On December 13th-15th, 2019, CHALLENGEDAYTONA presents the 2nd annual CHALLENGEDAYTONA Festival voted “Best New Race” 2018 by Triathlete Magazine at iconic Daytona International Speedway®. The family-friendly international multi-sport festival has announced a thrilling format of mixed team relay consisting of professional and amateur athletes. Pro-am teams will compete in a sprint triathlon on December 14, 2019 at 7:30 a.m. The sprint triathlon consists of an 800-meter swim, 12.4-mile bike and 3.1-mile run.
Professional triathletes will complete the swim segment of the sprint triathlon, while age-group athletes will perform the run or bike. Age group athletes will have an opportunity to participate on a relay team with their favorite professional triathlete by bidding. The bidders compete against each other, with each subsequent bid being higher than the previous bid. All bidders will receive SMS text messaging and email when they are outbid. The winning bidder will be placed on the pro-am relay team. Bid monies raised will benefit The NASCAR Foundation. Bidding will open on Friday, November 15th 10 a.m. EST with bidding to commence on Monday, December 2nd 11:59 p.m. EST.
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for our sport. Professional triathletes and age-group athletes coming together for competition as a family of competitors. It doesn’t get any better than racing alongside your favorite professional triathlete at iconic Daytona International Speedway,” says CHALLENGEFAMILY CEO Zibi Szlufcik.
Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile adds,
“The format of the mixed team relay has been included in major races such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is sure to produce unforgettable moments. This is a once-in-lifetime opportunity for athletes to make history at the iconic Daytona International Speedway while benefiting the NASCAR Foundation is a win-win for everyone!”
Anyone interested in participating in the pro-am event is invited to visit www.challenge-daytona.com on Friday, November 15th 10 a.m. EST when bidding goes live. Participating professional athletes will be announced via the www.challenge-daytona on Tuesday, November 12, 2019. All bidding will commence on December 2nd 11:59 p.m. EST.
Anyone interested in participating in the numerous events offered at CHALLENGEDAYTONA —including Sprint and Middle Distance Triathlons (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run), the Junior Challenge kids’ race, Relay categories, Duathlon and Aquabike events, and 5K/10K run/walk events—is invited to visit www.challenge-daytona.com for more information and to register. The top six male and female finishers in each Middle-Distance Triathlon age group will qualify for entry in THECHAMPIONSHIP, to be held on May 31, 2020 at the x-bionic sphere in Samorin, Slovakia.
About CHALLENGEDAYTONA
Are you ready to swim, bike, and run at the “World Center of Racing®”? From December 13th-15th, 2019, Daytona International Speedway will welcome triathletes and triathlon fans from around the world to CHALLENGEDAYTONA. Named “Best New Race” 2018 by Triathlete Magazine, the entire festival of events will take place at the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, home of “The Great American Race®”—the DAYTONA 500®. www.challenge-daytona.com
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of “The Great American Race” – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the “World Center of Racing,” boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training. For more information, visit DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com.
About The NASCAR Foundation
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc. (NASCAR) established The NASCAR Foundation in January 2006 to support initiatives that positively affect the lives of children throughout the United States. The 501(c) (3) non-profit entity partners with medical experts and other charitable organizations to fund children’s health care programs. The NASCAR Foundation has cumulatively donated more than $32 million to reach more than one million children. For more information on The NASCAR Foundation, visit NASCARfoundation.org.
