In the words of an enthusiastic Jeff Gordon from the fall 2015 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway race, “YEAH, we’re going to Homestead!”
There’s plenty of reason for excitement as NASCAR heads to South Florida, as all three series begin to wind down the playoff battle. Both the NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Xfinity series host crucial races in the second event of the Round of 8. Meanwhile, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will know which four drivers will fight for a title in Phoenix following its race.
As fall weather begins to descend on most of the country, the tropics of Florida will be welcomed by many at the track. Here is who the track will have to kick things off.
Grand Marshal: Stewart-Haas Racing crew chief Rodney Childers and his family will give the command for Cup drivers to start their engines ahead of the 4EVER 400. The choice is certainly fitting, as the race name honors Kevin Harvick as he winds down his Cup career. Childers, who is Harvick’s crew chief, won the title with the 47-year-old in 2014 and has 37 wins since joining SHR.
Honorary Pace Car Official: Pitbull will ride along in the pace car prior to the Cup race. The rapper is the co-owner of Trackhouse Racing and recently released an album entitled TRACKHOUSE.
Honorary Starter: The senior advisor to NASCAR, Mike Helton, will wave the green flag ahead of the race. Helton served as the president of NASCAR from 1999 to 2015.
National Anthem: Pop artist Manu Manzo will sing the national anthem ahead of the 4EVER 400. Manzo was a nominee for best new artist at the 2015 Latin GRAMMYs.
Honorary Event Official: Miky Woodz will serve as the honorary event official. The Latin artist has 5.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Pre-Race Concert: Cedric Gervais will perform the pre-race concert ahead of the Cup event. The DJ won a GRAMMY in 2013 for a remix of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness.”
Entering his fifth year with Frontstretch, Luken Glover is the author of The Underdog House, shedding light on the motivation and performance of NASCAR's dark horse teams as they strive to fight to the top. Additionally, Glover reports for the site at various events, and he contributes in the video editing department.
A 2023 graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, Glover is a middle school math and PE teacher, as well as a basketball coach. He is passionate about serving in his church, playing/coaching a wide variety of sports, and researching motorsports history.