gallagher. Mike Helton, Vice Chairman of NASCAR, will open the program to welcome fans to Richmond and the final race of the regular season at 1 p.m.
New for 2018 is the highly successful Glass Case of Emotion podcast. Hosts Ryan Blaney, Kim Coon, and Chuck Bush will take to the stage for a live segment in front of race fans in The Classic Amphitheater at 1:20 p.m.
“Gridside Live! is an opportunity for our loyal Richmond fans to see their favorite Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers in a unique setting,” said Richmond President Dennis Bickmeier. “It’s not every day that our fans get to peek into the drivers’ personal lives. Gridside Live! is just another way we are saying ‘thanks fans’ during this year’s Fan Appreciation Weekend. I invite all fans to The Classic Amphitheater for this special program prior to the Federated Auto Parts 400.”
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 42 for Chip Ganassi Racing, will join the inaugural class of Team Racing Virginia (TRV) racers, Chase Burrow, Macy Causey, Zach Lightfoot, and Timmy “Mini” Tyrell, during Gridside Live! to discuss the importance of supporting local short tracks. TRV will answer questions about their young racing careers as well as who their role models are within the sport. TRV will also have the chance to ask questions about their path to the top. The Kyle Larson segment with TRV will be at 2:05 p.m.
Gridside Live! is not the traditional Q&A format. Many fans will remember last year’s edition of as the perfect way to build up to the Federated Auto Parts 400. Fans can expect much of the same vibe this year with the transition to The Classic Amphitheater only adding to the environment. The full Gridside Live! schedule is below:
1:00 p.m. Monica Palumbo & Spencer Gallagher
1:02 p.m. Mike Helton & Dennis Bickmeier
1:20 p.m. Glass Case of Emotion with Ryan Blaney, Chuck Bush, Kim Coon
1:45 p.m. Kevin Harvick
2:05 p.m. Kyle Larson & Team Racing Virginia (Chase Burrow, Macy Causey, Zach Lightfoot, Timmy “Mini” Tyrell)
2:25 p.m. Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2:45 p.m. Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr.
Gridside Live! will take place on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in The Classic Amphitheater. All fans with a Federated Auto Parts 400 ticket are invited to attend. For more information on Gridside Live!, visit richmondraceway.com.
Richmond Raceway hosts NASCAR for two nights of racing “under the lights” on Sept. 8-9. The fall race weekend, presented by Who’s Your Driver, will see history on display as Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes his final, career, two-race appearance as a driver.
The weekend gets started on Friday, Sept. 8, with on-track practice for both series and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Pole Qualifying for both weekend races. The action then dials up as the rising stars of tomorrow compete in the Virginia529 College Savings 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at 7:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m., the sport’s best take to the track for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race as NASCAR crowns 2017 Regular Season Champion.
Tickets are available now for both races and can be purchased online at richmondraceway.com or by calling the Richmond Ticket Office, toll-free, at 866-455-7223.
Richmond Raceway PR
