Bloggin' is Racin'

Fans invited to celebrate with Indy 500 winner in Fort Worth

IZOD IndyCar Series fans now will have the opportunity to celebrate with the newly crowned Indianapolis 500 winner as the Indianapolis 500 Champion’s Luncheon will shift to a public event. The annual affair hosted by Texas Motor Speedway traditionally has been only for media, but this year the Indianapolis 500 Champion’s Luncheon will be expanded to include the public when it is held June 2 on the 8.0 Restaurant’s outdoor patio at Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth.

The event begins at noon and there is no cover charge. The patio at 8.0 will be open for lunch and beverage service.

The Indy 500 champion will be joined by motorcycle daredevil Robbie Knievel and musical guest Charla Corn at the event. Justin Frazell, morning show host on 95.9 The Ranch, will serve as the event’s emcee.

TMS President Eddie Gossage will conduct a Q&A session for the fans with the Indy 500 champ about his/her victory as well as preview that weekend’s Firestone 550k IZOD IndyCar Series race at TMS. Gossage also will have an additional Q&A session with Knievel, who is scheduled for the “Above The Law” jump during pre-race activities for the June 5 Firestone 550k. Corn, a rising Texas country singer, will be featured with a 20-minute live performance to usher in the grand entrance of the Indy 500 champion.

Fans of Texas Motor Speedway on the social networking site Facebook will get an exclusive chance to win a seat at a VIP table for the luncheon. Participants in the weekly “Firestone Friday” trivia contests on TMS’ Facebook page will be eligible for the grand-prize drawing. Two winners, who each will be allowed to bring a guest, will be selected to sit at a VIP table, enjoy a free lunch courtesy of TMS and get their photo taken with the Indy 500 champion. Enter the contest every Friday at facebook.com/texasmotorspeedway.

-- TMS release

Country artist Hough to perform during family event at Texas Motor Speedway

Country music recording artist and former Dancing with the Stars champion Julianne Hough will perform a live concert to headline charity-driven Family Fun Day! on June 5, at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track.

The inaugural family entertainment event will be held from noon to 5 p.m. with proceeds benefiting the Family Support Foundation For Mental Illness and Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter.

Hough, who won the dancing title with IndyCar Series superstar Helio Castroneves in 2007, will headline Family Fun Day! with a one-hour concert beginning at 3:30 p.m. on the frontstretch of the 10,994-seat dirt track. Prior to her performance, Christian singer Eric Orson will provide a 45-minute live musical set. Concert seating will be general admission.

In addition to the musical entertainment, Family Fun Day! will feature games, rides, storybook characters and food and beverage. The concourse area of the dirt track facility will have a petting zoo; bounce houses; mini-train rides; face painting; clowns; and Cinderella and Snow White characters among its family entertainment.

Tickets for Family Fun Day! are $20 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under, and free to children under 2. Parking is free. Families can make an evening of it as well as TMS plays host to Castroneves and the IndyCar Series for the Firestone 550k race. Special ticket packages for that event begin as low as $49 for a pair of frontstretch tickets.

To purchase tickets for this event or additional information, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com or call the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at 817-215-8500.

-- TMS release

IndyCar test session at Texas Motor Speedway open to fans

IndyCar testing at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night (May 7) will be open to the public at the Speedway Club.

IndyCar stars Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Marco Andretti and Davey Hamilton are scheduled to be on track under the lights from 6-10 p.m.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and fans can park for free in the Crystal Lot and enter the speedway through the Speedway Club main entrance. Fans have the option of taking the elevator upstairs to the eighth floor to watch testing in the Starlight while enjoying dinner, drinks and the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on TV. The Speedway Club will offer Happy Hour drink specials and a bar menu. A chef's table dinner will be available for $25.

Those who want to watch the testing action for free can do so from the grandstand by entering from the second level of the Speedway Club, just up the escalators.

TMS will not allow coolers in the facility during testing, but concessions will be available for purchase in the grandstand area.

-- Michele Machado