DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 3, 2025) – Daytona International Speedway announced today that Chili’s® Grill & Bar has been named the ARCA Menards Series race entitlement partner during Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth. On Saturday, Feb. 15, the Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente 200 at Daytona International Speedway will kick off a double-header of racing action and will serve as the opening race for the 2025 ARCA Menards Series at Noon ET.
“Bringing Chili’s on board for the ARCA Menards Series race gives us the opportunity to partner with a vibrant brand that is enjoyable for all,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “It’s an honor to expand our partnership list and we know that working with their team will bring the sizzle to Daytona International Speedway to help our fans create memories that will last a lifetime.”
This will be the first time Chili’s has lent its iconic pepper logo for an entitlement partnership after making its motorsports debut with Spire Motorsports starting with the 2024 Daytona 500. Since then, the fan-favorite restaurant has appeared as a primary partner multiple times across both the NASCAR Cup Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series while maintaining season-long associate status at Spire.
“Last year was all about letting race fans know we were there,” said Chili’s Chief Marketing Officer George Felix. “We appeared at marquee events, hosted fans at our nearby restaurants and showed up for fans at home with our first NASCAR commercial. We are doubling down this year and The Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente 200 is just the first of some fun surprises we have planned this season.”
This will be the 62nd consecutive year that the ARCA Menards Series will race at Daytona International Speedway dating back to 1964. For the seventh consecutive year, the race will be the opener of a same-day doubleheader with the NASCAR Xfinity Series the day before the DAYTONA 500.
FOX will broadcast the Ride the ‘Dente 200 Presented by Chili’s, the first time an ARCA Menards Series race will be broadcast live on an over-the-air network.
The action begins on Wednesday, Feb. 12, with DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light, setting the field for the Duel At DAYTONA, which occurs the following night on Thursday, Feb. 13, where drivers will battle it out for a spot in the coveted Great American Race.
The season-opening races for all three NASCAR national series as well as the ARCA Menards Series kick off on Friday, Feb. 14, starting with the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250. Saturday, Feb. 15, will feature an action-packed double-header with the ARCA Menards Series Ride the ‘Dente 200 Presented by Chili’s followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 300.
Then Sunday, Feb. 16, directly following GRAMMY® Award Winning Artist Pitbull’s pre-race show, the USAF Thunderbirds will perform their flyover, preparing both fans and drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series for an intense battle in the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500.
For more information regarding the DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, please visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.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.
Some of the exciting racing events include January’s Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and Roar Before The Rolex 24, February’s DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, March’s Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By Monster Energy, featuring DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, the August Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, and much more.
The Speedway grounds are also used extensively for other events that include concerts (Welcome to Rockville, Heroes Honor Festival, etc.), sporting events (DAYTONA Soccer Fest, CLASH DAYTONA, etc.) civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
About NASCAR:
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series).
The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA.
Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.
About Chili’s® Grill & Bar:
Hi, welcome to Chili’s! We are a leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). We are known for our Big Mouth Burgers ®, Chicken Crispers®, full-on sizzling fajitas, and hand-shaken margaritas. We take our food seriously – but not ourselves – because dining out should feel like a celebration even if there is nothing to celebrate.
Our passion is making everyone feel special, and every day, our ChiliHeads make it their job to spread #ChilisLove across almost 1,600 restaurants in 27 countries and 2 territories. And Chili’s cares.
We host local Give Back Events to support kids, education, and hunger and have raised more than $110 million benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through generous guest donations.
Find more information about us at chilis.com, follow us on X or Instagram, like us on Facebook, or join us on TikTok.
Source: NASCAR Communications
