NASCAR officials announced Monday that kids ages 12 and under will receive free admission to all NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series races in 2017.
The announcement was made via Facebook Live as part of an all-kids press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown Charlotte that officially started Kids Drive NASCAR, a week-long, youth initiative that will lead into this weekend's races at Michigan International Speedway and Road America. NASCAR Next drivers Todd Gilliland and Harrison Burton as well as NASCAR Hammer Down host Karsyn Elledge were on hand to announce the program.
"There really is no other experience like attending a NASCAR race in person, and that's especially true for kids," said Jill Gregory, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "So many children have become lifelong NASCAR fans because their parents brought them to their first race, and this new ticket offering makes it even more affordable for families to create memories that will last a lifetime."
The number of complimentary tickets available to young fans will vary from venue to venue for each adult ticket purchased, officials said. Each track will have their own policies and procedures for determining which sections the tickets are offered in an effort to accommodate as many families as possible.
Several tracks, including Atlanta Motor Speedway, have offered free admission to children accompanied by adults at NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series races, but this new program marks the first time where tracks will institute a consistent offer throughout both series' schedules.